"It profits me but little that a vigilant authority always protects the tranquillity of my pleasures and constantly averts all dangers from my path, without my care or concern, if this same authority is the absolute master of my liberty and my life."

--Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Double Standard Alert

The concept of a double standard used to be taught in our schools, but now apparently no one can even notice, not even in supposedly "intellectual" circles like The Huffington Post.   Here's an article from today:

Scott Walker Caught Breaking Campaign Rules While Running For College President In 1988
... Walker breaking the rules while campaigning goes back even further, to his time as a college student at Marquette University, which the Democratic super PAC American Bridge is trying to remind people.... In 1988, Walker wanted to become president of the school's student government, known as the Associated Students at Marquette University. He was running against John Quigley, a liberal student, in a race that became incredibly contentious. Election rules said that presidential candidates could not begin campaigning until after they registered, which started on Feb. 3.  
Walker, however, was caught campaigning on Jan. 24. As the Marquette Tribune reported on Feb. 2, 1988:  
Potential ASMU presidential candidate Scott Walker was found guilty of illegal campaigning in a grievance hearing before members of the elections commission Monday night.  
By speaking before a meeting of the Delta Chi fraternity Jan. 24, Walker, an arts and sciences sophomore, violated the rule which states, "No campaigning may begin before a candidate is registered," the committee ruled.
At the meeting, according to a student in attendance, Walker asked the fraternity members, "What can ASMU do for the Inter-Fraternity council?" and told them he intended to run for president of ASMU in a few weeks.  
As punishment, the campus elections commission prohibited Walker from campaigning until Feb. 4, 7:00 p.m. -- 24 hours after other candidates were officially allowed to begin. In response, Walker said, "I found no fault in their decision. ... All it does is limit me for one day."

But, of course, no one is supposed to ask about where Barack Obama was born, who he associated with as a young man, how he got into Columbia, how he got into Harvard Law School, what his grades were there, who he associated with starting out in Chicago, where he got the money for his house, where he got the backing for his first campaign, etc., etc., etc.   That's all off limits.  

But Scott Walker, a Republican, got a wrist slap during an election for student government 26 years ago?   That's news!

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