Rep. Mark Foley (R), "a Republican from the West Palm Beach area, abruptly resigned Friday after the public disclosure of e-mails and instant messages between him and former congressional pages that ... went back at least three years," the St. Pete Times reported today. Incidentally, I've seen exerpts of these messages, and they are foul.This has been brewing for a couple of days. Right now, there are also allegations that some key Republicans knew about his perverse behavior but chose to say nothing about it. If that's the case, I hope they get more than a simple slap on the wrist. We have previously had problems with pages being used as sex toys by members of Congress. Because of this, new laws and policing strategies were put in place in the 90s in an attempt to curtail the problem.
In the 80s, a couple of page molestors (Reps. Gerry Studds (D) and Daniel B. Crane (R)) were convicted and booted. Studds had molested a 17 year old boy, and Crane had helped himself to a girl of the same age. Crane apologized, Studds didn't (I guess he's probably a card carrying member of NAMBLA: The North American Man-Boy Love Association.)
Oddly, some governmental perverts often continue to "serve" in politics or bask in the limelight. For instance, Studds went on to continual re-elections until his retirement in 1996.
In 1990, Barney Frank had a prostitution business that was being run from his apartment. When he "found out" about it, he quietly dismissed the person responsible for it and when it was discovered that he had known of it and hadn't come clean, the House reprimanded him. Additionally, Frank has always been haunted by rumors of molesting boy pages, himself.
Then there was Bill Clinton: Juanita Broaddrick's rape, Paula Jones, Monica Lewinsky, and a list so long I just don't want to keep putting up more links here. Let me note that I don't necessarily consider sexual promiscuity a perversion (though there's certainly an argument for that belief!) But in Clinton's case, the allegations weren't simply about his infidelity to his wife. They were often about sexual abuse.Happily, there are also times when justice is done. Losers such as Bob Packwood (who will always be known as "Peckerwood") come to mind. But it saddens me to see how many of these men are able to behave this way with relative impunity, and go on to live successful lives while their victims remain permanently scarred.
24 comments:
I have wondered how so many of these men (and some women) have managed to lose their way? How do they lose their moral underpinnings? Or at least the fear of the consequences?
We watched DateLineNBC with Chris Hansen on Friday night and it was a show about the perverts who email with what they think is a 13yo child who is willing to have sex and meet up with them! They are sick, disgusting and stupid, no I mean STUPID! They all showed up with condoms and then acted like they weren't there for sex!
So it is no shock nor will it ever be that our elected officials when it comes to the little head act stupid, I mean STUPID, when it comes to their behaviour! Sadly we pay for it and so do the poor children their perversions attack. I think the less air time they get the better! We should be allowed to throw rotten tomatoes at them in public! Yeah rotten tomatoes!
And thanks for the compliment. I am always eager to learn more and willing take on the challenge most of the time. Moving to wordpress has been fun, but I have a long way to go!
One down, several hundred to go.
Everytime I hear the word "Peckerwood" I can't help but think of 'The Golden Girls'...Did you ever see that episode?
Ditto what Iguana said.
We voters have to share some of the responsibility for re-electing them, especially after news of their actions becomes public. Unfortunately, politics is such a dirty business we have no real heroes to believe in. To me, elections always come to choosing the lesser evil.
What flustered me was when today someone told me Foley will never be charged because 16 is over the age of consent in Washington DC.
Doesn't make it right. And the coverup is a compound fracture.
Amen.
You hit another home run Saur.
IDGAF what party they are with. And I agree that the voters are to blame. I hope he is drawn and quatered, along with all the other predators in politics, Ted K, Studds, Clinton, and whoever else preys on the weak and/or innocent. Anyone who defends these freaks should suffer the same fate. But now we hear he is a drunk. And WTF does that matter????? I could be a drunk, no one likes an adult bev. more'n me. I assure you that I never ever hit on or proposition anyone ever, underage or not. I do know this, and this can be takin to the bank and deposited, if that was my son/daughter the trial would be non-existant.
thats FUBAR
i mean come on now
with the power and influence that the politicians possess can't they get someone somewhere to fill their needs without preying on our most innocent????
I hope they hang him. I am tickled that at least the Republican did resign, not like Teddy K and the Dems.
anyway
my take
ole J
: ) Love that bill.
Just dropping by to say HI, and hope all is well.
Take care, Meow
Typical republican (sorry I had to go there).
Mostly closet homosexuals who hate themselvs and want to regulate against it. Really sad. It is safe to say at at least 1 in 10 republicans is gay. Keep that in mind.
Blogged on this today here, the whole situation is disgusting.
Hmm...I wonder if it is a failure of leadership, or this conduct can be attributed to some other deeper issues.
I too have a post on Mr. Foley today!
I second Susie. and as an Independent voter.
The guy is a sicko no matter what his party is. Do you think the Congressional pages and boys in chat rooms give a crap either? I think not.
And DHG for a Brit who despises Americans so much as per your comments and posts, why is it you incessantly blog about us? Perhaps in the same spirit as Alex's statement "Mostly closet homosexuals who hate themselvs and want to regulate against it." this must mean that your first born child will be named George or Clinton in our honor.
Stereotypes suck, don't they?
Emma: sorry darling, you've made an error, ask Saur (who knows me rather better I'm afraid), I don't despise America, far from it but you'd know that if you read in greater detail.
As for blogging on American politics, its simple, the neo-cons develop a foreign policy that puts everyone, globally that is, at risk so I have to take notice of their awful schemes.
AND, this is about political affiliation I'm afraid, as the GOP pitch themselves as one thing but clearly have a problem keeping their hypocritical cocks in their pants.
DHG,
I stand corrected. I believed by your comments and statement that you really disliked Americans in our "obese" and "gas hogging" culture. And you are right, I don't read your blog.
You say the GOP have a problem keeping their hypocrical cocks in their pants 'Their' as in one person?
This is my problem, many stereotype a group of people by one person. This can be religion, politics, cultures, and classes.
As for political affiliation, I was once a Republican, does that mean I'm a pervert, too? No. You're an actor, right? I know some gay actors, does that mean you are gay? It's like saying all Democrats are cheaters, all Republicans are Texan alcholics and those running in The Green Party are all granola crunching, Birkenstock wearing tree huggers.
I'm positive that you can agree with me on stereotypes. It's throwing out the baby with the bathwater. I feel stereotypes breed hate and are an easy way to avoid the work of thinking.
Emma: it's a statement of fact that the US is the most overweight nation in the world, it is also a statement of fact that the US is the most car reliant nation in the world and also the greatest polluter. These facts don't make me anti-American.
As for stereotypes, the fact of the matter is and where much of this Mark Foley story hits home is that the GOP pitches itself as the party of the Christian right, the conservative, the moral majority, family values etc, etc and rather like the Tory party in the UK, this repression of self leads to a greater penchant for hypocrisy.
Firstly, the size of America has no bearing on the use of cars, poor ecuse for being lazy and persistant failure by any US regime to invest enough funds into public transport; this reflects on the economic policies of the US and what is a priority, a car dependent nation is a car dependent nation. You then talk about industry and fall into a terrible trap, as the US is the greatest polluter not because it has so many factories but because various US regimes have refused to acknowledge and implement legislation that control pollution, why? Money.
Sorry if my talk of America being the fattest nation in the world has offended, it must be because its such a big country that people are so over weight but on the bright side the UK is now the fattest nation in Europe. SHAME ON US!
I shall now have to quote myself:
"It seems that Republican/conservative repression and self-righteousness always seems to manifest itself in supreme hypocrisy. Please see Foley with his Internet predator legislation, Rush Limbaugh with his drug abuse demonization and the compulsive gambling of Bill Bennett who wrote a book on virtues and morality."
Wow. So what you are saying is that for the Republicans or "party of the Christian right" to eliminate hypocrisy they must then have no "repression of self" or "virtues and morality"?
Since when did having morals, being disciplined, holding one's self to a higher standard, or at least attempting to, become a negative thing? It sounds as if you have more of a problem with Christianity (theologically speaking) and Christian morals and applying blame respectively than you do with the issue of a Congressional pervert not living up to his own standards.
Hypocrisy of one is not license to stereotype a whole. Further, a penchant for hypocrisy is not hypocrisy. If we are judging on potential, we are all hypocritical, don't you think?
So, playing the devil's advocate, not calling you the devil mind you :o) , but lets just throw out morality, because who are we to be the moral compass, repressing others with our ideals for living? In that case who makes the judgement on whether or not Foley was right or wrong? Hypothetically, you can't. I can't. That would be repressing his humanity, imposing our morals on him. Right? Who can say whether anyone is right or wrong, including governments? There has to be SOME moral compass, somewhere and in turn always that special someone to cross the line.
The need for morals is blatent.
As for the exact facts on American culture, that doesn't concern me (as in not the issue for me right now), but that you had found so much interest in the downfalls of American society and governments. That is what I perceive to be anti-American. I apologize for coming off so strongly.
My point was if I devoted a blog on all the downfalls of dearest Saur, regardless of it being a short blog :o), I don't believe that anyone would think me to be a friend of or pro- Saur. But as I stated before, I stand corrected in my assessment of your view of all things USA.
No Emma, what I'm saying is they need to stop claiming a moral highground that frankly doesn't exist and they are in no place to inhabit (same goes for the Democrats) when they pitch themselves as the guardians of that moral highground due to their closer ties to the Christian Right. It really is very simple, i have no idea why you feel the need to defend the hypocrisy, cover ups and general disgusting behaviour but apologists are found on the strangest of places.
And what matters more is that this whole charade is a lovely smokescreen for the greatest theft of human rights in US history.
Please tell me you know about that?
Daniel,
I am in no way condoning hypocrisy OR Foley but am solely questioning your definition of hypocrisy being 'the penchant for' by stereotyping the masses by proxy.
You say "they claim a moral highground that frankly doesn't exsist". Is this not judging the many by the few due to your moral ideal of the failings and perversions of a handful? Stereotyping leaves little room for respecting the innocents.
As for the theft of human rights, I do not care to digress.
My point is yes, Mark Foley is a pervert. I believe Clinton to be, too. This does not mean I believe all politicians are sickos and perverts which goes to my earlier comments. Stereotypes breed hate, disrespect and are an easy way to avoid the work of thinking.
If that makes me an apologist in your eyes, then you really should understand the definition of what an apologist is. I have only condemned the wrong doings of those responsible and refuse what is so easy for you to do: condemning them all by association.
Has your position come to calling names now, when it is difficult to say, "I see your point"? A simple admission from you would have been far more fitting.
If you wish to argue semantics when members you've elected to power do one thing and say another and abuse a position of power, that's fine.
I knwo what side of the line I'm on.
How simple do I have to make this?
Clearly, very simple.
Rethugs pitch themselves as party of the moral majority and Christian Right for that is what they are, in order to win power in the US.
It is clear that due to taking this postition they leave themselves exposed to hypocrisy when their representatives (the long list of them) commit sexual felonys.
Hope that help clears things up and glad you've discovered a dictionary...
Because I'm a badass.
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