Hypocrisy is perfectly prevalent in politics

If you look up the word "hypocrisy" in the dictionary, it says "a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess."  If you take a look at some of our political leaders, this definition fits perfectly. 

California State Senator Roy Ashburn was forced to admit that he is gay after getting a DUI leaving a gay bar.  Senator Ashburn was a well-known anti-gay activist and consistently voted against gay rights legislation.  Ashburn is hardly the first outed anti-gay politician.  He joins the club with former New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey and Idaho Senator Larry Craig.  There is nothing shameful about being gay, but there is something shameful about hiding your sexuality and using your political position to take away the rights of gay Americans.

Before you think I am biased, Democrats have certainly had their fair share of sex scandals.  Former President Bill Clinton practically invented the political sex scandal. Eric Massa just resigned under sexual misconduct allegations, and of course we can't forget the scandal that won't go away, John Edwards. 

Sarah Palin has managed to convince millions of Americans, who are her supporters, to be against universal health care.  Many of these people don't even have health care.  Yet Palin recently admitted her family would go across the border to Canada to take advantage of its health care system.  It's OK for her family to have access to health care but not the millions of Americans who actually need it.  Rush Limbaugh, though not a politician but certainly the voice of the Republican party, said he would leave the U.S. and move to Costa Rica (which, by the way, has universal health care) if Obama's health care legislation passes. 

This is all the more reason for the Senate to reach across the aisle, come together and get this legislation passed. Limbaugh retracted his statement about leaving the country earlier today. There will always be hypocrisy in politics, but I look forward to the day when we have leaders who can be leaders and be honest about who they are.

Contact Cicely Tutson at tutson@marshall.edu.