The Politics of Sex Scandals

Paul Krugman gets to the bottom of the partisan divide when it comes to sex scandals in his blog post "Sex and the Married Politician":

And after watching a series of scandals unfold, I’ve come to the conclusion that the liberal reaction — that the hypocrisy of the moralizers undermines their cause — just doesn’t come to grips with the conservative worldview.

From their point of view the cause, the need to police what people do in bed, is, by definition, right, because it’s literally God-given. So the fact that some of those trying to police what other people do in bed are themselves doing nasty things does not reflect on the cause itself — on the contrary, it shows just how necessary more bed-snooping is.

It’s also notable that conservatives are, in practice, more forgiving of their politicians’ sins than liberals. John Edwards and Eliot Spitzer ended their political careers; Ensign and Vitter are still in the Senate, and Newt Gingrich is out there on the Sunday shows, speaking for the GOP. Why? Because where liberals see gross hypocrisy, conservatives see men doing the Lord’s work — which partially excuses their own failings. Liberals think that a man who has an affair is worse if he preaches moral values; conservatives think he’s better. You might say that as they see it, if he interferes with what enough other people do in bed, it doesn’t matter what he does himself.

So left is left and right is right, and never the twain shall meet.

The thought of having Sarah Palin using the presidency to be our top sex cop is too much, too depraved an idea even for porn movies, though I do like the slutty stewardess get-up.

The Politics of Sex Scandals

Paul Krugman gets to the bottom of the partisan divide when it comes to sex scandals in his blog post "Sex and the Married Politician":

And after watching a series of scandals unfold, I’ve come to the conclusion that the liberal reaction — that the hypocrisy of the moralizers undermines their cause — just doesn’t come to grips with the conservative worldview.

From their point of view the cause, the need to police what people do in bed, is, by definition, right, because it’s literally God-given. So the fact that some of those trying to police what other people do in bed are themselves doing nasty things does not reflect on the cause itself — on the contrary, it shows just how necessary more bed-snooping is.

It’s also notable that conservatives are, in practice, more forgiving of their politicians’ sins than liberals. John Edwards and Eliot Spitzer ended their political careers; Ensign and Vitter are still in the Senate, and Newt Gingrich is out there on the Sunday shows, speaking for the GOP. Why? Because where liberals see gross hypocrisy, conservatives see men doing the Lord’s work — which partially excuses their own failings. Liberals think that a man who has an affair is worse if he preaches moral values; conservatives think he’s better. You might say that as they see it, if he interferes with what enough other people do in bed, it doesn’t matter what he does himself.

So left is left and right is right, and never the twain shall meet.

The thought of having Sarah Palin using the presidency to be our top sex cop is too much, too depraved an idea even for porn movies, though I do like the slutty stewardess get-up.

Michael Jackson and the Presleys

"I don't want to go out like Marlon Brando. I want to go out like Elvis."

-- Michael Jackson

I cannot say I've ever heard anyone speak admiringly of the way Elvis died. Elvis may have offered much that one could wish to emulate, but he did seem rather unfortunate in his place and mode of departure. But maybe Jackson meant that he hoped to die kinda youngish? Of course, what is so striking is that the role that prescription drugs may have played in Jackson's death could be a tight parallel with Elvis's own death.

They also shared something special: Lisa Marie Presley. And she blogged about Jackson's death and of her guilt and the loss.

( Lisa Marie Presley )

Michael Jackson and the Presleys

"I don't want to go out like Marlon Brando. I want to go out like Elvis."

-- Michael Jackson

I cannot say I've ever heard anyone speak admiringly of the way Elvis died. Elvis may have offered much that one could wish to emulate, but he did seem rather unfortunate in his place and mode of departure. But maybe Jackson meant that he hoped to die kinda youngish? Of course, what is so striking is that the role that prescription drugs may have played in Jackson's death could be a tight parallel with Elvis's own death.

They also shared something special: Lisa Marie Presley. And she blogged about Jackson's death and of her guilt and the loss.

( Lisa Marie Presley )