Spitzer Resigns

My friends and I are having quite an email discussion over the news of Gov. Spitzer's paying for high price prostitutes and his eventual (today even) resignation. I thought Deb Oppenheimer's thoughts on the subject were interesting and she gave me permission to post them here:

I have somewhat refrained from making comments on this subject but I will try to offer some insights and please do not take this as excusing Spitzer.

When people in power (take that to mean male and we will not get into why that is here) are under extreme stress, they react in different ways but almost all of them are dangerous or self-destructive. 

The person wants nothing more to leave the ever day pressure behind and spend time, no matter how brief, in an (for the lack of a better term) alternate reality.  In this alternate reality there are no rules, there is just the quiet and focus of moment.  The method to reach this state may take the form of extreme sports where the risk of serious injury/death exists.  It may take the form of substance abuse, either legal or illegal, or in Spitzer's case the drug of choice was sex.  The ability to push aside every thought of the real world is extremely powerful and seductive.  As is usual in these cases, the real world will come crashing down on them.

I truly believe Spitzer does care for his wife and family which is why he didn't have an affair but choose to pay a "professional" where there would be no emotional bond - just a business transaction.  And in this alternate reality, there are no rules, no consequences, and no morality issues.  In many ways, I see this as no different then Bill Bennett's (Sec. of Edu/Dir. drug control/author of "The Book of Virtues") having gambled away millions of dollars of the family's money. Just a different "drug" of choice.

Again, I am not defending Spitzer, what he did was wrong/stupid/dangerous on so many levels and put the health of himself and his wife in jeopardy.

Well these are my thoughts from the time spent on the other side of the divide.