15 March 2008

In reply to the Spitzer Issue

(Reply to comments in the previous post)

A lot of you seem to be throwing the hypocrisy word around, but then again, I have to turn around and say, "so what"? Who cares if he's a hypocrite? Sure, we don't like hypocrites, but if being a hypocrite doesnt stop him from doing his job, then by all means, go ahead.

Sure, he was fighting corruption and prostitution, even though he slept around with a few hookers. But still, he FOUGHT prostitution, fought corruption, and he did it well; hypocrisy never affected his job, its a personal mentality issue that he has. Sleep around, Spitzer! Just make sure you clean up those hookers by the time you're done with office.

The truth is, we all look towards public figures as being moral, just, and so on. Honestly, I don't give a damn as long as they can do their job right. I don't care if we hire a leader to fight drugs, and he does it and does it right, clearing the city of drugs. If he enjoys the occasional puff of marijuana every now and then, then by all means go ahead, doesn't bother me.

QUESTION: Would you rather have a leader that initiates change, does good, brings improvements, but has a few shady issues in the background? Or would you rather have a totally moral and just leader who does nothing wrong, but doesn't perform well at his job?

And how do you think this issue related to our MP's? Most of them have been voted for because anything BUT what they can do at their post...

10 comments:

Dr. Shale bin Agnon said...

I agree with you 100%, but wonder why you failed to mention how hot the hooker was.

Gardens of Sand said...

My issue with him is that that he thought himself above the law. Think about it, do you want those who are supposed to represent you and lead you think they are above the law. Then all accountability and responsibility goes out the window and you end up in Bahrain.

Seriously, it shouldn't be that difficult, anyone who breaks the law will be held accountable. Period, simple as that. He and the John he went after are one and the same. Why should Mr. Joe Shmo get a record and lose his job/life savings etc, and Spitzer walks free unharmed when they both have committed the same crime?

And ppl r throwing hypocrisy around because that is what he is: a hypocrite plan and simple. Pretending that he is holier than though making it his agenda to cramp down on prostitution when all along he was sleeping with the enemy.

Do you consider politicians above the law?? Oneof our MPs who wanted to ban alcohol & wt not when he owns a hotel known for alcohol and cheap women.

Sad to say, our MP is still here, hypocrite or not according to you, is he or isn't he doing nothing wrong? Before Spitzer started throwing stones, he should've realised his house was made of glass.

Shionge said...

Well I must say that people look up to leadership value so as a Governor with influential power it did not go down well even though he did perform...I suppose he is still human afterall.

rosh said...

I partly agree with you Ammaro: he is human, and he did clean up a lot of corruption in this city. NYC and Wall street especially has been more transparent since.

However, as Gardens of Sands said, (and you probably know this already) is not that he had sex with another woman, but, the fact he broke the law - the very law he is to protect and uphold.

Bill Clinton, had a fling with an unmarried woman, who wasn't a call girl - didn't break the law.

This sort of accountability and transparency is what appreciate about the United States. In this context, many across the GCC, Arab world and Asia - can look upto this system.

Woozie said...

Pretty hard to say you're fighting prostitution and corruption while fucking a prostitute and using corrupt methods to do so.

I see your concern and can sympathize, but hypocrisy is an issue of character which does hamper governing ability. An able ruler simply must have people-citizens, mayors, governors, MPs, whoever-behind them. Extremely difficult when you're lying to all of those people and literally putting yourself above the law.

Woozie said...

Personally I think the criminalization of prostitution is dumb and archaic, but that's a non-issue in this context.

Ammaro said...

shale; not sure. if he was paying around $1,000 an hour, she had better be hot

everyoneelse: no one has answered the question yet - would you rather have a leader with shady issues in the background, but who actually does good for the people? or would you rather have someone totally moral, a complete angel, but doesnt do well in his job?

the issue here is that we've been mentally made to think that just because the person is a public figure, means we have to sit him up on this high character chair and judge him over every thing he does. thats not right. he's human after all, and most of you reading this probably aren't much better.

and again, this is supposed to boil down to the Bahrain MPs issue, and how we chose them, not for what they can do for us, but over their morality issues and bla bla bla

beaverboosh said...

Is it too much to ask that those we ask to represent us in high office are both principled and competent? I think not and cannot accept your argument that we should compromise on less. We have evolved further than to have to accept Machiavelli's principles of political leadership from our leaders today.

Unknown said...

To be honest i doesn't matter if he had a whole line of women running around naked in his office, if he gets the job done and done well, then hes the man for the job.

I agree with Ammaro honestly we don't have any professional politicians in Bahrain. How many MP's have higher degrees (Masters or PHD's) in political science or law. Most are simply just in it for the money/prestige or from what i can see purely sectarian reasons.

SOOO... to answer Ammars question, yea id rather put a pimp into office that gives me results than put a so called "righteous" man in office that couldn't effect positive change if his life depended on it.

rosh said...

OK, sorry, didn't catch that aspect of your Q. Given your Q, I sort of agree, between the two - it is better to have someone who does get the job done, despite the occasional sexapades.