6/28/2009

Hypocrisy squared

Nod raises a fair question:

I asked why there seemed to be a disproportionate number of Republican politicos in recent times with fidelity issues. The response was that the numbers were probably equal, but that there was a disproportionate reporting on Republicans vs. Democrats. For better or worse, Republican social conservatives have positioned themselves as the party of traditional morality and ethics. The liberal wing of the Democrats eschew traditional morality, but they are the first to yell "hypocrite" and rub social conservatives' noses in it when they stumble.

So if you have moral standards in political life, you'll be skewered with them if you fail to live up to them even once, but if you profess none, then all things are tolerated?

Personally I think liberals are getting back at conservatives for the Clinton scandal, as if the ubiquity of infidelity means we should abandon any expectation of virtuous behavior. Gee, I wonder whose purposes that would serve?

1 comment:

Estase said...

Conservative does not equal traditionalist. Benjamin Disraeli was a conservative politically, but he was not a traditionalist. He married for money and had syphillis. William Gladstone was a liberal politically, but was very orthodox in his faith. Anyone who puts their faith (no pun intended) in human beings will ever fail to be betrayed. See my blog Aristotelian Moments.
Estase

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