One Bad Apple

By Mike Webb – 04/03/08

If it's Thursday, it's a safe bet that New Yorkers will be presented with a new story about political corruption.  Between the recent scandals surrounding Eliot Spitzer, David Paterson, Joe Bruno and Christine Quinn, who can pay attention to the urgent legislative work that needs to be done?  Regardless of whether these people violated laws, questionable ethical lapses by our elected officials perpetuate the idea that politicians are corrupt.  But it's important to remember that politics, while often dirty, remains a noble profession.

Clearly people run for office for different reasons.  Some just to get a stop light on their intersection.  Another to change gun laws because her husband was senselessly murdered.  While others simply have huge egos and think they can accomplish things average politicians haven't been able to.  The calling to elected office can come for any number of reasons, and the public should give credit to those who put themselves forward for public service.

Of course, not every candidate is to be respected just because they've decided to run for office.  Obviously some people take advantage of their position for personal gain or ignoble reasons.  And some lose their way because they’ve been disillusioned by the political necessity of compromises and trade-offs that can be as frustrating for a candidate's allies as it is for the candidate. 

This year, we’ve seen an increase in primary participation by younger voters.  Their candidate has touched them in a way that moved them to vote and take notice of politics.  These new voters’s youthful optimism (and idealism/naiveté!) needs to be nourished and encouraged so that they stay engaged in politics even if their candidate fails.  We can’t let these new scandals breed new skeptics or foster the phony idea that who they vote for doesn’t matter.

Politics is hard.  We need good people with great intentions to stay in the battle and fight for what they believe will make New York a better state.  And we must not let next Thursday’s scandal du jour feed people’s cynicism and give them a new excuse not to vote in the next election.  Forgive the mixed up cliché, but we mustn't let bad apples upset the entire apple cart.