Comment of the Day
From Ken at Popehat, commenting on Mike Duvall of California:
But I have to ask: seriously, if you are going into politics for a steady supply of ass (of whatever gender) "” and plenty of people do "” would it kill you to just shut the fuck up about family values?
C. Glassey:
Makes me sick. She was a lobbyist for a major company that deals with one of his (now former) committee assignments. So he was trading his vote in the House for sex and she was getting - what? A highly paid job as a political whore. Wow. What a great time for everyone in Sacramento. :-(
September 9, 2009, 4:59 pmMark:
Now, I am not supporting Mike Duvall and his egregious conduct. But, the charges of "shut the fuck up about family values" is also misguided.
Our governmental system is a representative system. We elect certain people to represent us in offices that will decide the policies of our community, county, state, and nation (amongst others).
One clear issue in this representative system is in what manner should a legislator substitute his only policy view for the will of his constituents.
In my opinion, and others may not share it, on social issues like "family values" the representative should follow the will of his constituents. On more technical issues, such as finance, economics, and foreign policy the legislator should be a leader, and maybe at times substitute his own views if they conflict with his constituents.
September 9, 2009, 5:17 pmKen:
Mark,I would think that constituents who sincerely believe in, and support the success of, family values would not want the concept of family values cast into disrepute, and do not want the invocation of family values to become widely seen as a occasion for cynicism at best and suspicion at worst.
So I suspect they might say it a little differently: "if you are too stupid not to get caught, and you want to screw around, shut up about family values."
September 9, 2009, 6:30 pmMesa Econoguy:
Would it kill Charlie Rangle to shut the fuck up about taxing the rich?
September 9, 2009, 7:07 pmrm3:
Rangle got caught, just like Duvall, but won't get the hammer like the average, non-elite taxpayer would for not paying up to the IRS.
Both those pricks should be run out of office.
September 10, 2009, 5:29 pmMark:
No, Ken. The personal defects of the representative is very not that important policy wise. Maybe it matters politically, but politics is different than policy. When our legislators, in DC and homestate, meet in session political party means nothing.
For example, consider Larry Craig. His personal behavior and his votes on these issues are independent. The People of Idaho expected that their senator would vote a certain way on these issues and Craig did. That is policy.
THe politics of it all means that Craig would never be reelected because of his personal conduct.
September 12, 2009, 6:54 pm