Have YOU Thought About Public Office?

The mainstream media are all smiles over the salacious demise of former Rep. Mark Foley. Nothing sells papers like a scandal, and a possible gay sex scandal has news writers tripping over their double entendres faster than that guy on “Scrubs”.

Democrats, too, have been looking for a chip in Republicans' armor to help give them momentum to win back the Senate in November, and this one is just about as good as it gets, especially now that House Speaker Dennis Hastert in on the skewer for a possible cover-up.

Of course, no one is saying that Foley had sex with minor boys; he only had “inappropriate” digital communications. He says he was drunk while the communications took place, and he checked himself into rehab to get a handle on his behavior — which might have been going on for five years, according to reports speculating about the House Ethics Committee testimony of Foley’s former chief of staff Kirk Fordham.

His chemical scapegoat, like so many in the public eye, spoils his remorse, which so far has been voiced only by his attorney.
I’m insulted by the presumption that a quick spin at the Mayo Clinic absolves us, any of us, of all sins and transgressions. In early May, Rep. Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island nearly struck on-duty officers when he lost control of his vehicle at about 3 a.m. and struck a barricade. He told the officers he was late for a vote. They laughed, and then they drove him home without issuing a citation or sobriety test.

Sure, we have tragic flaws, but how much longer will we be lulled into submission by the lying, cheating and spin just long enough to support the lesser of two evils?

It’s time for a real people’s movement. Who better to run for office than agronomists? They are nurturing, for sure. They make a variety of decisions based on variable data. They are already in tune to the country’s shifting demographics, and most importantly: They’re trustworthy. Besides, the grassroots clichés are endless. Maybe Ralph Nader, former Green Party candidate and noteworthy public crusader, could throw is weight behind it. But don’t expect a slew of media attention. The gotcha journalists of today care more about the “what” than the “why”.

Tell us your political war stories or ambitions for public office … Join the conversation.

— David Frabotta, Senior Editor