Comments on: My Thoughts on the Foley Mess http://allfinancialmatters.com/2006/10/06/my-thoughts-on-the-foley-mess/ A personal finance blog dedicated to discussing such topics as budgeting, asset allocation, 401K, IRA, cash flow, insurance, financial planning, portfolio management, and other areas in personal finance. Thu, 24 May 2012 12:43:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: sam http://allfinancialmatters.com/2006/10/06/my-thoughts-on-the-foley-mess/comment-page-1/#comment-30352 sam Sat, 07 Oct 2006 16:02:16 +0000 http://allthingsfinancialblog.com/2006/10/06/my-thoughts-on-the-foley-mess/#comment-30352 JLP - if you want to get the comments rolling in, just mention politics. 24 comments so far. Don't you wish that people were just as passionate about retirements savings, or the other things you blog about? JLP – if you want to get the comments rolling in, just mention politics. 24 comments so far. Don’t you wish that people were just as passionate about retirements savings, or the other things you blog about?

]]> By: Stacey http://allfinancialmatters.com/2006/10/06/my-thoughts-on-the-foley-mess/comment-page-1/#comment-30299 Stacey Sat, 07 Oct 2006 03:15:38 +0000 http://allthingsfinancialblog.com/2006/10/06/my-thoughts-on-the-foley-mess/#comment-30299 JLP, please revisit my list of 100 things about me...and look at #25. So now I'll play "big sis" here: you're great when you stick to blogging on financial planning concepts... talking politics just gets folks' fur up and to what benefit? Yes, it provides a healthy discussion, blah, blah, blah. The authorities will do their job, and we can only hope that truth and justice prevail. Obviously, I'm not God: I don't know who knew what, when. I do feel we are becoming increasingly unable to forgive people for lapses in judgment. (Note: I'm not referring to Foley nor Hastert here, I'm speaking in generalities...) One one hand: Is perfection all that we're able to accept anymore? Yet, daily people witness folks doing the wrong thing: cheating on their taxes, their spouses, etc. Do we speak up at each of these instances, or just let the chips fall where they may? This is just another sick, sad episode of the lack of morality in our citizenry. Have fun selling popcorn this weekend...Perhaps Congress should spend some time in Scouting...(except for Foley, that is...) JLP, please revisit my list of 100 things about me…and look at #25. So now I’ll play “big sis” here: you’re great when you stick to blogging on financial planning concepts… talking politics just gets folks’ fur up and to what benefit? Yes, it provides a healthy discussion, blah, blah, blah. The authorities will do their job, and we can only hope that truth and justice prevail. Obviously, I’m not God: I don’t know who knew what, when. I do feel we are becoming increasingly unable to forgive people for lapses in judgment. (Note: I’m not referring to Foley nor Hastert here, I’m speaking in generalities…) One one hand: Is perfection all that we’re able to accept anymore? Yet, daily people witness folks doing the wrong thing: cheating on their taxes, their spouses, etc. Do we speak up at each of these instances, or just let the chips fall where they may?

This is just another sick, sad episode of the lack of morality in our citizenry.

Have fun selling popcorn this weekend…Perhaps Congress should spend some time in Scouting…(except for Foley, that is…)

]]> By: Independent http://allfinancialmatters.com/2006/10/06/my-thoughts-on-the-foley-mess/comment-page-1/#comment-30271 Independent Sat, 07 Oct 2006 00:23:42 +0000 http://allthingsfinancialblog.com/2006/10/06/my-thoughts-on-the-foley-mess/#comment-30271 You've all been sucked in to the partisanship of today's charged political atmosphere. Why is every scandal immediately transformed into Democrat vs. Republican? Foley could just as easily have been a Democrat. In fact: At the age of 23 Foley was appointed to the Lake Worth City Council as a Democrat. After some failed bids for higher political offices, he switched parties in the 1980s. Of course the parties are going to "politicize" everything, by timing or spin or whatever. I would encourage you to step back and look at each new event by individual, event, or person, not by party, for surely with each judgement you make based on an individual's party, you will be forced to "justify" a slightly different opinion when it's your party of choice that is affected. Be consistent, and let principles guide you. You’ve all been sucked in to the partisanship of today’s charged political atmosphere. Why is every scandal immediately transformed into Democrat vs. Republican? Foley could just as easily have been a Democrat. In fact: At the age of 23 Foley was appointed to the Lake Worth City Council as a Democrat. After some failed bids for higher political offices, he switched parties in the 1980s. Of course the parties are going to “politicize” everything, by timing or spin or whatever. I would encourage you to step back and look at each new event by individual, event, or person, not by party, for surely with each judgement you make based on an individual’s party, you will be forced to “justify” a slightly different opinion when it’s your party of choice that is affected. Be consistent, and let principles guide you.

]]> By: Jeremie Beaudry http://allfinancialmatters.com/2006/10/06/my-thoughts-on-the-foley-mess/comment-page-1/#comment-30248 Jeremie Beaudry Fri, 06 Oct 2006 22:31:54 +0000 http://allthingsfinancialblog.com/2006/10/06/my-thoughts-on-the-foley-mess/#comment-30248 Everyone is missing the big thing here. This was the Democrats' "October Surprise". Even if they waited, voters will just look at the whole fact that he is a Republican. It will be a hit on the Republican Party in FL, but I doubt it will be a national hit. I thought this was funny. Fox News reported that Foley was a Democrat. Check the picture here. http://www.efipo.com/20061004/fox-news-ministry-of-truth/ Everyone is missing the big thing here. This was the Democrats’ “October Surprise”. Even if they waited, voters will just look at the whole fact that he is a Republican. It will be a hit on the Republican Party in FL, but I doubt it will be a national hit. I thought this was funny. Fox News reported that Foley was a Democrat. Check the picture here. http://www.efipo.com/20061004/fox-news-ministry-of-truth/

]]> By: EgoWumpus http://allfinancialmatters.com/2006/10/06/my-thoughts-on-the-foley-mess/comment-page-1/#comment-30242 EgoWumpus Fri, 06 Oct 2006 20:30:29 +0000 http://allthingsfinancialblog.com/2006/10/06/my-thoughts-on-the-foley-mess/#comment-30242 WearyTraveller: Your logic is fairly lacking. How does one person sitting and waiting, hoping for political advantage outweight another person sitting and waiting, hoping to avoid punishment altogether? But you are correct, anyone who knew about it and did nothing should probably be voted out. The prejudice should not land on the Democrats, though, even if you think they were aiming for political advantage. WearyTraveller: Your logic is fairly lacking. How does one person sitting and waiting, hoping for political advantage outweight another person sitting and waiting, hoping to avoid punishment altogether?

But you are correct, anyone who knew about it and did nothing should probably be voted out. The prejudice should not land on the Democrats, though, even if you think they were aiming for political advantage.

]]> By: WearyTraveler http://allfinancialmatters.com/2006/10/06/my-thoughts-on-the-foley-mess/comment-page-1/#comment-30239 WearyTraveler Fri, 06 Oct 2006 19:59:55 +0000 http://allthingsfinancialblog.com/2006/10/06/my-thoughts-on-the-foley-mess/#comment-30239 If the Dems knew about this earlier, they're lower than anyone else who knew about it. My reasoning: If the Reps knew about this months ago and didn't take action, they should have acted but didn't, so they're culpable (at least in my eyes). However, if the Dems knew about it months ago and sat on it until it would serve their political agenda, they're worse. Just like the Reps, they should have spoke up when they found out. If the knew and waited, that was 2 wrongs. And, in my view, it's pretty coincidental that they learned about it so close to election. Give me a break... If the Dems knew about this earlier, they’re lower than anyone else who knew about it.

My reasoning:

If the Reps knew about this months ago and didn’t take action, they should have acted but didn’t, so they’re culpable (at least in my eyes).

However, if the Dems knew about it months ago and sat on it until it would serve their political agenda, they’re worse. Just like the Reps, they should have spoke up when they found out. If the knew and waited, that was 2 wrongs.

And, in my view, it’s pretty coincidental that they learned about it so close to election. Give me a break…

]]> By: Kim http://allfinancialmatters.com/2006/10/06/my-thoughts-on-the-foley-mess/comment-page-1/#comment-30234 Kim Fri, 06 Oct 2006 19:16:22 +0000 http://allthingsfinancialblog.com/2006/10/06/my-thoughts-on-the-foley-mess/#comment-30234 A little odd timing, yes, but it wouldn't be as if they had a monopoly on that. We've had warfare escalations and terror threat elevations, just coincidently of course, from the Republicans near each of the last elections. A little odd timing, yes, but it wouldn’t be as if they had a monopoly on that. We’ve had warfare escalations and terror threat elevations, just coincidently of course, from the Republicans near each of the last elections.

]]> By: Adam http://allfinancialmatters.com/2006/10/06/my-thoughts-on-the-foley-mess/comment-page-1/#comment-30223 Adam Fri, 06 Oct 2006 17:56:47 +0000 http://allthingsfinancialblog.com/2006/10/06/my-thoughts-on-the-foley-mess/#comment-30223 BD, saying the blame for Foley also rests on those who elected him, is one of the most rediculous things I have ever heard. Are the voters supposed to hook them to a polygraph and give them a 100-point inspection before they vote for an individual? BD, saying the blame for Foley also rests on those who elected him, is one of the most rediculous things I have ever heard. Are the voters supposed to hook them to a polygraph and give them a 100-point inspection before they vote for an individual?

]]> By: EgoWumpus http://allfinancialmatters.com/2006/10/06/my-thoughts-on-the-foley-mess/comment-page-1/#comment-30220 EgoWumpus Fri, 06 Oct 2006 17:44:42 +0000 http://allthingsfinancialblog.com/2006/10/06/my-thoughts-on-the-foley-mess/#comment-30220 It is perhaps suspicious that it comes right before an election, but this sort of timing is not as terrifying as the escalation of <i>warfare</i> we've seen out of the Republicans at every single midterm. Foley is responsible for his actions; which, unlike Clinton, involved minors. Comparisons to Clinton obfuscate the problem. Further, it's proven the Republicans know about it, and I suspect any knowledge the Democrats had must have been circumstantial. They can't very well go to the press with a half-baked story and not expect the whole thing to get laughed under the table. I think we would all hope for two parties that maintain moral highground, but in the grand scheme of things, this time one of them is clearly in the wrong, and one of them may or may not have acted dubiously at worst. I don't think focusing on the Democrats is productive, and indeed in this case seems to serve to protect those who are really to blame by spreading out that blame. For that matter, I might make the analogy to bad debt; one wants to pay off your highest interest debt first, and that seems to be Foley and the company he keeps. (Kept?) It is perhaps suspicious that it comes right before an election, but this sort of timing is not as terrifying as the escalation of warfare we’ve seen out of the Republicans at every single midterm.

Foley is responsible for his actions; which, unlike Clinton, involved minors. Comparisons to Clinton obfuscate the problem. Further, it’s proven the Republicans know about it, and I suspect any knowledge the Democrats had must have been circumstantial. They can’t very well go to the press with a half-baked story and not expect the whole thing to get laughed under the table.

I think we would all hope for two parties that maintain moral highground, but in the grand scheme of things, this time one of them is clearly in the wrong, and one of them may or may not have acted dubiously at worst. I don’t think focusing on the Democrats is productive, and indeed in this case seems to serve to protect those who are really to blame by spreading out that blame. For that matter, I might make the analogy to bad debt; one wants to pay off your highest interest debt first, and that seems to be Foley and the company he keeps. (Kept?)

]]> By: BD http://allfinancialmatters.com/2006/10/06/my-thoughts-on-the-foley-mess/comment-page-1/#comment-30211 BD Fri, 06 Oct 2006 15:57:50 +0000 http://allthingsfinancialblog.com/2006/10/06/my-thoughts-on-the-foley-mess/#comment-30211 The blame rests on Foley, and, since this is a democracy, those who elected such a sleazebag. Being an abused alcoholic does not excuse cybersex with minors. Being a hoodwinked voter once means that next time, we have to be sure that people hear about these stories BEFORE an election - which is exactly what the pages and ABCnews have done. The blame rests on Foley, and, since this is a democracy, those who elected such a sleazebag. Being an abused alcoholic does not excuse cybersex with minors. Being a hoodwinked voter once means that next time, we have to be sure that people hear about these stories BEFORE an election – which is exactly what the pages and ABCnews have done.

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