Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, in his last testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee before his retirement, made a very interesting statement yesterday regarding international relations and diplomacy.
With a big smile, he said that it was clear that all governments lie to each other, and that is par for the course!
What an interesting public admission, and it also applies to relations between people in any field of work, that diplomacy requires tact and a certain amount of deception called “artful lying”, whereby those on the other side do not realize they are being lied to.
It is a fact that all people and institutions are engaged in lying to help promote their individual or group cause. It is a question of being effective, and NOT being caught in the lie that is the magic of success!
This is brought up because of the outrage many have about Anthony Weiner, who lied about his private obsessions and compulsions.
It is not that we should approve of his behavior, but the question remains why is there a double standard as to who stays in office and who leaves after private misbehavior!
Under pressure from Democratic leaders and even President Obama, Anthony Weiner resigned today, even though his constituents showed their support of him in public opinion polls.
Anthony Weiner was a great spokesman for his beliefs, and really cared for the middle class and the poor, and his resignation is a loss to the nation at large.
A special election in a heavily Democratic district will now have to be scheduled, and it is a fact that IF Anthony Weiner chose to run for his vacated seat and his constituents chose to reelect him, that would be perfectly justified and should end the issue of him being a political liability. Democracy should rule, and it is now up to Anthony Weiner to decide if he wishes to pursue this strategy!
Americans turn everything into a tabloid! Business is business, and whats private leave private. The Democratic Party lost a huge asset to the party because of his connection to working class Americans. The party should have united around Weiner and protected him. Any weakness or dissension among the party will be picked apart by the GOP. There are so many more pressing issues for the democratic party to tackle, I dont understand why they waste their time with such nonsense. And everybody seems to make a come back after a sex scandal anyway.