December 19, 1998

Hypocrisy Defined

Rep. Gephart of Missouri called for an "end of mud-slinging" while calling them "partisan" and "devisive" who would in good conscience seek to remove a man from office who would deny an American citizen a fair trial by lying under oath and coercing others to do the same.

Meanwhile, Rep. Bob Livingston, speaker-elect of the House, admitting to several adulterous relationships in his past, voluntarily resigned his office. And he did this without costing the tax-payers millions of dollars on investigators. Demonstrating, also, that it's possible to tell the truth about sexual matters and live with the consequences - though this writer would not have asked him to resign for sins committed, admitted and forgiven.

Democrats accused Republicans of denying them the right to "vote their conscience" by rejecting their unconstitutional attempts to present a bill of censure. Yet they condemned Republicans who, out of good conscience, called for Bill Clinton to resign.

Democrats accused Republicans of railroading a "partisan" impeachment resolution through the House. Yet votes both for and against were cast by both Republicans and Democrats. If either party could be accused of partisanship, it would be the Democrats, of whom only five abandoned the strict party line. Clinton was actually saved from two of the four articles by over two dozen fair-minded Republicans who after looking at the evidence felt free to vote with their Democrat counterparts.