Let's talk about replacing GWBush in 2004.

But Timber, don't we have to have an idea, each of us, about the kind of behavior we consider to be within reasonable limits for the leaders in our government? I agree that "fair" may not be the best word. I suggest "ethical." Is it disengenuous to expect our leaders to observe at least ethical practices?

george, With your kind of logic, we might as well send "all" our educational money to Iraq, just to prove money is not the answer to our education problem. Our school buildings are also in bad repair. Well, Iraq needs schools too! How about Africa? Many of their children can't afford to go to school. We should send them billions to help build schools and pay for their teachers. After all, we don't need any more money for our schools. How about our hospitals? There are federal mandates about providing medical care to people without their ability to pay. Money is not the answer? We probably don't need any more nurses anyway. Send the money to Iraq.

Lola,

Could you please give me an example of a U.S. Political leader who consistently - or even usually - meets the ethical standards you have in mind?

I haven't followed the story of the "leaks" very closely, mostly because it seems to be a tempest in a teapot. While it is a bit unusual in this administration which hasn't so far indulged in much leaking (compared to others), it hardly seems very important. Further, given the very predictable furor over the event in this intensely political season, it hardly seems reasonable to conclude this was a deliberate act, or a conspiracy of revenge. The effect was predictably the opposite. Washington blather seems much more likely.

Its one thing to expect ethical behavior of politicians; that expectation of ethicality is the standard on which democracy is based. Unfortunately, it is another thing altogether, and disingenuous in the extreme, to anticipate that politicians will meet the expectations we hold for them. That's why we schedule elections at regular intervals.

Yeah, too bad we can't replace those crooked CEO's with other crooked CEO's every four years or so.

If they happened to be ethical when thy first ran for office, they aren't once they are sworn in-- The souls sold on the way to Washington...

I would offer that Jimmy Carter left the white house with the same ethics that he brought there and he was a failed politician.

Yup ... there ya go. Hard point to counter, Dyslexia. But to give credit where its due, Carter almost single-handedly damned near resurected the Cardigan sweater. If he'd had another term, we'd all have been wearing them. Fortunately, Ronnie stepped in, and got the gas turned back on.

I agree. He'd probably have had a different fate, if he'd gone over to the dark side.

Arrgh! I had a professor at the U of Wyoming ( Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy) who always wore cardigans. Can I blame Carter for the "C" I got in the class, too?

hobit, You can blame Carter for your "C," but nobody's gonna believe you! LOL

It could not have been becasue I was spending more time studying Sorority girls, now could it?

Back to the topic, everything I've read about Carter suggests that, ethical or not, he was something of a martinet,and that his staff was not overly thrilled to work for him.

It would have been an intolerable waste to have allowed school to interfere with your education

Purely annecdotal, but I have heard that Carter was neither a popular nor notably accomplished boat commander when he had submarine sea duty. His ships had morale and crew-retention problems, it is alleged. The Navy apparently felt he was better placed in a land-based office than on a line ship too: he never got much sea duty.

So then, Nixon's dirty tricks were not really a problem........everyone got worked up over that for no reason?

Ethics and politics make strange bed fellows.

LW
How can a politician be honest when he must sell his soul to get elected and stay in office. As I have said several times before the truth will set you free, free from political office. The electorate does not want to hear the truth if it is bad news

Nonsense. Nixon failed to meet expectations. Politicians do that. That is precisely the point. It is silly to anticipate the contrary. That's what Free Press, The Constitution, Elections, and The Judicial system are all about.

Well, good night, Timber. I agree with that all the way. That's what I'm saying, GW and his guys are failing miserably to meet expectations. He's bad for this country and he's really bad news for the world. I just wish the Republican party could de-bug itself of these fanatical control freaks.

That's what I'm trying to tell ya. There's a long term, coordinated, right wing, dirty tricks campaign designed to destroy all of those American institutions you've just named. They're all at risk.