Defining Deviancy Down

One thing is again made clear by the Sen. Larry Craig scandal:

When it comes to these sorts of things, Republicans have higher standards of personal behavior than Democrats. Individual Republicans may not always live up to them but when they don't and they're caught, they are punished.

Democrats, on the other hand, caught in similarly bad or ugly situations, are punished much less severely by their colleagues and their voters.

(Think Barney Frank, Ted Kennedy and Bill Clinton.)

Republicans call for resignations. Democrats call for understanding, then stand behind their sinners.

During the Clinton impeachment hearings, it was Republican Congressman Bob Livingston who having admitted to adulterous behavior himself, resigned. He wasn't guilty of the egregious conduct that Bill Clinton was. He hadn't lied to a federal judge, obstructed justice or committed perjury. But he resigned just the same.

Clinton, on the other hand, apologized but refused to resign. Later, he blamed those who had revealed his awful conduct and behavior more than he blamed himself for engaging in it.

Republicans have brought this double standard on themselves by adopting the mantle as the Party of Family Values. Having done so, they have to live up to that higher standard.

The military does the same thing with its code of conduct. It holds its personnel to much higher standards than the typical civilian organization.

Again, having the standards doesn't always mean they are lived up to by each and every person, only that the standards are there and they are high, relative to the low behavioral hurdles Democrats set for their own leaders.

Democrat Patrick Moynihan coined the phrase "defining deviancy down." Certainly, that has been the effect of the liberal agenda for the past 40 years. We have defined deviancy way down.

Killers and perverts are not bad or evil, they are sick and in need of therapy.

That's one of the attractive things about being a Democrat, you can get away with more and get punished less.

Barney Frank may have had a gay brothel being run out of his home but at least he wasn't a hypocrite. He never claimed to be straight or a stickler for anti-solicitation laws.

Ted Kennedy may have been a drunk and killed a girl but he never ran for office as a tough-on-crime, teetotaler.

President Bill Clinton may have been lecherous exploiter of vulnerable women (Kathleen Willey and Juanita Brodderick, to name just two) but at least he supported abortion on demand and Americans, thanks to Gennifer Flowers, knew what they were getting when they voted for him.

Americans are not yet comfortable with political leaders who are drawn to having anonymous sex in public toilets.

But give those who would define deviancy down even further a little time. It could happen sooner than you think.