For ideologues who value biblical morality and believe in the efficacy of punishment, modern conservatives are as tolerant of their famous sinners as the jaded libertines of the left.

That's because the people who proclaim their own moral superiority really don't care about moral superiority. What they really get off on is rituals, and anyone who performs the correct rituals at the correct times is "a good guy". Republicans who get caught screwing around know that there's a ritual they can perform to erase their bad behavior, and as long as they perform the ritual correctly they can always get off the hook.

That's what people can't stand - hypocrisy. There was plenty of outrage over Spitzer, because he was a hypocrite.

Liberals generally don't give a crap about who is sleeping with whom; it's the hypocrisy that demonstrates a moral failing far more serious than any sexual escapade ever could be.

Really though, what I want to hear from Sanford is an apology for, and admission that, when he went after Clinton during the Lewinsky affair it was merely an excuse to try and damage the administration.

"Akaline", I think you've also explained why these people can't move beyond simple slogans: just speak The Magic Words, invoke the Magic Spell, and all will be Good & True once more.

Well done.

Great analysis, Joe. I made a stab at characterizing the left/right social views in a post on OS earlier today, linked at the siggie. Yours is more thorough.

The other trick going on here under our noses is the bait and switch: politicians playing at faith while using it as a tool for power. What astonishes me is that more of the conservative faithful choose not to see that their pious leaders are mouthing Christian slogans for one reason: to curry political favor. If you believe that any person of faith is about what he or she does, not says (as I believe), then these people are the ultimate thieves of their followers' good faith in them. They are liars to themselves and the people who support them. If you're going to be a whoring husband or train station homosexual stall bait, at least own up to it.

Hannity, TrAnn Coulter, Bill O'Falafel and the rest will never, ever hold these wet wicks accountable because in the end faith is just another sucker's game to win votes. All that matters is who gets the power. That's all that ever will matter.

"...Republican conservatives are just liberals in right-wing drag," is an insult to liberals. And to people in drag.

Even those who created it know it. Conservatives are hypocrites, period. These people don't believe in "morality", they just use it to get elected. Even their voters throw out the "less government" philosophy when they can create a constitutional amendment banning something they don't like. Face it, these people have no principles. Until somebody in the media grows a pair and finally calls bullshit on the whole "Culture War", this kind of double standardism is going to continue.

"Christians aren't perfect"

"Just forgiven"

Belong to the Christian club and all is forgiven, hate the right people and it really doesn't matter what you do, the flock will always forgive your transgressions.

Are you seriously trying to pretend that conservatism is somehow about sexual morality? Pretty nice theory if you can make it stick: assign a standard of behavior that no people have ever been able to consistently keep, and then attach that to your political opponents exclusively.

Meanwhile, the Democratic leadership in the Senate includes a "man" who caused the death of another human being. This filthy coward is praised by liberals and the wrongful death is overlooked. I think it is not asking too much to set a level of behavior that excludes wrongful death, but hey - It's OK if You Are a Liberal.

Every time Conservatives screw up their alibi, echoed by the media is "they are really Liberals", as though Liberals are inherently evil and anything that is wrong must be a "Liberal" act.

Conservatives, when they screw up, are acting like Conservatives. Because that is what they do.

Quit trying to use Liberals as an alibi for Conservatives. It is a lie and exempts Conservatives from personal accountability.

IS the invocation of moral superiority.

IMHO, most people who need to imagine an obsessive personal god monitoring their every move do it because their own moral compass is hopelessly broken. People who are authentically moral don't need "God's Laws" to keep them that way, they do it out of actual empathy for other people.

Are you seriously trying to pretend that conservatism is somehow about sexual morality?

Let's not say "conservatism." Let's say "republicanism," since, as we all know, republicans are no longer conservative.

In 1998 particularly, republicanism revolved heavily around sexual morality, in their attempt to bring down the president for having violated their (purported) morality. Maybe you didn't hear about that.

The gay marriage debate is argued by republicans largely on the grounds of sexual morality, claiming that homosexuality is a "sin" (same as adultery, also defined in Leviticus) that should not be rewarded by society.

Shall I go on? I haven't even gotten to the Rick Santorum quotes.

assign a standard of behavior that no people have ever been able to consistently keep, and then attach that to your political opponents exclusively.

Yes. That is precisely what the republicans have been doing for a couple decades now.

Meanwhile, the Democratic leadership in the Senate includes a "man" who caused the death of another human being. This filthy coward is praised by liberals and the wrongful death is overlooked.

It's not overlooked. It's forgiven. It happened 40 years ago, you know.

You know, each time you have to dredge up past democratic indiscretions from a generation or more ago, it only underscores the fact that today, the democrats obviously compare favorably to republicans. I mean, if you really want to get the democrats' goat, bring up Dred Scott. Man, that was nasty!!

Paulpsd, I seem to remember that Proposition Eight, banning gay marriage, was passed by the very blue state of California. Even if every McCain voter pulled the lever for Prop Eight, the measure would have failed without support from Obama voters.

As I've pointed out in other letters, the demographic tidal wave that has swept Democrats into power is quite conservative on social issues. And it is as much to blame for the war on gay marriage as anything that you think conservatives are doing.

I am sure the family of Mary Jo Kopechne is impressed by your forgiveness of Ted Kennedy. I can only hope that filthy coward is suffering the agonies of the damned as he endures what will with luck be a long, slow, dehumanizing death. Until that coward dies, he will - by a long shot - be the worst "man" in the US Senate.

And he's the Democrat's avowed leader. Congratulations, hypocrites. Do point out ever time Republicans fail to live up to the Ten Commandments if you think it will help.