Too high a standard for elected officials
In urging Rep. Allen Icet to give up his chairmanship to run for state auditor, the Post-Dispatch seeks to set some kind of ridiculous, impossible standard. The editorial doesn’t say Icet’s done anything wrong, only that he’s in a position where he could.
Can we fairly hold our officials to that kind of standard? If someone claims a chairman seeking higher office misused the position, by all means investigate. Prosecute. But it’s wrong to make someone give up a job to seek another job just because something bad might happen.
You only called for House leaders to give up positions to seek higher office. Why stop there? Should Gov. Nixon have to resign so he can run for a second term? He can certainly do favors for contributors while governor. Yes, he could resign so Lt. Gov. Kinder would be governor. But wait, Kinder might be running too. Then what? Please figure out for us voters who should serve in office and who should run. I can’t wait for that editorial!
Richard Buckley
Manchester
I maintain that politicians ( I wont refer to them as people) should resign their office when they seek to pursue a different office.
I totally agree with you Si. Unfortunately, the left only thinks the right should resign when running.
I dont recall the Post calling for this when a Democrat is running.
So long as the state of Missouri fails to practice publicly funded elections, all politicians, regardless of party, will bear the appearance of impropriety and influence peddling. Mr. Icet’s case is simply looking at the problem through a magnifying glass.
Speaking of elected officials, I’m sure it would be ok if I just published all my letters to the editor that you dont publish anywhere else, here, like my one about Colleen Carrols’s trashing Teddy Kennedy even in death and professing to speak for many other Catholics, wouldnt it? Would save you a lot of time. People always ask me why I dont write letters anymore; I must not be as good a writer as I used to be; or maybe you’re just a more discerning editor; certainly that!
The problem is that Liberals those that advocate for the poor, the sick, the widows, and other unfortunate Americans are closely examined for personal faults because they are fighting the good fight. While Republicans those fighting for murderers be they tobacco distributors, alcohol distributors, firearms distributors, pollution distributors, or those that fight workplace safety and personal injury compensation are allowed to buy their way off for crimes against humanity. 435,000 deaths are attributed to tobacco yearly, 100,000 deaths are attributed to alcohol yearly, 18,000 Americans die yearly because they can not get medical care. Many thousands die from cancer caused by business as a matter of comfort not out of neccesity. Those that are using their education to fight these manmade causes of death are being assaulted by fascist bent media and protestors. They should be locked up for this assault reformation or not free speech or not.
wait, wait, wait, wait. If the Post Dispatch wants Icet to resign, are they going to come out and demand Robin Carnahan resign? What if the election is close, and she’s in charge of making the decisions for the final count?
Is there any difference between calling for Icet to resign for the purposes of good government and doing the same for Carnahan?
“Is there any difference between calling for Icet to resign for the purposes of good government and doing the same for Carnahan?”
Yes, party affiliation.