Political Scandals of 2011

By now, there are few things that surprise any of us when it comes to our elected and appointed leaders. The one common denominator is the level of disbelief and frustration each new scandal brings. Here are the ones that still have me thinking a drunk monkey could do a better job than what we’re getting out of Washington these days.

Double Dose of Disgust

These two scandals, courtesy of Rep. Anthony Weiner, a New York Democrat and Christopher Lee, who’s a New York Republican, are begging to be paired together.  Both resigned within 10 weeks of each other, both had those ridiculous “standing in the mirror” photos where you see their smart phones taking a self-portrait and their bare chests that were no doubt intended to woo the womenfolk which, by the way, completely backfired on both of them. The obvious psychological reasoning has to do with their narcissistic personalities and the need to be front and center. Their poses, which showcased what each believed were his better qualities, coupled with the very public career paths they chose tells the tale.  Both believed they were above the rules, sent their pictures to women through social networking sites (Lee used CraigsList while Weiner opted to share in 140 characters on Twitter) and both attempted to lie their way out of their respective scandals. Make no mistake, these two redefine narcissism. Their actions were a betrayal to their wives and families and the positions they were elected into by their trusting constituents.

Am I Watching Sister Wives?

Arnold Schwarzenegger, California’s now-former governor, found himself in a heap of trouble this year. This heap cost him a marriage and the respect of millions of folks. Turns out, Schwarzenegger not only had an affair with a housekeeper who’d been employed with the family for years, but she gave birth to a son, who, as it turns out, is Schwarzenegger’s. Worse, though, is that his wife also gave birth to a son – days after the housekeeper delivered.

Speaking of Housekeepers…

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who is a lawyer and politician in France, found himself being arrested by New York’s finest this past summer. A hotel maid reported that Strauss-Kahn raped her during his stay at a swanky hotel. DSK continues to deny the accusations. This married professor has annihilated his family even as rumors and conspiracy theories continue to swirl, including one this week that shows two hotel employees doing their own “happy jig” after calling the police on behalf of their co-worker the night the alleged rape went down.

Redefining “Interest” Rates

When you hear the word “Visa”, odds are you think of the interest rates associated with using the global credit card. Introduce Rep. Nancy Pelosi into the dynamics, and you have a conflict of interest (Get it? Interest rates/conflict of interest? Nevermind…). Here’s how it went down – Pelosi was moving right along and playing a significant role in what’s now known as the 2009 Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act – or “CARD Act”. She was all for the overhaul many say was needed in the collective financial sector. Then, she was offered the opportunity to take advantage of Visa’s IPO, which she jumped on and made millions for her efforts. Of course, she backed off her support for the credit overhaul. Eventually, the law passed, of course, but Pelosi and her hubby are still counting their millions of dollars, courtesy of what appears to be a bit of insider trading.

Sugar Cain

Herman Cain opted to bow out of the run for the White House earlier this month when a woman came forward and said she’d been his mistress for years. Cain said it’s not true and that he just gave her money when she needed it.  Right…and this delightful little fairy re-stocks my fridge every time my supply of Diet Coke begins to dwindle. Before this woman came forward, there were three more women who say Cain sexually harassed them during his time with Godfather’s Pizza.

These are just a few of the many political scandals that kept our jaws dropping all year. I don’t know about the rest of you, but it seems to me there exists an unwritten rule amongst these politicians that the rest of us aren’t in on. It’s as if they enter the political arena only after they sign a contract promising to leave their ethics, common sense and morality at the door.

 

A Must-Read Before You Begin Your Holiday Gift Shopping

It’s that time of year when marketing specialists are working closely with their clients in an effort to get the latest products front and center, just in time for Christmas shopping.  Whether it’s gadgets, toys, album releases or automobiles, everyone’s scrambling to ensure their latest must-haves are timed perfectly for public consumption.  What the experts might be missing, however, is the subtle shift that’s taking place these days – and if they’re smart, they’ll take notice of it sooner rather than later.

I begged my mom for these shoes for WEEKS before Christmas!

The recession over the past few years has really caused many of us to take a step back and re-evaluate our “stuff”.  Job losses, foreclosures and uncertainty about the future has made many realize all the things they’ve acquired over the years mean little if there’s no house to put them in.  Priorities have certainly shifted.

We all want our lives memorialized in some important way; we want to stand apart and we want meaning attached to what we hope will be a well-lived life.  There’s a reason for all the endless models of BlackBerry, iPhone and computers; and there’s a reason for countless ways of personalizing everything we own.  No one wants the same cell everyone at the office has.  Before long, though, it becomes tiresome and usually, all of these “things” become a burden.  So if we’re not as excited by the prospect of unwrapping the latest iPad on Christmas morning, what is it that will have us declaring, “This is the best gift ever!!”?

Brace yourself – the answer is actually quite simple.  This year, sentimentality rules and the value is not even slightly based on how much money was spent.  Husbands and wives are presenting one another with beautifully framed photos of their childhoods, or better, they’re looking through all those old pictures in search of finding two pictures – one of themselves and one of the spouse – that are similar in pose and age.  It’s the symbolism that’s expressed in these one of a kind gifts and they’re the ones that will be long remembered after the iPad and BlackBerry is an antiquated has-been – much like the beta tapes from the early 1980s and 8 track tapes of the 1970s are.

Want proof?  Four words: the Christmas of 1995.  I received a lot of gifts, but don’t ask me what they were.  I truly can’t remember – except for one very special present that my Mom made for my sister and me.  It is by far the most treasured gift I’ve ever received that came wrapped and from under a Christmas tree.  It was a book of index cards, spiral bound, that she wrote in her beautiful Catholic school-inspired handwriting.  In it, she spoke of where each of us were that year – my dad, my sister, her kids and my Jacob and of course, she and I.   She put in writing all of those hilarious stories from our childhoods – my sister’s brazen comments to her teachers in hers and my adamant declarations to my own kindergarten teacher that I did not come from a stork was put in my green recipe book.  She put all of the recipes that we were raised on and included a few different ones that she thought I’d like in mine and a few my sister would like to make for her own family in her book.  She told stories that we’d never heard before, each card a memorial to our family.  I can tell you, without a doubt, when the time comes to gather up and head north when a hurricane approaches, I make sure I have photos and my recipe book – the rest of the “stuff”, including my flat screen, furniture and even my library of books – it all stays behind.

When it comes right down to it, isn’t that what a gift should mean to all of us?