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Politics : Clinton's Scandals: Is this corruption the worst ever? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Martin A. Haas, Jr. who wrote (11656)	2/13/1999 6:10:00 PM
From: Catfish	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 13994

Martin, Good article. Unfortunately, I am afraid that a "Clinton" will happen again. The device to remove a corrupt politician at the highest level leaves a lot to be desired. There are too many loop holes, investigations take too long, politics get in the way, and the unbiased media has proven to be biased. The media elected to "cut Clinton some slack" during his initial run for office even though they knew of some of his indiscretions way back then. Now, we have all paid the price with both left and right now polarized over their own ideology as opposed to what is in the best long-term interests of the country. Overall, the political health of the country is much worse-off for having gone through this ordeal. Darrell

To: Martin A. Haas, Jr. who wrote (11656)	2/16/1999 8:42:00 AM
From: j g cordes	Respond to of 13994

Marty, I just read the WSJ article you posted. Its interesting and worth discussion for a number of reasons. Many thoughts over and above the impeachment rhetoric came to mind.. and many questions that have a greater historical sweep. As the author points out, its clear there's a sub-text to speeches as she points out in Clintons self serving prayer breakfast. So too, the author's sub-text clearly is to continue to bash Clinton after the Senate vote.. which is to be expected and will no doubt continue. That's not what was interesting to me however. What interested me is the descriptions of Kennedy, as if he were a moral saint. Had Dallas never happened who knows what history would have said of the man? What interested me also is the conflict between the last great generation, as Brokow writes.. and the baby boomer generation that is hitting its political and finincial stride. The simple and clear choices of one generation up against not always clear choices and never clear results of another. WWII created a simpler world, the cold war was a simpler contest... there was good and bad clearly defined by the iron curtain. There was good and bad defined by Ozzie and Harriet versus the enemies of goodness we saw at a cartoon level in James Bond films. Americans from that time period had a simpler view of the world because it was simpler at every decision level. Our country was on top and isolated to its own values, there weren't any cultural influences outside ourselves holding a mirror. In defence of that time, it was good.. industry thrived, families were raised in a well protected nest. But it wasn't as good as we remember.. the sub text was there of an evil world to be suspect of and things went on in the shadows. We enjoyed a level of happy isolationism backed up by a nuclear arms race. As time went on and Europe rebuilt, as Japan rebuilt, as Russia, China, Korea, India, world travel, economic challenge... the children of the great war coming of age wanting, as all children do, to put their stamp on history... music, the sexual revolution, guilt over power and power over guilt. Suddenly, in contrast to the 50's the 70's then the 80's and 90's, choices that had a history of simple solutions had complex responses. Even the sexual revolution ran aground the reality of aids. The media combined with psychology with communications theory with advertising with the 'hidden persuaders' of unconsciously motivating and influencing people to do things. A message wasn't a message anymore, it was something else... and pollsters were relied on not to determine the message but to try and read a new landscape of experimentation. Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Carter, Bush, Clinton have all had to speak through a Phil Spectre wall of sound as the author says. One has to wonder how much is intended, how much of us is being swept along on the effects of this river of technology and influence. PR, marketing, focus groups, income targeting, mail order, scents, subliminals... as a society our own industries have made war on us as consumers. Its impossible that politics wouldn't use these same technologies to win at any cost as both sides so obviously do now, fighting for our votes with hand grenades of sound bites and nuetron bombs of value mayhem. In using any weapon, the original cause of the conflict is lost to the scars on the battlefield. My sub text, if any, is that our buttons are being pushed.. by both sides, by all sides. I'm a little tired of it. My religion button and moral button are nearly broken from overuse. My party affiliation and loyalty button is worn out. Jim