{"id":1451,"date":"2012-12-27T09:04:24","date_gmt":"2012-12-27T16:04:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.libertymusings.com\/blog\/?p=1451"},"modified":"2012-12-29T16:21:56","modified_gmt":"2012-12-29T23:21:56","slug":"a-ridiculous-defense-of-senator-crapo-in-the-idaho-statesman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.libertymusings.com\/blog\/a-ridiculous-defense-of-senator-crapo-in-the-idaho-statesman\/","title":{"rendered":"A ridiculous defense of Senator Crapo in the Idaho Statesman"},"content":{"rendered":"

I just came across Tuesday’s editorial in the Idaho Statesman<\/em><\/a>. The Statesman<\/em> is Idaho’s most popular newspaper. Now I have some idea how Idaho comes to send us the senators they do, with newspapers like this helping to shape public opinion. (Remember former Senator Larry Craig?)<\/p>\n

Let me share with you some of the inane things they said and then comment on them:
\n“What happened to Mike Crapo in the early morning of Dec. 23 can happen to a lot of people, especially during the holiday season. He attended a social gathering in Alexandria, Va., had a few drinks and drove home. Maybe he didn\u2019t realize he had too much to drink when he left the social event.”<\/p>\n

Mr. Editor, I can’t believe that you don’t see the story here. I think you’re purposely ignoring it and trying to spin this as best you can. This is not about a lapse in judgment of one drink too many on one night. You have to know that. This is about a man who has claimed to be a faithful Mormon and is not. This is a United States Senator who has been living a lie for we don’t know how long. The senator is corrupt, and you are complicit by trying to sweep it under the rug.<\/p>\n

I say this as one who has much in common with Senator Crapo. I, too, am an LDS high priest. I am also a Republican. But I recognize that there have always been hypocrites in the Church, some of whom have risen, at times, to high position. This is why I do not automatically support LDS candidates, unlike many of my fellow Mormons. And there are many Republicans who lack integrity also. I would like to clean as many of them out of the Republican party as we can, meaning clean them out of public office. The country would be much better off.<\/p>\n

And then this, later in the piece:
\n“Some of us here have known Crapo since his days as an up-and-coming state senator from Idaho Falls in the 1980s. We followed his rise to Senate president pro-tem, and his 20-year congressional career. He has maintained a reputation of integrity and decency, which doesn\u2019t always happen after so many years in high political office. One mistake does not erase an otherwise honorable career.”<\/p>\n

“A reputation of integrity and decency.” Really! Mr. Editor, this is the worst kind – those who maintain a reputation of integrity and decency without actually having integrity. Crapo’s public persona is a fraud, which is the very antithesis of integrity. Oh, but he’s got the reputation. That, in the minds of the editors at the Stateman<\/em>, is what’s important.<\/p>\n

And then there was this statement in the footer of the editorial, which sums up a lot of the problems in Idaho politics: “‘Our View’ is the editorial position of the Idaho Statesman<\/em>. It is an unsigned opinion expressing the consensus of the Statesman\u2019s<\/em> editorial board.” So this is the case of their entire editorial board endorsing the politics of manufactured appearances. But then I’ve learned that people who don’t have integrity themselves feel most comfortable with other people who don’t have integrity. They fear the honest, who may expose them. I am curious to know how the editorial board of the Stateman<\/em> treat politicians with real courage, true “Statesmen.” I would not be surprised to learn that they ream them mercilessly.<\/p>\n