Affairs and Consequences

[Mursilis]

Well, you're being too broad here. Thievery, murder, lying under oath are all legal issues that are also moral issues.

[...]

But not all morals are something that should be up to only the individual to determine what is and is not morally right.

Basically, this. Nice rebuttal.

 

[piasabird]

It is only an issue if you are trying to hide your affairs or using taxpayer money for your liasons, or it causes financial trouble making you a security risk. I will not bring up the morality of commiting adultry. In most states sex between consulting adults is legal, so if voters let you get away with this kind of activity, then it must be legal. However, since you are a public figure you can not stop reporters from asking questions or for the press or the public from ridiculing you.

 

[xj0hnx]

My thoughts are the same - if your spouse can't trust you, neither can I.

Depends on the situation. I know people want to try saying that if even your wife can't trust you than no one can, but I have known more than a few men that are terrible in their relationships but I would have, and did, follow into life and death situations because I knew that what we were doing I could trust them to pull their weight. I couldn't give a flying fuck less if the president is a whoring womanizer, if they can do the job they are elected to do than good for them.

 

[jonks]

My thoughts are the same - if your spouse can't trust you, neither can I.

What if your spouse hadn't had sex with you in years b/c she was nauseus all the time, had no sex drive, or was dry?

 

[Mursilis]

What if your spouse hadn't had sex with you in years b/c she was nauseus all the time, had no sex drive, or was dry?

Beg for a hall pass?

 

[werepossum]

Yes but if Kucinich cheats on his wife I'll kill myself.

I disagree, presidents have committed far larger illegalities without impeachment even being whispered. This was about sex and morality preachers peddling their wares. When they all talked in 2000 about bringing integrity back to the white house they weren't talking about lying under oath.

As an aside, not immunizing sitting presidents from suit while in office is idiotic.

Agreed on that last, all civil suits need to be set aside for the duration. And I prefer to pretend Kucinich never, ever even removes his clothing, but if I must consider it, I rather think he has his hands full.

My thoughts are the same - if your spouse can't trust you, neither can I.

My thoughts exactly, but Jonks does make a good point about extenuating circumstances. I don't believe in hall passes, but I do understand the forces that might make others decide differently.

 

[Mursilis]

My thoughts exactly, but Jonks does make a good point about extenuating circumstances. I don't believe in hall passes, but I do understand the forces that might make others decide differently.

It's a valid point, but that's something each couple is going to have to work out between them, whether the option be divorce, the non-disabled spouse being allowed to get some 'attention' on the side, or whatever. I think about all these seriously-injured troops coming home from overseas, and plenty of spouses are probably thinking they didn't expect this, but no one ever said life was going to be either easy or fair for all of us.

 

[Elfear]

What if your spouse hadn't had sex with you in years b/c she was nauseus all the time, had no sex drive, or was dry?

I think there are a ton of options out there before considering an affair. In the end if all avenues have been persued and the differences are irreconcilable, I'd rather see a divorce than an affair. At least that way a person has tried everything he/she could and didn't break such an important promise to their spouse.

 

[Munky]

Says who? You? Society? Religion?

That is one of the problems with society, everyone things everyone else should live be their standards.

Says the person making their marriage vows. Whether it does or doesn't concern their political career is another matter. But cheating on your spouse is not excusable.

 

[Vic Vega]

So what's the story?

Pretty much all of the American public can relate to wanting to bag hot chicks... not real hard.

 

[jonks]

I think there are a ton of options out there before considering an affair. In the end if all avenues have been persued and the differences are irreconcilable, I'd rather see a divorce than an affair. At least that way a person has tried everything he/she could and didn't break such an important promise to their spouse.

If you divorce you lose spousal privileges at hospitals and in the case of a cancer patient that's rather significant. It also massively complicates property transition when that eventuality is imminent. You still love your spouse but sex is a human need. Making a terminally ill person go through a divorce would be a bigger betrayal imo.

 

[bpatters69]

The story? Time and circumstances are all different. You're essentially comparing apples to oranges and then wondering if the mess left over 15 years ago is somewhat comparable to more recent events.

I haven't made myself familiar with the details of Newt's affair, though I certainly will if he tries to run. Not that I'm inclined to support any such GOP insider.

You Dems crack me up... this is kind of in the same vein as Obuttnutt's handling of the professor Gates affair... Its great when Politicians\lawyers talke without knowing all the facts. Facts just get in the way.

 

[jonks]

You Dems crack me up... this is kind of in the same vein as Obuttnutt's handling of the professor Gates affair... Its great when Politicians\lawyers talke without knowing all the facts. Facts just get in the way.

You dems? lol. Um, yeah, you must be new here. Ironic though that you reference speaking without having possession of facts. Well not ironic, since you clearly have deficient mental faculties. You're a freeper aintcha?

 

[Elfear]

If you divorce you lose spousal privileges at hospitals and in the case of a cancer patient that's rather significant. It also massively complicates property transition when that eventuality is imminent. You still love your spouse but sex is a human need. Making a terminally ill person go through a divorce would be a bigger betrayal imo.

In the case of a terminally ill person, they don't have long to live anyway. Can a person really not keep it in their pants for a few years? If you really love your spouse, you can endure some incredible things. I'm not saying the sex drive isn't a very powerful thing, but it isn't like the need for food or water where you die without it.

If I were the cancer patient and I had the choice between losing hospital privileges and having my spouse have an affair, I would choose the former. I think I would rather die than think about my wife out there getting her rocks off while I laid in the hospital.

 

[Fern]

I'm not really seeing Maher's point.

The only guy to not get into trouble as a policitian on his list is Vitter. Vitter is from LA, need any more be said?

Newt isn't a politician. We'll see if he gets grief over it if he runs.

Fern

 

[jonks]

In the case of a terminally ill person, they don't have long to live anyway. Can a person really not keep it in their pants for a few years? If you really love your spouse, you can endure some incredible things. I'm not saying the sex drive isn't a very powerful thing, but it isn't like the need for food or water where you die without it.

If I were the cancer patient and I had the choice between losing hospital privileges and having my spouse have an affair, I would choose the former. I think I would rather die than think about my wife out there getting her rocks off while I laid in the hospital.

Edwards lived for 6 years. If I was lying in a hospital bed I sure as shit would want my spouse who loved me dearly to be there as often as possible, and if she needed to get some sexual satisfaction elsewhere and didn't rub it in my face I think I'd have bigger concerns. But to each his own.

 

[soundforbjt]

IIRC, Newt told his friends that his wife (she was then his current wife) wasn't pretty enough to be First Lady. Class act, that Newt.

Here's another:
Kip Carter, his former campaign treasurer, was walking Newt's daughters back from a football game one day and cut across a driveway where he saw a car. "As I got to the car, I saw Newt in the passenger seat and one of the guys' wives with her head in his lap going up and down. Newt kind of turned and gave me this little-boy smile. Fortunately, Jackie Sue and Kathy were a lot younger and shorter then."

 

[JD50]

If you divorce you lose spousal privileges at hospitals and in the case of a cancer patient that's rather significant. It also massively complicates property transition when that eventuality is imminent. You still love your spouse but sex is a human need. Making a terminally ill person go through a divorce would be a bigger betrayal imo.

Don't forget about the effect that a divorce has on kids too.

 

[JD50]

IIRC, Newt told his friends that his wife (she was then his current wife) wasn't pretty enough to be First Lady. Class act, that Newt.

Here's another:
Kip Carter, his former campaign treasurer, was walking Newt's daughters back from a football game one day and cut across a driveway where he saw a car. "As I got to the car, I saw Newt in the passenger seat and one of the guys' wives with her head in his lap going up and down. Newt kind of turned and gave me this little-boy smile. Fortunately, Jackie Sue and Kathy were a lot younger and shorter then."

Cool story bro.

 

[soulcougher73]

If youre a Dem its bad to cheat and youll get demonized. If your GOP its ok to cheat and still retain office all the while spouting family values etc?

 

[piasabird]

I think there are so many divorces in the United States that you can get a divorce and move on and still get reelected. Many people can not get along and maybe it may be better to be divorced than to kill each other or argue all the time. I often wondered why Hilary did not divorce Bill Clinton.

 

[Kadarin]

If a couple has an open relationship or are swingers or whatever, then that's not really cheating, is it?

No, it's most definitely NOT cheating.

 

[Kadarin]

I think there are so many divorces in the United States that you can get a divorce and move on and still get reelected. Many people can not get along and maybe it may be better to be divorced than to kill each other or argue all the time. I often wondered why Hilary did not divorce Bill Clinton.

I suspect she calculated that staying with him would be more beneficial for her career than divorcing him would have been. I also suspect she's known for a very long time exactly what kind of person he has always been, and chose to live with it early on for the sake of that career.

 

[werepossum]

I suspect she calculated that staying with him would be more beneficial for her career than divorcing him would have been. I also suspect she's known for a very long time exactly what kind of person he has always been, and chose to live with it early on for the sake of that career.

Liz Edwards supported her husband after learning that he had been having an affair. I suspect it is very common among the powerful and wealthy to bear what might normally be unbearable in order to retain that wealth and power.

 

[Siddhartha]

Lets subject this topic to a political objectivity test: What if it was Mr Obama who cheated on his sick wife, commited adultery on his second wife too, and has married a third time?