Should Not Based on Absent Shoulds

A current senator is in jail on charges of fraud, has been re-elected and though still in jail, the debate right now is whether he should be allowed to swear in as Senator.

You're kidding, right? There's a debate? For the love of dumplings, why?

Yes, I know the basic judicial doctrine of "innocent until proven guilty" applies to everyone--even politicians as stone-headed as Jorge "Il Castrao" Font. But there's another doctrine that applies, or should apply: Leaders need to be held to higher standards. 

Obviously, even a plusperfect idiot like Il Castrao can win an election, despite looking as guilty as all get-out. But instead of debating whether the jailbird can or should swear in as a member of the Senate, We should be placing a substitute for Il Castrao on the dais for swear-in and if--if--the jerk is found not guilty by a jury of his superiors, then he can re-occupy the slimy chair he was elected to.

Is this fair to the people who elected Il Castrao, having someone they didn't pick represent them? Is it fair to them to have a fraud and a cheat do so, like the rest of Us have?

Okay, mark Me down for being cynical. If the person you elected--say a senator or a governor--is facing a judicial process, what should happen is that the person resigns their position, with the proviso that if they are not guilty of the charges or the charges are dropped/cleared, then the person can return to their position, if allowable. 

The reason Il Castrao was on the ballot in the first place was because he lacked the integrity, dignity and courtesy to resign, as he should have. The second reason is that his party lacked the integrity, dignity and leadership to make him resign. As they should have. 

That the debate I'm appalled with is wafting around Us now is because the electorate--My fellow citizens--have the political savvy of dung beetles, slapping votes on subnormal vermin simply because they are affiliated with the insignia the dung beetle prefers. And the reason the debate on whether Il Castrao can swear in, can do so from jail, can do so with a day pass or work pass or replacing a conjugal visit with a chance to hose Our collective dignity is because the party he is embarrassing is too gutless to do the right thing.

Now, as for having all Our Fools in jail, I think We could do that. Hell, I think We should. But you knew that already, didn't you?

The Jenius Has Spoken.