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Today's Poll: Should Rep. Anthony Weiner resign?

By Howard B. Owens
Gerald Fraterrigo

"Absolutely should resign. Not for any other reason but the flat out lies. We don't need someone like that in office."

If we use that argument for all politicians, there would be nobody left in office.

Jun 7, 2011, 10:44am Permalink
Phil Ricci

Politicians lying? I mean what is this country coming to?

Chris Lee shouldn't have resigned. The truth is that he didn't want to deal with the ramifications publically. I get that.

This guy not only lied about it, but actually was blasting people for asking the questions.

I think he's got to go, but for no other reason that he'll be ineffective. What kind of clout will he have in any room now? He'll end up voting whichever way he can to stay under the radar, and that's not good for anyone.

Jun 7, 2011, 10:39am Permalink
Jeff Allen

Hold on, why are we discriminating against a whole segment of society that simply break their marriage vows and lie about it. By the reasoning of recent posts, we should be welcoming Weiner's behavior because it represents our changing society, and the value of tolerance in a world where modern cultural norms supersede antiquated values. We can't just cling to the interpretation that lying is wrong when it has become so mainstream in our culture, I mean c'mon, who did he really hurt? God would certainly never discriminate against people just because they broke their marriage vows or lied to entire nation. People who think so are obviously have some out of touch moral compass that they have no right imposing on Anthony Weiner or the rest of us.

Jun 7, 2011, 11:13am Permalink
Rex Lampke

Found this intersting ,

1963, Albert Herlong, Jr., a Floridian who served in
Congress from 1949 to 1969,
entered the top 45 Communist goals into the Congressional Record (Vol. 109,
88th Congress, 1st Session, Appendix Pages A1 - A2842, Jan. 9 - May 7, 1963).
Below are some of those goals.

1963 Communist Goals…

Capture one or both of the political parties in the US. (Guess which one they
did)

Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions, by
claiming their activities violate civil rights.

Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for Socialism, and
current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers
associations. Put the party line in text books.

Infiltrate the press. Get control of book review
assignments, editorial writing, policy-making positions.

Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all form of artistic
expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good
sculpture from parks and buildings," and substitute shapeless, awkward,
and meaningless forms.

Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography, and
obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio and TV.

Present Homosexuality, degeneracy, and promiscuity as "normal, natural,
and healthy."

Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the
grounds that it violates the principle of "separation of church and
state."

Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old fashioned,
out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a
worldwide basis.

Discredit the American founding fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats
who had no concern for the "common man."

Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.

Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of
parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to
suppressive influence of parents.

Jun 7, 2011, 11:34am Permalink
Bea McManis

Yes, he should resign. I'm horribly disappointed in him. I'll never understand the need for any person to post pictures like that online without thinking of the ramifications to personal and professional life.
Like many other people, in public life, he somehow thought he was immune to those ramifications.
I was prepared to hear he was resigning. Imagine my shock when he stated he wasn't.

Jun 7, 2011, 11:57am Permalink
Jason Brunner

Why shouldn't we call for all those who are lying to resign? Maybe if the public did a little more challenging upward then we could get things back on track. I am not saying I am a perfect person. I am not judging anyone, but lying, and BELIGERENT lying none the less is unacceptable in my eyes.

Jun 7, 2011, 12:02pm Permalink
James Renfrew

Weiner's own bad personal behavior is his own business and up to him and his family to deal with. So far, it does not appear that any laws were broken, though I may be wrong about that. Speaker Pelosi has initiated an inquiry, so we'll see. In any event, anyone who feels wronged by his behavior can take him to court.

Lying about it is what imperils his future as an elected official, and rightfully so. A voter will wonder, "If he lies about this, what else?"

Lying about personal mistakes gets a politician strung up, but I would observe that lying about the necessity of a deadly war with Iraq has been consequence-free for a number of leading politicians who served out their terms.

At least Weiner has apologized. Breitbart never apologized for destroying the career Shirley Sherrod by editing the context out of a taped speech.

Theoretically it should be up to the voters in his district if they want him to continue to represent them. There is no recall provision in New York, so voters will have to wait until November 2012 to express their opinion about him.

But should he continue in office Republicans will make him a major target and try to stain all Democrats with it. It is sad that Weiner's bold voice on several issues important to me will be silenced, but he needs to take stock of the fact that the issues he believes in will be damaged by his trying to hang on.

Also, the sooner he leaves the sooner we will be done with Breitbart.

Jun 7, 2011, 12:06pm Permalink
Jeff Allen

What happened to Weiner's concern about spending tax payer money by having the police investigate the hoax, now he says he will remain and go through a Congressional inquiry about something he already admitted to. That will cost you and I FAR more than a police investigation.

Jun 7, 2011, 12:10pm Permalink
C. M. Barons

Resign, not resign, lie or no lie... We seem to be missing the crux. What is wrong with these men? Lorie Longhany suspected this yesterday.

Do these men possess so little self-control?
Are these men living some myth of old-school cigars and whores politics?
Are these men so technologically-challenged (stupid), they don't envision being found out?
Are these men so full of themselves (or Viagra), they presume carte blanche?

Morals, ethics, trust- aside; these men are behaving like college sophomores.

Maybe we should require neutering male members of congress. If it doesn't improve the focus, it will sure cull the duds.

Jun 7, 2011, 2:22pm Permalink
Chris Charvella

Hey Rex,...oh never mind, you're too easy.

Can I borrow your copy of 'Reefer Madness' though? I forgot exactly how the Beatniks are destroying America one child at a time.

Jun 7, 2011, 2:13pm Permalink
Mark Potwora

He would still be trying to lie his way out of this if Breitbart didn't have more pics he sent..He was going to blame Breitbart for hacking his account and i'm sure all the Democrats would of piled on Breitbart..The only thing he is sorry for is getting caught..What about Mr. Breitbart family ...Wiener didn't care about how it would effect them..He's a bum and should be treated as one..

Jun 7, 2011, 2:28pm Permalink
George Richardson

I would change my name and follow my heart into pornographic movies as "Tony Pepperoni." I'm not kidding, that is what I would do to capitalize on the moment. The sorry sick Housewives of New Jersey have taught me that anything is possible. Even Jeff Allen getting fourteen write in votes. That was really cool.
I think Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are all the work of Satan. The Batavian, slightly less so.

Jun 7, 2011, 2:28pm Permalink
C. M. Barons

Those "Communist Goals" were from the imagination of Cleon Skousen, detailed in his LDS End-Times fantasy: “The Naked Communist.” Skousen was so ultra-right (a member of the John Birch Society) he was considered lunatic fringe by Bill Buckley and the FBI described him: "affiliating with an "extreme right-wing" group which was promoting "anticommunism for obvious financial purposes(.)"

The more often absent than voting member-of-congress, Albert Herlong, Jr., remains a questionable source.

Jun 7, 2011, 2:42pm Permalink
George Richardson

If some nitwit gets elected President and decides to declare Nuclear War because Weiner thought he had a nice long shlong, will it really matter any more than Clarence Thomas has? Good Lord, I hope not.
"Batavia, Community of Opportunity"
"Boost Buffalo, it's good for you."

Jun 7, 2011, 2:56pm Permalink
Tim Howe

I wish I would have chosen a career in comedy. Someone who would make a vile choice like this with a last name like that? The jokes would just write themselves. :)

I hope south park does something about this, their humor is always very fresh and almost always relates to current events. They should spotlight the last 4 or 5 "New York guys" regardless of political affiliation and use them all together in an episode.

Jun 7, 2011, 4:32pm Permalink

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