It's not just sex
I fear that the "it is just sex, it's a private matter" argument is coming again. I hold marriage to be a gift from God. The bond between the a man and woman in love is something incredible. But I don't want to legislate morality to the masses. I really don't care what people other than those in my immediate circle do in their bedroom with other consenting adults. That isn't true, I do care, I just don't want the government to stop them. Where children or animals or those incapable of true consent are concerned I think the government has a place. It has no place with consenting adults.That said, the reason for ethics clauses in public office and higher security positions isn't about morality. It's about BLACKMAIL. What do you think the Gov. of NY would have done to avoid the information we now have being broadcast to us in every news source in the country? He may or may not hold onto his seat through his term but his long term career aspirations are over. He is from significant inherited wealth. He has immense power. He believed he would, in the future, hold even more power.
I, personally only have to think about what Mrs. Mailgeek would do (which is scary). Trust me, she wouldn't be demurely standing by me at my press conference. While I am sure there are people out there who would like access to private company information I have access to I don't see anybody sleeping with me to get it. But the Gov. of NY is a target, as are Senators and House members and Presidents and CEOs.
One might think that for the outrageous sums the not-so-Honorable Governor paid his discretion was guaranteed. We have example after example showing that this is not true. When public officials do things they don't want the public to know about they become blackmail targets and we, the People, become the victims.
This particular man is an almost guaranteed target given his actions. He made his career prosecuting a case that looks starkly familiar to the one he is embroiled in at the moment. So on top of the general outrage of the public and the susceptibility to blackmail that all politicians face he is a hypocrite with powerful enemies. And just as a bonus he has powerful enemies on both sides of the political isle. And yet we find ourselves tonight wondering if he will resign. If he doesn't resign, will the outspoken Republican leadership in NY succeed in impeaching him?
Folks, this should be a no-brainer. It should not matter what your personal views are on the legality or illegality of prostitution. It should not matter what your politics or party affiliation are. When people with immense power, entrusted to them by the common man, put themselves in positions where they can be blackmailed you should want them stripped of that power. To want anything else is to put all of us at the mercy of organized crime and unscrupulous persons in the "opposition". Once the Gov. is no longer carrying the power of the office his actions in a bedroom or hotel room are between him and his wife and his God. While he carries that power he is a threat to the well being of the common worker he has power over.
Political life should be a great honor sought by great Americans willing to avoid situations where their character can be called into question. Today, that clearly isn't true. In days long gone many of our senior politicians, on both sides of the isle, would have resigned. It wouldn't have been a question. When we fail to hold those in power to a higher standard than a construction worker or hair dresser we risk a level of corruption beyond anything money can do to our political process.
I will pray tonight for the Gov. and his wife and family that they may find peace and strength and love and survive this travesty that he brought upon his family as a stronger family. I will also pray that he steps down and moves us, ever so slightly, to a place where we can begin to trust those in power over our lives. He certainly does not need the job and those he wields power over today need the peaceful sleep at night. He will be replaced by a man who, by all accounts I have read, I disagree with politically even more that I disagree with him. That man, however much I disagree with him, is apparently not one subject to blackmail. He will be free to do what he thinks is best even if I totally disagree with it. And he was elected by the people of NY to do just that.
posted by mailgeek @ 11:36 PM
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