On the left here (click to enlarge) is a letter of support that David Vitter wrote along with 13 other Republican senators. The letter stressed the importance of a $50 million dollar grant for 'abstinence education' for adolescents. Vitter was the first person to sign the letter. Nineteen days later he admitted that he had hired hookers while he was a senator. What a guy!
If his wife wants to accept his apology for infidelity, that's fine. But what about the constituents? How does one apologize for rank hypocrisy? Apparently, Mr. Vitter thinks that we can teach adolescents to behave better by allocating money. What kind of congressional program would we need to curtail this kind of sanctimonious political hypocrisy?
Answer: one that swiftly removes said hypocrites from office.
We all understand that people make mistakes. But when officials like Vitter or Spitzer ride around like knights gallant proclaiming their pristine virtue, only to reveal later that they have none, it's not a simple matter of forgiveness. Consequences are in order. Spitzer resigned, and Vitter should do the same. If he doesn't then I hope the voters do their job. If they don't then they deserve all of the hypocrisy that they receive.
How much latitude for errors? How much forgiveness?
With respect (I can explain that word if need-be) to elected, appointed, and hired government folks, a poster said to have been authentic from long ago showed a vulture with the remnants of some male's defining attributes in its claw.
The motto said: "To err is human. To forgive is not Strategic Air Command policy."
Posted by: Larry Sheldon | March 30, 2008 at 12:04 PM