Painting the Town Red

“We support the appointment of judges who respect traditional family values.” This statement appears in the 2008 Republican Party Platform. But just what are those values, and does the party actually practice what they preach?

            The phrase “family values” was popularized by President Ronald Reagan to fight the American values war with those Godless liberals and has been used ever since. The vague term is often used to promote what republicans consider conservative, traditional ideals.

           The Elephants of America present themselves as the pious and family oriented party—and remember, a family has one mommy and one daddy. Yet in the last year and a half there have been many embarrassing, adulterous incidents in the Grand Old Party.

           One name that has been added to the recent-sinners-list from the Republican Party is Representative Vito Fossella of Staten Island. This dalliance is especially close to my heart because Fossella has been representing my borough since 1997.

           On May 1, 2008, Rep. Fossella was arrested with a friend in Alexandria, Va. for driving while intoxicated. Although he has apologized to his constituents, I have yet to grant forgiveness.

           But the DUI was not the end of the scandal for the Staten Island native. It was then discovered that Fossella was dating Laura Fay, a retired Air Force lieutenant who resides in Virginia. Fay and Fossella have a 4-year-old daughter.

           Happy southern family aside, or rather on the side, Fossella already has a wife and three children in Staten Island.

           The classic Island family portrays itself as tight-knit, conservative and deeply catholic. Unless Fossella became a fringe Mormon, he doesn’t qualify for even the first two elements of the ideal Staten Island family.

           Another traditionalist is Senator John Ensign (R) of Nevada—that is traditional in an “Indecent Proposal” way.

           Ensign—who called for Clinton’s resignation in the 90s after the Monica Lewinsky scandal—recen
tly admitted to having an affair with a married woman. His mistress, Cynthia Hampton,  worked for Ensign’s re-election campaign.

           After Ensign’s adulterous scandal was made public, Hampton’s husband, Doug, announced that his wife had been paid $25,000 in “severance” when she left the campaign.

When Senator Ensign’s parents discovered their son’s infidelity, they contributed $96,000 to Mrs. Hampton’s bank account.

           Ensign’s office also admits to helping Mr. Hampton, the senator’s former chief-of-staff, find two jobs after he left Ensign’s senate office. Mr. Hampton first went to work for November Inc., a consulting company headed by Mike Slanker, who was on the National Republican Senatorial Committee during Ensign’s chairmanship. Mr. Hampton now lobbies at Allegiant Airlines, which contributed to Ensign’s campaign.

           It seems highly unlikely that the massive cash flow between Ensign intermediaries was simple charity. It seems more like hush money for the affair.

         But the most recent Republican debacle is the one that, according to comedian John Stewart, “God killed Michael Jackson for.” The Appalachian trail blazer himself, Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina, holds that mantle.

Sanford is now infamous for having a secret Argentine lover, who he has called his “soul mate,” and holding multiple press conferences to talk about his transgressions. He’s also known for his erotic e-mail writing skills.

I do not write this believing that the Democrats are a sinless bunch. They have had countless scandals and mishaps that have been well-documented through the years. But I believe the Republican Party is more egregious because they have built themselves up on the platform of Christian values and Conservatism. Republicans hold their label as tightly as they should be holding their Holy Bible.

           Through all of their scandalous behavior they still attempt to prove themselves as the “family values” party. Adultery is not family values. It is not Christian. It breaks a commandment that is sacred in the Christian faith they so vehemently support.

           The Republican Party should stop their crusade against lesbians and abortion rights and instead try to fix their own marriages and find a less hypocritical social message.