The Political Double Standard

In the wake of the Anthony Weiner sexting scandal, many liberals are on record stating: Since progressives do not hold family values as a top priority (as conservatives do), it is okay for Weiner to 1) exhibit questionable behavior and 2) to keep his job. I think this is a bunch of nonsense for numerous reasons – even if Weiner did not break the law. If Weiner’s own family can no longer trust him, then why should his constituents. Weiner lied, and once he did that – his reputation has been tainted and he cannot be trusted (Thus, he did the right thing by resigning). And, in my opinion, family values may be the biggest problem facing our nation. Study after study indicates that children who come from a strong family unit are more likely to succeed. For this reason, political leaders need to lead by example. However, if liberals want to play this game of “double standards” and insist that Republicans who violate their own moral values should step down, then why aren’t Democrats held to the same standard when they violate their own moral and ethical values?

For instance, Democratic moral values (as they claim) are to protect the poor and the environment. So why aren’t Democrats held to the same double standards as Republicans when dealing with these issues? Democrats may push legislation and laws, which they feel will protect the environment and help the poor, but do they live up to the same set of standards? Of course not! Progressives want the wealthy to pay more in taxes, but they are less likely to give their hard earned money to charities. After all, nobody is stopping our wealthy liberal politicians from giving more to charities or even to pay a higher sum in taxes (they do not have to claim all their deductions). When Democrats passed ObamaCare to provide health insurance to all poor Americans, they also voted against having to purchase the same healthcare policies that they are forcing on the masses. Aren’t these moral and ethical violations of the liberal ideology? Liberals expect their next door neighbors to do their job in cutting carbon emissions; meanwhile they are splurging on energy. Let’s evaluate the Al Gore double standard. Gore travels on his own plane and his mansion home can be seen illuminating energy from satellite images. But liberals proclaim this is okay because Al Gore buys carbon offsets. So it is acceptable for Al Gore to be a hypocrite because he happens to be wealthy enough to offset his wasteful polluting ways? Let’s say for argument that Gore is successful at offsetting his carbon emissions by purchasing offsets. But what about other pollutants, such as nitrogen oxide or sulfur dioxide, aren’t these emissions dangerous to our environment as well? These pollutants are just as dangerous and our liberal EPA is writing laws to limit the emission of these particles. Therefore, it begs to reason that Gore’s actions are a violation of the progressive moral view of protecting the environment. But the media and ignorant liberals are not going to hold him accountable the same way they will hold (and rightfully so) Governor Mark Sanford or Senator Larry Craig for their morally hypocritical and lewd behavior. Why is it morally okay for the President to keep his office at 80 degrees when he tells the rest of us to conserve energy? Why is it okay for government office buildings in Washington to cost the taxpayers tens of millions of dollars monthly on electric bills? Why is it okay for Pelosi to fly a private jet back and forth between DC and her home in California? It’s because they are not held to the same moral double standards as conservatives. After all, they are certainly not practicing what they preach.

The fact of the matter is liberals expect others to contribute to their moral and ethical ideology, and if people disagree with their ideology then they must be forced to conform through higher taxes and environmental laws and regulations. At the same time, these same progressive politicians fail to live up to their moral obligations time and time again. So the next time a Democrat politician is demonizing a conservative colleague for violating his family value core beliefs, consider if this same liberal politician has violated their own moral values of protecting the poor and the planet. People who are in positions of authority are the first group of individuals that feel they are entitled to break their own set of moral and ethical values. That is the bottom line and both parties are guilty of this practice.