Let’s briefly talk news. Rep. Anthony Weiner of New York finally wound up resigning today. I’m not one to talk politics, particularly because it sparks such debate, but I do want to briefly go into the semantics of a political sex scandal. When talking about politicians and their personal lives, is there anything that says they are required to be of the highest moral fiber and upstanding individuals? Isn’t that what our religious leaders are supposed to be? Last time I checked, there was separation of church and state, which means that if a politician does something immoral such as cheating on a spouse, it shouldn’t make that much of a difference unless that sort of thing affects job performance. Sure, we expect a certain level of decency from our public figures, and hypothetically speaking they’re supposed to be better people than us, representing the good of society rather than their own personal desires. Which is why there is such an outrage when Weiner sends out a lewd photo or Bill Clinton sleeps with an intern. Yet they’re still human and are often subject to greater temptation than the rest of us. I guess what I’m trying to say is that those that are unable to do their job effectively shouldn’t continue to do so, no matter if they’re a complete scoundrel or morally upstanding. The opposite is true too. In the case of Rep. Weiner, it was less the scandal and more the moral outrage caused by the scandal that was his downfall. Had he refused to resign, he might well have become a lame duck Congressman, with colleagues refusing to listen to or support him as a result of this scandal. You can’t get very far in life without the help of some friends, so when your friends abandon you, that ladder climbing comes to a screeching halt. And so it goes. No matter which side of the political aisle you lie on, his resignation was ultimately the right thing to do. Better to give somebody else a shot rather than watch him put up a futile effort against the giant of public opinion that’s near impossible to beat.
Okay, that’s my diatribe for the day. Agree or disagree, you don’t have to read it if you don’t want to. Let’s talk Pick Your Poison. Highlights today include tracks from Braid, Future Islands, Pepper Rabbit, Peter Wolf Crier, Sebadoh and VHS or Beta. Major Lazer’s remix of a Beastie Boys song off their new record (and featuring Santigold) is in the Soundcloud section and is remarkably great as well.
Astrid Swan – Box Elder (Pavement cover)
Delay Trees – Tarantula/Holding On
DJ JS-1 – Last to Know (ft. Tonedeff)
Future Islands – Before the Bridge
Gramatik – So Much for Love (ZIP)
Jason Ajemian & the HighLife – Bliss is This
Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground – World’s Entire
Penguin Prison – Multi-Millionaire (Graphics Remix)
Pepper Rabbit – Rose Mary Stretch
Silver Medallion – Blackmail (ft. Dame Fifty5)
VHS or Beta – I Found A Reason
SOUNDCLOUD
Beastie Boys – Don’t Play No Game That I Can’t Win (Feat. Santigold) (Major Lazer Remix Edition)
