Its Time to Rediscover Political Forgiveness

(The American Conservative) Mudslinging has existed in one form or another for as long as politics has. Recent years though have seen it devolve from the exaggerated new lows" of 2012 to something even worse. Although embarrassing gossip about public figures is no doubt entertaining its time to ask whether were ready to accept the excavation of ancient Twitter posts informal writings andfor crying out loudhigh school yearbooks as legitimate sources of criticism of political figures and celebrities. If so we must accept an uncomfortable fact: the only people who will survive such thorough opposition research are either ill-socialized Boy Scouts or the utterly shameless. Its an insane way to pick our leaders and instead of becoming comfortable with it we should focus on what actually matters: relevant qualifications. All too often now we witness someones career being ruined because of inane mudslinging. Opponents of Texas Senate challenger Beto ORourke dragged him through the mud in early October for comments hed made about actresses in a 1991 review of a Broadway musical. On the Left meanwhile there was endless speculation about Brett Kavanaughs high school drinking habits when the real concern should have been whether or not he committed sexual assault. This phenomenon isnt limited to politics eithernot by a long shot. ORourkes allegedly disqualifying activities had nothing to do with the position he was trying out for. What he thought about the skill and breasts of an actress when he was 19 years old cannot possibly be relevant to his duties as a United States senator. And the drinking habits of a high schooler no matter how scandalous mean nothing with respect to a judges qualifications.