New York congressman followed a too familiar path

We’re going to resist making weiner jokes, because there is nothing funny about what we now know that Anthony Weiner, the Democratic congressman from New York, did online with a succession of women. His immediate instinct when caught was to lie about his misdeeds, which only compounded the offense.

Weiner embarrassed his wife of a year, other members of his family and the Congress in which he serves.

But in addition, at a time when the nation faces an economic crisis and when both ends of the political spectrum should be engaged in a healthy debate about the course of the nation, Weiner became a dysfunctional distraction.

Some people would blame an American public that is addicted to salacious gossip and a press that is more than willing to feed that beast for creating a sideshow. Certainly there is blame to be shared, but that doesn’t absolve Weiner of responsibility — intellectually, ethically or politically.

Ignorance can’t be the excuse

Weiner is an intelligent fellow who has been schooled in the law and logic, and to suggest that he should not have foreseen the consequences of his irresponsible actions the moment he sent the first tweet is to suggest the implausible.

When Bill Clinton finally acknowledged his misconduct with Monica Lewinsky, this paper called for his resignation on grounds of his reckless and feckless conduct. The issue of morality is between the sinner and his lord; the unfaithfulness is between husband and wife. But a president so blinded by base urges that he could not see the consequences of cheating in the White House with an intern young enough to be his daughter broke faith with his family and with the body politic.

Variation on the theme

The same argument could be made in this more recent case. If anything, Weiner’s carrying on in various social media with women of various ages was even more foolhardy than pursuing a solitary illicit relationship that might be pursued discreetly. Weiner never had a chance of not being caught.

In a day when parents are warning their children about the unforgiving and eternal nature of anything someone chooses to bring to life on social media, Weiner went where no prudent man would go.

There seems to be a pattern of risk taking involved that calls into question Weiner’s fitness for office. But just as his peccadilloes are between him and his wife, his political future is between him and his constituents.

Politicians on both sides of the aisle have done worse than Weiner — sometimes much worse — and survived. Others have seen their political careers come abruptly to an end. We’re content to see this one play out, although we hope at a less obsessive pace.

Time to pay

There are obvious consequences to be paid at home. In Congress, he’s already experiencing the approbation of his GOP colleagues, some of whom have been reacting with a level of horror unseen when their brethren transgressed similarly. He’s being ostracized by some of his Democratic colleagues — many of whom once applauded his eccentricities and outspokenness in the cause of liberal politics.

Clearly, however, the House ethics committee should investigate, as both Republicans and Democrats have already suggested. If Weiner was using government resources to pursue his creepy hobby, he should pay the consequences. And the price should be higher than what he is paying now.