January 29, 1998

Dear Editor:

Concerning the Clinton sex scandal, George F. Will says that "Winning an electoral majority does not license anyone to behave as disgracefully as he likes, so long as he eludes the 'controlling legal authority' of criminal law. To argue otherwise is to assert that 'permissible' is a synonym for 'legal.'"

"Permissible" is a synonym for "legal."

The purpose of government is to protect individual rights, not legislate public morality. Like all of his behavior, Clinton's sexual behavior is dishonest and disgusting, but it is his own private business, and he has every moral—though not legal—right to lie about it if necessary in order to keep it private. On the other hand, since coming to office Clinton has just as habitually lied about policy issues that are literally a matter of life and death—for example, his phony promise that American troops would withdraw from Bosnia after one year. When combined with his honest advocacy of such anti-American institutions as Socialized medicine, these political lies are the true disgrace of his presidency, and the proper grounds for his resignation.

Sincerely,

Chuck Braman
Manhattan

Note: This letter was written at the very beginning of the scandal. Will's argument at that time, as I understood it, was not the argument that Clinton should be held legally accountable if it could be proved that he committed perjury (which I agree with), but that he should be held legally accountable whether or not it could be legally proved that he committed perjury (which I don't agree with). Of course, it was later proved that Clinton did commit perjury.