The Evil That Men Do

My father loved to quote Mark Anthony's soliloquy in Julius Caesar which includes the unforgettable lines "the evil that men do lives after them, the good is oft interred in their bones." Unlike Anthony, I come not to bury Rod Blagojevich; he may still accomplish much. Nor do I come to praise him, but to understand him. For to understand him is to understand America. As governor of Illinois, Blagojevich wanted something "of value for the open Senate seat" that was his to fill. But of course. That is the American way, do something for me and I'll do something for you. It can be something personal, like building a country home or getting a cousin a job (which may be illegal), or vote for bills I like or contribute to my campaign chest (which is probably not.) Prosecutors grant immunity or reduced sentences to people who give information about someone else. And even in the most innocent of cases, a Governor or President will appoint a person to a job because he or she feels that the appointee will support his policies or get him support by the general public.

So why not Blagojevich? Why do we feel compelled to prosecute (I hope not persecute) this man for doing what all other Americans do? Is it because he does so without shame? For pursuing his own interests? And this is the way of life not only in politics. It is the case in business, and how "deals" are made. It is the way in professional sports where teams trade lives and livings of their players. Or do we all of a sudden recognize that there is something wrong with this system? If so why blame Blagojevich?