New French Prime Minister and His Live-in Girlfriend

For the first time in history, France has elected a Prime Minister who will take his live-in girlfriend with him into the political circles of Paris. Mr. Francois Hollande, newly elected Premier of France, has been living with a political associate, Valerie Trierweiler , a 47 year old journalist, since 2005.  

Ms. Trierweiler is touted as a perfect match for the new leader of France, because she is the true prototypical French woman. She has been divorced twice, has three children, is a working professional, and now has an ongoing affair with a prominent man.

This scenario certainly illustrates where the Western Democracies are going morally! We, in America, have our own version of high ranking political decadence—Bill Clinton will always be remembered for his affair with Monica Lewinsky and his lying to a federal grand jury. To his credit, he may also be remembered for the fact that during his administration, the national debt was actually decreased due to pressure from a Republican House and Senate.

Immorality in high places is particularly dangerous to the moral fiber of a nation. Other people, young and old, will inevitably mimic the behavior of their leader. In the case of sexual immorality, they will do this despite the biblical admonition that such behavior will be eternally punished. They will do it in the face of gobs of sociological studies that clearly show the close correlation between sex outside of marriage and divorce.

We, the voters are partly to blame for such behavior. We frequently think that an official’s private life is not important if he does a good job in his public position. I think that if a person cannot be faithful in his personal obligations, to his wife and to his own moral respectability, he cannot be faithful to his public duties.