The Seven Deadly Sins of Politics

What's wrong with Clinton? Let us count the faults.

John J. Pitney, Jr. from the April 1998 issue

(Page 2 of 2)

Notwithstanding all their hard work, they failed to take account of one big thing: The other side had studied Watergate, too. The White House recognized that it could hinder investigations by providing evidence at a glacial pace, a practice called "slow-walking." Congressional Democrats remembered that Sen. Sam Ervin (D-N.C.) was effective as chair of the Watergate committee because of his reputation for probity. Accordingly, they undercut the GOP chairs, hoping to make D'Amato look like a sleazebag and Thompson a shameless self-promoter. They succeeded.

Like the people they cover, reporters also represent a strange brew of hard work and sloth. They have long toiled to cover campaign scandals and the legislative proposals designed to prevent them. At the same time, they have seldom questioned the premise of campaign finance "reform," namely, that more red tape will produce a "cleaner" and more democratic process.

Avarice. No one can take money out of politics as long as people can make money by influencing public policy. With its wide array of rules and programs, contemporary government offers economic interests opportunities to gain subsidies, monopolies, and other advantages. When Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) asked high-rolling contributor Roger Tamraz if one of the reasons for his donations was to gain access to the White House, he responded: "Senator, I am going even further; it is the only reason."

Even in a rural state such as Arkansas, a governor can be a helpful friend or a troublesome foe. That's why some colorful characters took an early interest in the financial well-being of the Clinton family. The fruit of this interest, of course, is the ongoing Whitewater controversy. And if it were not for Whitewater, Kenneth Starr would not hold the post of independent counsel, and there would have been no federal investigation of Monica Lewinsky's statements.

Gluttony. In its literal meaning, gluttony is not part of the Clinton scandals. Washington has become a nonfat yogurt kind of town, and in 1997, the president got into the act by curbing his appetite for rich foods.

In a metaphorical sense, however, gluttony does play a role. When the media find a hot new scandal, they engage in what political scientist Larry Sabato calls a "feeding frenzy." For a brief period, they compete with one another to gobble up all available bits of information, misinformation, and disinformation. Rather than digesting it carefully, they swallow it whole, often with disastrous results. When the pig-out is over, they feel nausea and shame, and they swear not to do it again.

In their remorse, they may leave some good food on the table; that is, they may overlook credible leads that take time and study to develop. In each of the Clinton scandals, serious questions lingered long after the initial frenzy came to an end.

Lust. This one doesn't require any explanation, except that the connection of sex and power didn't start with Clinton's inauguration. It goes all the way back to King David, who had an illicit affair and tried to cover it up. Bathshebagate broke because of a whistle-blower named Nathan, who shamed David into an apology.

God had warned that there would be days like this. As David Boaz wrote in Libertarianism: A Primer, the First Book of Samuel contains an early explanation of the need for limited government. When the people prayed for a king, God answered that abuse and tyranny would ultimately follow.

Like the rest of us, those in power are vulnerable to the Seven Deadly Sins. "If men were angels, no government would be necessary," wrote James Madison. "If angels were to govern men, neither internal nor external controls would be necessary." Angels are pretty scarce in the political world. That's why the framers of the Constitution built a system of separated powers, ensuring that a wayward president would eventually crash into judges, juries, and congressional investigations. The system can get pretty ugly at times, but as Madison asked, "What is government itself but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?"

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