Thoughts on Louisiana’s (and Ohio’s) Gubernatorial Situations

There have been, and will be, calls for the resignation of Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco. I expect they will be ignored.

There have been, and will be, calls for Ms. Blanco’s impeachment. I expect they will be ignored.

How much more credible would these demands be if Ohio Governor Bob Taft had done the right thing over lesser but nevertheless criminal matters and resigned, as BizzyBlog “recommended” here and here, and as several others have “suggested”? Or if the majority in the Ohio House had gotten off its collective butt and impeached him?

Actions, and in this case inactions, have consequences.

Even if Blanco didn’t go (we’re talking Louisiana, after all, where “political accountability” has historically tended to occur only upon indictment, conviction, and imprisonment), at least the contrast would have been there. Although you can credibly argue otherwise, at least on the surface, which most people won’t get past, in light of Bob Taft’s skate, the calls for her impeachment or resignation look at least somewhat hypocritical.

It’s clear that we could use a greater supply of at least one Japanese import: the willingness to (figuratively) fall on your sword (see last item at link for a modern Japanese example), take the blame, and go away when your people, your company, or your government screw up in a major way.

(For the Japanese origins of literally falling on one’s sword, go to the blockquote near the bottom of the page at this link.)