The news that Representative Mark Foley has been exchanging sexually explicit instant messages with his underage pages (and that, apparently, the pages have been telling each other for years to watch out for him); the news that the Speaker of the House and (presumably) Republican leadership have been aware of this for years and done nothing about it; or the contemptible press release Foley's lawyer issued earlier this week, stating that, not only was Foley abused as a child, but it was at the hands of a Catholic priest. (What, did they sit around with the Mad Libs deck and try to figure out the best combination of traits to lay claim to?)
I know it's an obvious joke, but seriously… at this point, when you look up corrupt in the dicttionay, they might as well just redirect you to Republican.
I know it's an obvious joke, but seriously… at this point, when you look up corrupt in the dicttionay, they might as well just redirect you to Republican.
Comments
All politicians are corrupt. It has something to do with power, I believe.
As for Foley...
This IS election time isn't it? What's the breaking news today that doesn't seem to be getting so much air time? Could it be that his sexually explicit IM's were to an 18 year old? It is, and apparently they were (not sure if it matters...since D.C. age of consent is 16).
Yes, he had been sending some suspicious but more or less harmless emails to Pages 3 years ago. And, apparently, he was told to stop it because it could be misconstrued. But, the IM's were to an 18 year old just within the last year.
Now...has he overstepped his bounds and taken advantage of his office? Yes. But, it now seems he has not broken any laws or really done anything bad except...well, he is gay.
Hmmmm...the Democratic party has obviously ambushed this guy during an election (I dare you to deny the truth in that). And, why? Apparently, because he's gay. Seriously...do you think this would be a story if the Pages were girls? Think about it. If they were 18, this is Clinton/Lewinsky and nothing more. I believe the Democratic defense to that was "it's his private life." And, now the party that ALLEGEDLY defends/champions homosexuality is dumping on this poor gay man.
They tried to call it pedophilia ...that wasn't sticking. They tried "predator", but it seems the IM's are pretty equally give and take. And, they are now known to be with a young man of consensual age.
So, take out "underage" from your post and lets look at this again.
Election politics have gotten too, too, terribly dirty. And, to make matters worse, they no longer sling factual mud. They make shit up.
Am I excusing Foley? For pedophilia? Yes. Not only has he not been accused of actually HAVING sex with anyone, but it appears he hasn't done anything wrong with anyone underage. He may have WANTED to...so, I have no problem with him resigning. I DO have a problem with the ensuing witch hunt and cries of corruption from the same people who defended Clinton.
Now, let's look more at the cultural phenomenon going on. Mary Kay Letourneu has sex (and a baby) with a 13 year old. She goes to jail...but, she also marries the kid and becomes a huge celebrity. TV spots, book, etc. This latest hotty in Florida got HOUSE ARREST for having sex with a 14 year old, and she just did the interview circuit with Matt Lauer and Larry King. And, has a book in the works. When AMERICAN BEAUTY won the Academy Award for BP, I never heard anyone scream "PEDOPHILE!" at Kevin Spacey. Not in one review.
I just smell hypocrisy all over this, and I think America is mostly "outraged" because the Page was a boy/man.
As for Mary Kay and the Florida hottie, the only explanation I've got is the cultural double standard that it's an adult female and an underage male. Flip the sexes and I think the outrage would be a lot louder, and the consequences stiffer (no pun intended). Not that I'm excusing either activity, just my thoughts on the differences. (American Beauty was a movie, so I don't lump it into the same mental category. For what it's worth, I don't think he ever consummated his fascination, so maybe that's the line they skirted on that one. Again, no pun intended.)
Well, Foley never consummated anything either. At least no one yet has said so.
Clearly we have a hypocritical cultural standard: Adult female on young male = passable/celebrity; Adult male on young female = passable/infamy; Adult male on young male = sicko.
They are COUNTING on most Americans not knowing/caring/bothering to find out the Page with the IM's was 18. And, that he was allegedly 'joking' with Foley in order to get incriminating stuff on Foley (a young politician in the making).
They are COUNTING on Americans not knowing/caring that the age of consent in D.C. is 16.
What they are COUNTING on is that most Americans read the headline: CORRUPT POLITICIAN ABUSE OF POWER PEDOPHILE BAD REPUBLICAN.
If most Americans never get past that, then the smear is a success.
And, sadly, I think you're even more right on the whole smear angle.
Damnit, I know it's naive, but isn't it possible for there to be somebody running for office these days that I don't hate?
Never mind, I can answer that one. It's why I Tivo everything right now… so I can zip through all the political commercials and not have to listen to either side's b.s.
I haven't being paying too much attention to this mess until everyone started crying out for Hastert's head.
Are we missing the sexual harassment implications here? What are the procedures for this happening in the House? Also, I don't care if 16 is the age of consent in DC (expect for criminal and/or civil liabilty obviously), 16 is still too young for this nonsense.