How true! If only our politicians had a tenth of this integrity! Olmert, and Barak, and Ramon,etc. etc...

09:39 , 03.17.08

Print Accountability Unfamiliar territory. Levy PR Photo click here to enlarge text click here to reduce text				In praise of accountability NY governor's resignation reveals political culture unfamiliar to Israelis Jackie Levy There were quite a few Israelis who watched with amazement the resignation announcement of Eliot Spitzer, the New York governor who quit over a sex scandal. As they watched on, those Israelis were asking themselves a number of embarrassing questions – however, all of them were different variations of one key aspect: "Look at them, and look at us."   New York, according to foreign reports, is one of the most developed locations on the face of this earth. We cam assume that serving as the governor of New York is a rather desirable post. However, Mr. Spitzer apparently had some other desires. Indeed, Spitzer was so busy realizing his other desires that after the affair was exposed in the media he was fitted with the lovely nickname "Client Number 9." One way or another, he will never be seen as an unblemished character.   On the other hand, what we saw in him, or perhaps in the culture in which he grew up, reached greatness, and then screwed up, was the rather simple realization that the right thing to do at this time is to face the nation and announce his resignation.   No whining or scathing attacks  Mr. Spitzer did not whine and did not issue a scathing attack against anyone when he announced his resignation. He did not say anything such as "who are you to judge me" or "look at yourself before you preach to me."   He most certainly did not say something like "I will remain in this post so I can fix things from the within the government."   If you are Israeli, and you were among those who last week watched Eliot Spitzer and his resignation announcement, yet you still did not find yourself asking a number of embarrassing questions where the words "accountability" and "resignation" were used rather frequently – well, what are the chances that in the next elections you will not be voting for Kadima again?   Back