For the younger DU'ers: Reagan era Congressional Page scandal

[Opusnone]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Page_sex_scandal_%281983%29

"He likes his pages bent over..." I remember that was the punchline to a bad joke.

Iran-contra, Abscam, Page scandals, greed is good... Oh, how I miss the 80's.

[MADem]

1. Why don't congressmen use bookmarks?

Because they'd rather bend over the pages .....

That was the joke, as I remember it!

[Opusnone]

2. Didn't seem so bad then, did it?

I was still in high school and hardly involved in anything not involving sports or girls.
But I remember my granparents (may they rest in peace) being a bit uncomfortable when the news was on.

[MADem]

4. Well, back then the pages were a year or two older, too

Now they are juniors in HS, they used to be seniors. But even at that, it's pretty sick when an old geezer goes after a teenager--and it's not an issue of orientation, it's an issue first, of the law, which they are breaking by messing with those babies, and followed by improper use of power (the legislators are senior to the pages), hideous judgment, sexual harassment, and coercion.

Once the kids hit 21, I'd say it's just offensive to the eye and spirit to see some old fool drooling over the youngsters, but at that point the kids have to make their own mistakes, and hope the parents raised them right--when they are teens, it's just WRONG. Especially nowadays, when it seems that so many kids, despite all the earlier sexual contact and exposure to "adult" themes, have cases of arrested development or simply seem less mature--of course, that could be geezer perspective kicking in--maybe there isn't much diff at all.

Heh, you're right about the older generation getting "uncomfortable" with the story way back when--I recall a good bit of tut-tutting, channel changing and nervous newspaper folding during that period as well when the younger ones were about. It played big in the northeast, due to the front-and-center positioning of the aptly-named local rep Gerry STUDDS in the whole imbroglio.

[originalpckelly]

3. That is great joke!

:rofl:!!!!!!!