Politicians of any party or of no party whatsoever are human beings, and are therefore fallible. Being in a particular party doesn’t automatically make one human being better or worse than any other human being. Character and morals are a person issue, not a party issue. Had the suspects and/or convicted parties and/or resignees been conservative/right wing, the left has always and quickly shone a bright spotlight of finger-pointing, but crickets chirp when their own do the exact same things. I am NOT saying that either sect is wholly perfect nor wholly imperfect, I’m just asking if equal measure is given when anyone violates laws and moral conduct, regardless of stripes.
It gets old constantly hearing, “Republicans this, Republicans that” and “ALL Republicans are this and ALL Republicans are that”. The labeling of racism, bigotry, hatred, elitist, selfish, etc., let’s try a little honesty and evenhandedness.
I’m only citing these few recent examples, but they are certainly not the only ones:
Tennessee State Senator Katrina Robinson (D).
California State Assemblyman Phil Ting (D).
California Representative Katie Hill (D).
New Hampshire Representative Richard M. Komi (D).
Minnesota State Senator Al Franken (D).
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I’m referring to the imbalance in how indignant the rebuke is when it’s the Democrats’ own wrongdoings that are laid bare to the public eye.
When one is backed up against a wall (figuratively) and has no other choice than to resign, that’s not the same thing as his or her peers raising dust over the wrong acts. While you have a good point that both sides of the political aisle spoke out against Franken and Hill, the fervor with which it was done was kid gloves compared to the bilateral versions of it Both Franken and Hill represented an embarrassment to the Democrats, yet their resignations were merely swept under the rug after the fact. It’s the degree of fervor that I’m comparing here; for instance, Michelle Obama patted herself on the back with her, “When they go low, we go high” speech, yet what are her remarks when Democrats fail to go high?
You’re absolutely correct on what you wrote about Republicans bashing Democrats, and it needs to end just the way the chiding that I wrote about needs to end. There are numerous sources that examine the daily banter re politics here on AnswerMug, and looking at a totality of the posts throughout, it’s quite noticeable that the scales tip at anti-Republicans +51%, maybe as high as +91%. The self-same people who post that traffic rarely if ever acknowledge that there is also plenty of negative behavior carried out by their own team.
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Character assassination is a wholly accurate description of what’s taking place here, thank you!
I have long stated that the childishness and immaturity of tactics such as name-calling and attacking politicians’ minor children and shaming opponents’ looks/physical condition/facial features/hair/age-related issues all need to stop. Then, when any voice challenges these low-brow games, all of a sudden the name-calling is redirected there, with claims of stupidity and hatefulness. These playground moves do absolutely nothing to intelligently present a viable argument, yet they are the favored strategy of far too many people. I wonder if it is a lack of substance in their positions that causes them to play to the lowest common denominator, much like the person who reverts to profanity-laced diatribes only due to the inability to express himself or herself any other way.
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Benedict Arnold 