What do some cops, Tom Daschle, and Rod Blagojevich have in common? Besides the fact that they all have abused their power, they all gained status from the consent of the people.
It seems that the public is always hearing of powerful people who make hypocritical and scandalous choices: from the local police officer who takes advantage of his position by parking on the wrong side of the street in a non-emergency situation, to former Senate majority leader and President Barack Obama’s former nominee for Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Daschle who evaded taxes for a car and driver, to former Illinois Governor Blagojevich who was impeached for trying to auction Obama’s senate seat.
These examples lead others and myself in the public to a single yet complex question: Why do people in positions of status, especially representatives of the law, take liberty with the law and their actions as they do?
Perhaps their choices can be shrugged off as moments of unintentional indiscretion. But when it comes to people whom we have entrusted with our support, we have come to expect more than simple excuses.
Therefore, what others may shrug off as irresponsible behavior appears to me to be a conscious disregard for the offices they occupy. People entrusted with public support break the rules because they somehow believe that their newly-gained status makes them immune to the same rules others must follow, maybe even invincible.
I can even go so far as to call them selfish for their lack of consideration for their actions. Such individuals endowed with authority need to remember where they came from and the people who believed in them to begin with. The moment they fail to remember the support, in addition to their own hard work, that helped them achieve their status, they become selfish individuals who forget the people who trust them.
Not only is it unfortunate that the three examples I present are just a few of the many who make wrong choices, but it also doesn’t help the situation that they are all government-employed officials. The people who repeatedly appear in the news for having broken some law or code are in fact those whom we have entrusted with the power to run our nation. So why they feel that it is OK for them to overstep the authority that comes from the people can only be explained by the “high” of power and placement they feel.
For instance, police officers are quick to ticket anyone who parks only minutes over their meter time limit. Yet when it comes to following driving rules, such as not turning without signaling or making a U-turn in a restricted street, somehow the rules just don’t apply to the police. Apparently it’s acceptable for them to park in a red zone so they can get a Slurpee at the 7-Eleven.
In Blagojevich’s case, perhaps more than scandal, it’s the feelings of disappointment and betrayal that the public faces in light of his conduct. That a government official, who gained status through direct election by the people, should so blatantly use his position to financially benefit himself demonstrates just how much public officials feel they can abuse their power. What’s more insulting is that they think they can easily cover up their discretions and fool the American public by trying to link themselves to figures worthy of public trust such as President Obama and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.
The same case can be made for local leaders, such as doctors and lawyers who become prominent members of their communities ““ roles that we or others we know will fill in the future. Just as the politician or police officer achieves status because of the public’s support, so too do the doctor and lawyer whose patients or clients have come to trust in their work ethic.
For those who oppose the excessive media attention and inquiry into scandals, in such cases where people of power depend on the public’s support to obtain their status, the scrutiny is well-deserved.
Such situations in which people of authority abuse their power reminds me of a historic line brought to light by the recent movie Frost/Nixon: “When the president does it that means that it is not illegal.” Except now, insert a blank space for “president” and anyone can say it.
If you feel public figures act hypocritically, e-mail Tehrani at ntehrani@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.