First there was the bribery scandal involving former St. John Parish President Bill Hubbard. Then the many infractions by former Mandeville Mayor Eddie Price forced the resignation of that official. These scandals seem to pop up with more and more frequency these days, and unfortunately, such abuse of public office affects not only those committing the crime but also their constituency as a whole.

Accordingly, L’Observateur this week asked its readers to tell us why they think corruption is so prevalent in the political realm. Surprisingly, more respondents put the blame on the voters than anywhere else. “Voters do not choose the correct person for the job” received nearly half of the votes and was chosen by a margin of nearly 2 to 1 over the next highest choice.

Last week L’Observateur asked, “With the recent scandals involving former St. John Parish President Bill Hubbard and Former Mandeville Mayor Eddie Price, political corruption has been all over the headlines. Why do you think corruption is so prevalent in the political sphere?” A breakdown of last week’s voting follows:

• 18 percent of respondents chose “It is the nature of those who seek political power.”

• 25 percent chose “Once gaining office, temptations are many and cause elected officials to stray.”

• 9 percent chose “The dealings of the private sector do not translate to the political sector, so officials get into trouble.”

48 percent chose “Voters do not choose the correct person for the job.”

This week’s queston: Saturday’s LSU – Tulane football game may have been the last of the historic rivalry. What do you think about the end of this era?  

Visit www.lobservateur.com to vote.