In the abstract, people claim that ethical behavior is important in politicians. But in a practical sense, do ethics really matter?

If you're for limited government (or gun rights, or pro-life, or opposed to gay marriage) and your candidate has done something ethically questionable (or even clearly unethical), would it really deter you from voting for that candidate over someone who favors a larger governmental role (or who opposes gun rights, or is pro-choice, or pro gay-marriage)?

Conversely, if you're for expansive government (or limited gun rights, or pro-choice, or support gay marriage) and your candidate has done something ethically questionable (or even clearly unethical), would it really deter you from voting for that candidate over someone who favors more limited government (or favors gun rights, or is pro-life, or opposes gay marriage)?

When it comes down to it, I don't think that ethics are useful beyond being a potential bludgeon against an opponent - and since I think that it's unlikely to swing most people's vote in any case, what it really boils down to is that ethics are only relevant to the extent that pointing out an opposing candidate's ethical flaws help bolster a voter's self-esteem for preferring what they view as the "right" candidate.

What do you think? I think it's a cynical point of view, but also a pragmatic one. I suppose scoundrels are nothing new, and ethical issues may still have influence in terms of swaying uncommitted and/or independent voters who may be less engaged in voting for a specific issue or political perspective, but I still find it discouraging that people are willing to overlook almost anything as long as they get the result they're hoping for.

I'm not seeing how ethics, behavioral rules and norms associated with one's profession, have anything to do with one's politics opinions and persuasions.

Professional ethics matter to me for a politician because that is more likely to impact me.
Personal ethics not as much.

no....they never have relative to politics....

can I prove it?...shite, I don't want to tryout for that theorem squash team.....

humans are born with a giggle and the purity to learn (with all extraneous factors negated...health, genetic imbalance, etc....)...it's the environment that creates change....

so, after curing the meat????.................not a snowball's fk'n chance....

(11-03-2015 10:47 PM)mptnstr@44 Wrote:  Professional ethics matter to me for a politician because that is more likely to impact me.
Personal ethics not as much.

I can see how that has some impact on you at some level but I'm still failing to see how a politician's ethics are guiding their overarching sense of moral right and wrong which is supposedly guiding their political opinions.

Ethics matter to some people, but not to most people. IMHO.

Yes. They matter to me both professionally and personally.

Of course ethics matter. A politician, in theory at least, is an elected representative acting in and for the best interest of their constituents. How could personal and business ethics not matter?

I challenge the premise of your categories. Wanting the government out of people's private life is not advocating for "expansive government". In fact, I'd propose the exact opposite is true.

It depends on the infraction. I would be more likely to overlook someone cheating on their wife or getting a DUI than someone that blatently steers contracts or partakes in graft, for instance.

I think they matter. Period. I'm also of the opinion government/politicians should never do anything behind closed doors it/they wouldn't do in public. Politics should be a higher calling. Just because it often isn't doesn't mean that should be the standard.

Yes ethics matter. I am trying to teach that to my kids every day.