Beauty and The Buzz
Who Are You Going to Vote For? by The Average Guy
Well, it's almost election season and we are starting to look at the presidential candidates from the DDHG view. This new crop of candidates gives a chance to vote for at least two men that have cheated on their wives and one woman that has endured the embarrassment of an affair. This brings us to the question of whether a person should be disqualified for office if he has had an affair.
Republican's Rudy Giuliani and Newt Gingrich are representing the candidates that we know have had affairs. Both of their outside relationships have been well documented and discussed. But, Giuliani showed great courage and leadership in leading New York City through the aftermath of 9/11. Before that, he was a stellar prosecutor. Some have argued that he broke the mob in New York. Newt Gingrich is a very smart man. He is a thinker. Even his biggest critics acknowledge his mental capacity. He led the takeover of the House of Representatives after Republicans had been out of power for 40 years.
So, what gives? Should these guys be tossed of the political map because of personal failings? I don't think so. Bill Clinton may have been a national embarrassment, but most people think he was a hell of good president. Let's go back even further in history. Lyndon Johnson was a notorious womanizer. John F. Kennedy was a modern day pimp. Franklin Roosevelt? Him too.
I just don't buy the line that we are looking for a moral leader. We are looking for someone who can do the job effectively. If you want a moral leader, look to your pastor or rabbi or other spiritual leader. But, sadly, these very figures have also come to disappoint us as we see so many priests and other church leaders get caught up in the most heinous of immoral behavior.
Today, I think most of us are looking inward for that moral leader. We have problems that are too big and consequences that are too severe for not solving the problems. For example, if someone had the answer to global warming, would we discard him because we are upset about an affair he had 10 years ago. I think not. If someone could lead this country out of energy dependency, would we kick him to the curb? I think the very notion of doing so sounds ridiculous.
The French have long thought of us as the biggest hypocrites when it comes to our national leaders and their peccadilloes. We are the biggest consumers of pornography in the world, yet we chastise our public leaders because of a moral slip. All of Europe was wondering why we would persecute Bill Clinton for what should have been handled between him and his wife. I ask the same question.
I think we have grown up as a country. It is evidenced by the thrice married Rudy Giuliani leading the Republican candidates for president. It is also evidenced by the fact that the leading Democrat is a woman and the second leading Democrat is a black man. Yep. I think we're coming around.
Well, it's almost election season and we are starting to look at the presidential candidates from the DDHG view. This new crop of candidates gives a chance to vote for at least two men that have cheated on their wives and one woman that has endured the embarrassment of an affair. This brings us to the question of whether a person should be disqualified for office if he has had an affair.
Republican's Rudy Giuliani and Newt Gingrich are representing the candidates that we know have had affairs. Both of their outside relationships have been well documented and discussed. But, Giuliani showed great courage and leadership in leading New York City through the aftermath of 9/11. Before that, he was a stellar prosecutor. Some have argued that he broke the mob in New York. Newt Gingrich is a very smart man. He is a thinker. Even his biggest critics acknowledge his mental capacity. He led the takeover of the House of Representatives after Republicans had been out of power for 40 years.
So, what gives? Should these guys be tossed of the political map because of personal failings? I don't think so. Bill Clinton may have been a national embarrassment, but most people think he was a hell of good president. Let's go back even further in history. Lyndon Johnson was a notorious womanizer. John F. Kennedy was a modern day pimp. Franklin Roosevelt? Him too.
I just don't buy the line that we are looking for a moral leader. We are looking for someone who can do the job effectively. If you want a moral leader, look to your pastor or rabbi or other spiritual leader. But, sadly, these very figures have also come to disappoint us as we see so many priests and other church leaders get caught up in the most heinous of immoral behavior.
Today, I think most of us are looking inward for that moral leader. We have problems that are too big and consequences that are too severe for not solving the problems. For example, if someone had the answer to global warming, would we discard him because we are upset about an affair he had 10 years ago. I think not. If someone could lead this country out of energy dependency, would we kick him to the curb? I think the very notion of doing so sounds ridiculous.
The French have long thought of us as the biggest hypocrites when it comes to our national leaders and their peccadilloes. We are the biggest consumers of pornography in the world, yet we chastise our public leaders because of a moral slip. All of Europe was wondering why we would persecute Bill Clinton for what should have been handled between him and his wife. I ask the same question.
I think we have grown up as a country. It is evidenced by the thrice married Rudy Giuliani leading the Republican candidates for president. It is also evidenced by the fact that the leading Democrat is a woman and the second leading Democrat is a black man. Yep. I think we're coming around.