Flushing the Swamp

            Situational ethics has for a long time now been the governing standard of morality in Washington. For the last 30 years politicians and their supporters have assumed that whatever helped their situation was ethical. This has been especially true in how they judged people who were guilty of sexual transgressions. Bill Clinton and Ted Kennedy were sexual predators, but liberals excused their behavior because they were on the right side of the issues. “Politics outweigh the personal,” said the feminists, because, as reprehensible as their behavior might have been, the cads advanced their interests. If any of the victims spoke up, they were defamed, degraded, and trashed (Mary Jo Kopechne, of course, could not speak up—she had lost her voice forever in Chappaquiddick). Situational ethics defined morality.

            Not anymore. Victims of sexual assault are speaking out, even after 20 or 30 years, even longer in the case of Judge Moore. And the stalwart defenders of abusers are changing their tune. When Nancy Pelosi was crucified in the press for defending John Conyers and calling him an icon, she quickly discovered that situational ethics no longer prevailed: after several members of the House called for his resignation, Pelosi was forced to reverse herself and also call for his resignation. Conyers, as of this writing, still has not gotten the message and vows to fight on. But he’s fighting a losing battle.

            The Congressional Swamp is just beginning to be drained of men who, like Conyers, were confident they were immune to the consequences of their actions by virtue of their position of power. One by one they are finding out that they were wrong. For years abusers were protected by rules contrived by their fellow-members to discourage victims from filing complaints or to purchase their silence with slush funds paid for by the taxpayers. Victims, however, are finding they do have a voice. So far, only a few abusers have been identified. But once Congress finally gives in to the public’s outcry and grudgingly reveals all their names, the Swamp’s drain plug will be pulled and the malfeasants will be flushed out.

            Personally, I don’t care who gets flushed from which side of the aisle of which chamber. I say Good Riddance and take your situational ethics with you.