Honesty in Politics

EnglishHonesty in American Politics The legendary tale often told to school children is that of George Washington the young boy, chopping down his fathers cherry tree. When young George was asked, who had chopped the cherry tree down, George impressed his father with his honesty when he replied, “I cannot tell a lie. I chopped down your cherry tree.” Although the fable is believed to be fiction, it accurately represented the honesty and humility of that great president. Today, few political and public leaders value such ideals as honesty. Due to the prevalent lack of truth in our government or in politicians, few citizens are able to gain much knowledge about their leaders. Holding an office in the United States government is a sacred honor and privilege, and only the chosen elite should be in those positions. The people in charge of running our nation should be serving as role models to our country. Unfortunately, most elected politicians are bad role models. The stereotypical 21st century politicians are now viewed as liars and cheaters, doing whatever it takes to gain more power and political influence. Although countless lies have been told, one of the biggest problems plaguing our government is the never-ending scandals and increasing number of secrets being kept from the American people. That’s why; I believe the American people are entitled to know the truth and facts of what kind of person they are voting for, including the knowledge of the candidate’s personal lives. The main argument in favor of restricting the rights of the press to report on the private lives of politicians is that public figures should be judged on the basis of their stances on political issues, and on their performances in public office. Whether a candidate is an adulterer or a sexual deviant is irrelevant to his political capacities. The problem is that public trust and private morality cannot be separated. A politician who promises to be faithful to a spouse and

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