Spinning OUT of control?

Two political stories this week brough a few common themes to the front of the news cycle.

First, the New York Governor and the high-priced prostitute:

Eliot Spitzer was caught in the most embarrassing of predicaments. Having spent a lifetime prosecuting those living outside of the law, Governor Spitzer of New York seemed to forget about the stick in his own eye. No wonder his enemies find pleasure in the headlines.

But what exactly should we learn from this story?

What did we learn from Senator David Vitter (R-LA) last summer when it was confirmed that he visited the infamous D.C. Madam?

What did we learn from Senator Larry Craig (R-ID) last summer after he was arrested for lewd behavior in the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport?

We certainly learn that there is no shortage of such "errors." To err is human.

More importantly, from these errors we learn our most basic civic lesson. "We are a nation of law, not men." Our government must be one of limits. Power cannot be centered in one place because such power will be abused. A system of checks and balances protects us from the expected vices of human behavior. Thankfully these lessons are embodied into our Constitution.

Our Founding Fathers would not be surprised by today's headlines. They built a government that anticipated such news.

And for those who want to debate the fate of Governor Spitzer?

Marcus Aurelius said it best, "Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one."

(From CBS2school)

Spitzer announced his resignation on Wednesday. Did he have to? Or should he have? TIME.com, considered the options through a history of political scandal:

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1721095,00.html

Then there is the case of Geraldine Ferraro, who as an economic advisor for the Hillary Clinton campaign and herself a former vice presidential candidate, told the Daily Breeze of Torrance, Calif., "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept."

After Obama and his supporters objected, Ferraro told the New York Times, "Every time that campaign is upset about something, they call it racist. I will not be discriminated against because I'm white. If they think they're going to shut up Geraldine Ferraro with that kind of stuff, they don't know me."

Clinton called Ferraro's statements "regrettable."

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88154039&ft=1&f=1001

In her resignation note to Clinton, Ferraro claimed she was being attacked by the Obama campaign. Obama called her comments, "rediculous."

The letter of her resignation was given to CNN:

Dear Hillary –
I am stepping down from your finance committee so I can speak for myself and you can continue to speak for yourself about what is at stake in this campaign.

The Obama campaign is attacking me to hurt you. I won't let that happen.

Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do to make this a better world for my children and grandchildren.

You have my deep admiration and respect.

Gerry

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/03/12/ferraro-steps-down/