Quick now: What do Republican Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska and Democratic mayor of Detroit Kwame Kilpatrick have in common, besides being a couple of crooks?

It’s their apparent sense of entitlement, their selfish motivation to impugn the integrity of their offices while defending their egregiously low personal and public behaviors.

There have been other public servants who, out of respect to voters who elected them, or at least out of a latent sense of embarrassment, considered stepping down from office while continuing to fight for their reputations. Stevens and Kilpatrick will have none of that.

After a public career characterized by bullying and nepotism, Stevens is finally being brought to task for a long list of corrupt dealings involving favors to an Alaska oil contractor, a sweetheart condo deal, the concealment of gifts, etc., etc. Stevens has been one of the most powerful senators in Washington, but his boorishness is legendary. In 2005, for instance, when a measure was introduced to redirect Stevens’ infamous Alaskan “Bridge to Nowhere” for New Orleans hurricane relief, he threatened to resign.

Kilpatrick’s sins involve 10 felony counts in two criminal cases. He was infamously involved in an extra-marital affair with his former chief of staff, lied to cover it up, dismissed public employees when knowledge of the affair might have been made public, and has repeatedly stonewalled legal remedies. Last week, Kilpatrick was hit with felony charges that he assaulted officers trying to serve a subpoena. Recently, in a tremendous relief to Democrats everywhere, a judge ruled that he will not be allowed to remove his ankle tracking device, which would allow him to attend the upcoming national convention.

Neither scoundrel reveals an ounce of decency while recoiling in the final throes of their public lives. In an earlier time, a time when politicians were capable of feeling embarrassed and able to exit with at least an ounce of dignity, these drawn-out displays were more uncommon. But when Stevens and Kilpatrick finally do leave their respective offices, they will have wasted untold public dollars, lawyers’ fees and investigator’s time and talents, while denying their constituents credible leadership.

And voter outrage is fairly muted, as if we’ve arrived to a point where such abysmal behavior is considered almost normal.

It’s not normal, and citizens everywhere should give it more than a shrug of the shoulder.