It’s that time again in Tennessee when people put on mask and go door to door trying to trick people – not Halloween, November election season. Tennessee politics has some of the most interesting dynamics possible.
In at least two notable U.S. House races in this part of the state, the best defense candidates can come up with is that no laws were broken. And, as an electorate, we seem to be comfortable with that.
You would think we would want candidates who are above question. You would think we would demand candidates with solid integrity who could stand behind their actions with pride. You would think we would insist that our candidates would be transparent, open, and honest. But, we’re willing to accept candidates who’s best defense to legitimate questions is that no laws were broken.
By accepting that level of integrity, we are willing to send people to Washington to represent us and make laws who consider it acceptable to dance in that gray area between integrity and the law. There is a great deal of questionable activity that most of us would be uncomfortable with that doesn’t break any laws. Personally, I would be more comfortable with a higher level of integrity than that.
If the best thing we can say about our elected officials is that no laws were broken, then we don’t have very good elected officials.
I can’t seem to find a definitive indication of whether it was Thomas Jefferson or Alexis de Tocqueville who said that in democracy, we get the government we deserve. I would like to think we deserve better than this.