The missus was telling me yesterday what she'd heard about the guy.

He believes it is immoral to smoke, drink... or DANCE.

But he likes to sing. And when he sings, he makes absolutely sure that he doesn't SWAY, because that would be... wrong.

That is correct. He did not dance at his Gubernatorial Inauguration. He is a strict Southern Baptist.

He did however, allow his child to use the Missouri Capitol Library after hours to do some homework. He also repealed the Blue Laws that Missouri had until 1987. For a religious man, that almost seems...sinful! *gasp*

Thank God I don't live in Missouri anymore...

Immoral Dancing
 

Well, dancing is not a problem only in Missouri. Take a look at last Friday's Inky Weekend section. Check the review for _Save The Last Dance_ -- rated PG-13 for violence, sexual content, and dancing. Print edition only, and it isn't an offical MPAA reason either. Not sure if it's the Inky's idea of a joke or if they're serious.

A letter from Senator Ashcroft
 

I wrote the letter below to Senator Ashcroft during the Impeachment hearings, when I lived in St. Louis. It's interesting to see how his words then somewhat mirror his words today.

---
Thank you for contacting my office about the serious crisis in the White House. I appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns.

As you know, on August 17, 1998, President Clinton admitted
that he lied to the American people, his family, and his colleagues about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky. The perpetuation of that lie for months is disgraceful. While I do not question the sincerity of the President's apology, I also have no question about the grave and long-lasting negative effects his actions are having on the nation and on
our culture. As a result, I believe that the best course for our country and our culture is for the President to resign.

In light of the President's actions and his continued
unwillingness to admit that his actions were unlawful, on December 19, 1998, the House of Representatives took the extraordinary step of approving two articles of impeachment against President Clinton. The solemn duty of conducting an impeachment trial now falls upon the Senate. When this matter comes to trial before the Senate, I will honor my oath to judge the matter impartially based on the evidence
presented and on no other basis.

The Constitution imposes a solemn duty on the Senate to
conduct a fair, speedy and impartial trial. However, this important constitutional obligation cannot distract us from pursuing our legislative agenda. Protecting Social Security, cutting taxes, educating our children, and keeping them safe from the scourge of drugs cannot await the end of this trial. The President's admitted misconduct has
hampered his ability to provide leadership, both at home and abroad. We cannot allow our constitutional obligation of evaluating that misconduct to prevent the Senate from supplying the missing leadership and making progress on this agenda.

Americans expect their President to provide moral leadership. They expect someone who will call them to their highest and best, not accommodate them at their lowest and least. They count on the President to uphold the law, not undermine it. They want him or her to provide a model for their children to emulate, not serve as an embarrassing example that causes children to question the moral lessons instilled by their parents.

The President's actions are indicative of a values deficit in Washington. The culture of Washington exudes a spirit of arrogance that is not reflective of the people's values. From his first days in office, this President has presided
over a cascade of investigations, scandals, and ethical controversies. He has borrowed against the people's trust over and over, and he has no moral capital left.

What is more, the President's values deficit illustrates that ours is a culture in crisis. Its symptoms include family breakdown, teen pregnancy, violence, and drug
abuse. Now, more than ever, America needs a president who offers moral leadership. But the bully pulpit is empty. The President, who should be able to lead by example and who should be a model, is unable to provide that leadership. His self-inflicted wounds disable him from providing the
leadership the culture so desperately needs.

From the outset, I have consistently stated that if the allegations against the President were true, then he has disgraced himself, he has disgraced the Presidency, and
he should resign. Now that the President has admitted the allegations are true, the honorable act is to resign so that the nation can properly heal from the wounds he has inflicted and the culture can be put on the path to recovery.

Although I can call on the President to resign, I have no power to make him do so. The choice is in his hands. Therefore I appeal to him, to his sense of patriotism, and his sense of honor, to make the right decision. If he refuses to resign, the nation will continue to be dragged through an ordeal to determine whether the President has forfeited the legal authority to govern. However,
statements by members of Congress of both political parties make it increasingly clear that this President already has lost his moral authority to govern. Under these circumstances, he owes it to a culture in need of moral leadership to resign.

Again, thank you for contacting me about the Clinton crisis. It is a privilege to serve you in the U.S. Senate.

Sincerely,

John Ashcroft