What is this country coming to?

Variation from my usual ride journaling today. I did take a dressage lesson on RazzMo this morning. But I just have to get this out.

What is this nation coming to? Today I heard on NPR about another politician in trouble for lying to investigators. Guess what they were investigating. Not any kind of vote fixing. Not mis-use of public funds. Not taking bribes of any form. The big bad thing they had to investigate was whether he had an affair with his chief of staff. I did NOT hear any harassment allegation linked to this. Story ended with this mayor could get a sentence of up to 15 years for obstruction of justice. Just for LYING about his stinking AFFAIR. Good Lord one hears of rapists and even murderers getting lighter sentences --although this is the maximum possible, not what he'll neccessarily get it still boggles my mind.

Now on the one hand these politicians need to grow a backbone and a pair and tell anyone who asks that their private sex lives are no one else's dammed business. YesI know I spelled it wrong. But for pity's sake, up to 15 years in prison for being afraid of the wifey or of public opinion and lying about an affair?! --and just WHY did an affair between two grown, consenting adults need to be investigated in the first place?

And then there was former governor of New York and the talk of him possibly facing RICO? charges for setting up hidden accounts WITH HIS OWN MONEY from what I heard, to pay a prostitute in his attempt to keep that hidden. What is up with this extreme moral sexual code where we're going to toss people in prison for for having sex outside of their marriages. Geez are we trying to make points with the islamofacists? I realize we are not quite YET making it criminal to have sex outside of marriage, just making it criminal for politicians to try to keep their affairs private, but it feels like a step or two down a slippery slope that has morality laws where folks can face capital punishment for adultery at the very bottom of it. I know I don't want to go down that slope.

I found myself wondering, after hearing the radio report if the U.S. is more violent than Europe, not because of the gun law differences that are always waved about but because we have all this tension from the exaggerated sexual taboos we've set up in this society; plus having SO much sexual energy on TV and in the movies and advertisements. Maybe Europe is less violent because they don't make such a big deal out of nudity and sex so testosterone --ok perhaps I should be PC and say hormones--can find non violent outlets.