Dear editor:

Congress is giving alcohol a bad name.

That thought ain’t original with me and it ain’t exact. What was really said was that Representative Foley was giving alcohol a bad name. I just changed it around a little.

When I was in the Georgia Senate, a bill was passed which classified alcoholism as a sickness. I spoke against and I voted against it. I was aware that this concept of alcoholism being a disease would change the perception of those crimes committed while under the influence.

Have you noticed lately that anytime a member of Congress is caught in the act, he immediately checks himself into an alcohol treatment center and expects to be praised for that act? Kennedy, Foley, and many others have gone that route. They are lauded by the liberal press for their courageous actions in admitting their dependence on alcohol. At one time when one committed a crime, that person went to great lengths to deny being drunk and when denial was not possible, they only admitted to having drank only a couple of beers.

Congressman Foley, you know, was recently caught having improper correspondence with a male page. Republican leaders immediately called for his resignation. Democrats immediately labeled him a pedophile and also called for the resignation of Republican leaders who knew of Foley’s communications. First, Foley by definition, is not a pedophile. A pedophile is a person attracted to a child 13 years old or younger and that person being at least five years older than the child.

Technically speaking, he is a homosexual. In-as-much as the page was 16 and male, had the leadership moved against Foley for his e-mails and text messages which were over-friendly and improper, the Democrats would immediately have cried that they were gay bashing.

There is hypocrisy here. Consider Massachusetts Democrat Rep. Gerry Studds who went “all the way” with a Congressional Page in 1973. He was defended by many Democrats, censored by the House, but continued to serve in his position until his retirement in 1996. When the vote of censure was announced, he turned his back side to the membership and bent over in a K.M.A. gesture. Where was the Democratic outrage then?

Massachusetts homosexual Democrat Rep. Barney Frank’s was associated with a male prostitute. He is still serving in Congress.

Republican Bob Packwood was accused of sexual harassment. He was never charged with going all the way, only being obnoxious. He had to leave the Senate.

Democrat President Bill Clinton, however, went all the way with a young intern, He was defended by most of the Democrats, and served out his term.

Homosexual Democrat Governor of New Jersey James Mcgreevey admitted on the Oprah Winfrey Show that he bedded a man while his wife was hospitalized having a child. His candor in acknowledging that he was a homosexual was lauded by the Democrats..

Where was the Democrat outrage when a young girl, not his wife, drowned in the car of Massachusetts Democrat Ted Kennedy?

A culture of corruption shrill the Democrats when a Republican is caught but not a peep by the same Democrats when a Democrat is caught.

Earlier this year Democrat William Jefferson was filmed by the FBI receiving an alleged bribe. A search of his home revealed $90,000 of cash in a home freezer. The FBI searched his office and all the Democrat leadership protested. As I write this Jefferson stills hold office.

Also earlier this year Republican Tom Delay was charged with impropriety. He resigned his office.

Is this not a double standard? Why should DeLay leave office and Jefferson continue to serve?

Actually this is not a Democrat thing or a Republican thing. It is a congressional thing. Lord Acton said Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

There is no better case for term limits that the actions of Congress.

This column in no way should be construed as to accept the improper behavior of Republicans who have done wrong. It is to be construed to indicate that Democrats and Republicans be treated with the same set of rules.

I am peeved that the Republicans let Democrat Harry Byrd use politically improper references to black people and no sanction be applied to him, but when Republican Trent Lott lauded a former 103-year -old senator, he was forced by Democrats to resign his Senate leadership position.

At Ellenton, what is fair for the goose is also good for the gander.

Franklin Sutton

Ellenton