Politicians should not consider running for office unless they are perfectly willing to accept the salaries and emoluments of such positions as their sole source of income (excepting, of course, such income as interest, dividends, rental income, and book royalties on productive activities they engaged in PRIOR to running for office). While it may be true that former Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell and his wife have legitimate legal defenses against charges of accepting loans and gifts from Jonnie Wlliams, the CEO of Star Scientific, on the grounds that no illegal governmental favors or benefits were provided to Mr. Williams, it nevertheless reflects poor judgment, greed, materialism, and a failure to maintain a higher standard of public service than what the public in general expects of its elected officials. I truly hope that we can enter an age where the public at large puts aside normal partisan preferences and collaboratively makes demands for a return to the older concept of the citizen-politician. I dont think that laws will solve the problem. After all, Virginia limits its governors to a single term of office. The real change will come when people stop electing or re-electing any office-holder who has a whiff of scandal about accepting even the smallest personal gifts or loans from anyone.
Posted on: Sun, 26 Jan 2014 11:56:38 +0000
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