Politics is, by nature, a dishonest, unseemly business. [View all]

[LongtimeAZDem]

Anyone who has the requisite narcissism to run for political office is going to manifest it at some point, sometimes in unpalatable ways. And the capriciousness of the electorate precludes openness and honesty, for what is acceptable at one point will be poison at another.

I think that the Northam picture is grossly over the line, and I think Dr. Tyson is probably telling the truth as she sees it. That said, I also believed that there was some truth behind Paula Jones‘ story, and Obama’s association with Jeremiah Wright was disturbing.

But I’m not a Democrat because I believe that we are all good, and Republicans are all evil. I’m a Democrat because the planet is heating up, and the oil is running out; I’m a Democrat because I think people should be able to go to the doctor when they need to, and the all children have the right to the best possible education in a free and open forum. I’m a Democrat because I think that regulations are required to keep poisons out of our food and wealth from aggregating in too few hands.

Finding out disturbing facts from politician’s pasts should be call for debate, discussion, and education, with the promise of doing better in the future. But if we sacrifice every one of our candidates for perceived character flaws, no matter how unsubstantiated they are or how far back they occurred, then we will achieve nothing at all.

Continuing to support those who have erred is not necessarily excusing or even justifying their behavior. It’s recognizing that the pool of those motivated enough to put themselves into the political arena are not likely to be saints in the first place.

Because the planet is heating up, and the oil is running out.