Originally posted by KNSinatra:
I think that it's terribly sad that our citizenry has so little faith and pride in their leaders, that they don't even hold them to certain standards during their stays in their political carreers/offices. Leaders like this function to reinforce this sentiment of apathy toward the behavior of leadership, as they act like this while wielding the power that they do. Jackson is always the first to criticize anyone about anything, which makes me scoff at how typical his efforts at hush-hush keeping is. I accept fault in any human being -- its the concerted effort and maintaining secrecy to save their...*tails*, that makes me sick.
What's interesting is how so many people equate "moral sexual behavior" with one's ability to govern rightly and justly. The argument seems to be, if one can't hold oneself to "correct" sexual standards, then it follows that their political standards are also circumspect (i.e. if Clinton can be deceitful to the US about Lewinsky, he can be deceitful to the US about, say, relations with China). The corollary to this seems to be, if you do uphold and maintain certain sexual moral practices, then of course your political actions will be good and just.
Taking a look at Bush's cabinet nominations:
Ashcroft, as a Senator:
- Against abortion rights
- Believes homosexuality is a sin
- Against affirmative action
- Has opposed increases in the minimum wage
- Opposed a law on child-safety gun trigger locks
- Opposed a ban on assault weapons
As a Governor:
- Told S.C. magazine
Southern Partisan that "we should all do more" to promote the Confederacy's legacy
- Accepted an honorary degree from Bob Jones University
- Fought a voluntary desegregation plan for St. Louis schools
Other items of note:
- Slandered Missouri Supreme Court Justice Ronnie White during his nomination to a federal judgeship, calling him "the most anti-death-penalty judge on the Missouri Supreme Court", when in fact, White voted to uphold death sentences in 41 out of 59 cases brought before him - indeed, three judges appointed by Ashcroft himself voted to reverse the death penalty a greater number of times than did White.
- in 1981 as Missouri Attorney General, testified in Congress to support a bill that would've let states prosecute abortion providers for murder
- in 1995, 97, and 99, co-sponsored legislation to make performing abortions a criminal act
- has pushed for an amendment to the Constitution that would ban abortions even in the case of rape, incest, and potential injury to the mother (the amendment may have made even the pill and the IUD illegal as they sometimes induce abortions)
Abraham:
- nominated to be Secretary of the Department of Energy
- sponsored a bill in 1999 (his third attempt) to eliminate the Department of Energy
Powell:
- accepted large speaking fee from the deputy prime minister of Lebanon one week before the Bush election
- ordered to investigate allegations that US soldiers tortured prisoners & killed civilians in Vietnam in 1968; Powell's report painted a generally rosy picture of the situation, conveniently avoiding the My Lai Massacre of March 16, 1968, where US troops killed approximately 400 civilians
- a chief advocate of the Reagan-era Nicaraguan Contras, who have been involved in many civil rights abuses (in fact, a professor of mine from college knew some of the nuns who were raped and murdered by the Contras in the 80's)
- has lied under oath to congressional investigators: in 1987's Iran-Contra hearings, was asked if Caspar Weinberger kept a diary, to which Powell said under oath "The secretary yo my knowledge did not keep a diary"; yet in a 1991 statement, Powell admitted that he knew Weinberger kept daily notes on a pad, which "I viewed it as his personal diary"
- found guilty in 1992 by the International War Crimes Tribunal of crimes in connection with the Persian Gulf war (along with **** Cheney and George H. Bush as well) for crimes such as: indiscriminate bombing throughout Iraq; destruction of civilian schools, hospitals, and mosques; and depriving civilians of essential food, water, and medicine
But hey, none of these people have had an extra-marital affair, so they must be okay.
Prox: in response to your signature: No.
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My knob tastes funny.
