Henry Hyde: Which Henry Hyde Will Show Up Today? :: EssayPapers

Henry Hyde: Which Henry Hyde Will Show Up Today? Henry Hyde has served on numerous committees and has participated in many of our nation’s most controversial issues over the past few decades. In this way, many have felt Hyde’s influence. In 1987, Hyde was a member of the Joint House-Senate Committee that investigated the Iran-Contra matter. In 1996, Hyde was the Chairman of the Republican Platform Committee at the National Convention, in San Diego. Most recently, Hyde served as the chief manager in the Impeachment of President Clinton during both the House and Senate proceedings. Henry Hyde is often heralded for the roles he has played in these events of national significance. From a political standpoint, Henry Hyde initially appears to be unflawed–what he says he seems to believe, and what he believes he appears to say. Although his views are often unpopular, he portrays a politician of set moral and ethical values, a set of values could have augmented his rise to his rise to power in the United States Governm ent. Unfortunately, this proves not to be the case. In fact, a comparison of the Henry Hyde in the Iran-Contra Affair to the Henry Hyde who levied an all out impeachment on William Jefferson Clinton illustrates many disturbing patterns. The Henry Hyde, whose political image is so aesthetically strong, represents anything but a pillar of political ideology or ethical value. Instead, Henry Hyde emerges as having no regard for political consistency and as a politician whose underlying political platforms are dictated by partisanship. In this way, Hyde has shown a willingness to extend his political platforms to opposite extremes, all in the name of doing Republican power. The hypocrisy that arises in Henry Hyde’s political discourse is unsurpassed. Due to his highly influential and esteemed role in our government I feel Henry Hyde’s behavior deserves to be criticized and the social implications should be understood. It is to this extent that I focus on the partisanship that dictates Henry Hyde’s every move and the hypocrisy that arises as a result. In 1986, Henry Hyde defended the Reagan Administration and Oliver North against Independent Council investigations by all means possible. Throughout the tumult Hyde stood by their side refusing to allow a fellow Republican lose power without a fight. Due to circumstances that surrounded the Iran-Contra Affair, the Reagan Administration and Oliver North were under intense scrutiny. The generalities of the case involved the illegal sales of weapons to the Nicaraguan Contra’s.