I must add my voice to those disappointed with Tuesday’s column on the Starr report and “zippergate.”

I couldn’t care less if this concerned parking tickets instead of an affair with an intern. If he went to the same lengths to cover it up, I would still say, “he should resign.”

The primary focus of the presidency is not keeping the economy running, commanding the military or vetoing legislation.

These are important functions, but not the core purpose.

The fundamental duty of the president is to uphold and defend the Constitution and laws of this country.

The office, perhaps more than any other, embodies the heart and soul of our representative form of government, a system that DEPENDS on representatives putting their jobs before their own best interests.

There are some lines that we cannot cross while holding to those principles that make our government what it is.

There is no legal reason why perjury or subornation of perjury should be considered “OK” where sex is concerned.

If you or I were to commit such crimes, we’d be in jail.

Even so, impeachment and resignation are not punishments per se; they are, according to George Will, “tools to protect the Republic.”

It is quite possible that the Starr investigation was motivated by some “vast right-wing conspiracy,” as Hillary Clinton suggested.

I don’t know, and frankly, I don’t care at this point.

The fact is, we have a man occupying the presidency who, while he has done much good, has also proven that he is willing to throw out the sacred duties of his office to cover his own behind.

To me, this is simply unacceptable, and I refuse to believe we cannot have better.

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Jonathan Williams

Senior

Electrical engineering