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When I was growing up my parents told me, when you associate with dishonest, ruthless, amoral people, they will always drag you down to their level. You will not be able to drag them up to yours. So do not assiciate with these people. They were right. So it is with society.

Your post is terrific and the US needs to be reminded again, and again of the criminality and degredation of the Clinton Years. The fruits of which we now get to see clearly.

This problem started before Clinton, though he helped it along at a good pace. I received my Accounting degree pre-1990 and the curriculum taught how to "manage" money to benefit business. The financial acrobatics that are part of generally accepted accounting practices which are approved by the Financial Accounting Standards Board are highly questionable in my mind. These principles are taught in every college in America. Ethical takes on a new meaning when students learn how businesses are "supposed" to be operated. This creates a mindset that leads to corruption.

For that reason, I believe nearly every big business has expanded and adapted the GAAP to "fit" their business style. Unfortunately, that includes the Federal Government. We all see how it is so easy for Congressmen to tell the American people that there is a "surplus" all the while they are stealing Social Security Funds and leaving worthless IOUs. Or removing food and fuel prices from the Consumer Price Index (CPI). If you think that such activities are limited to governmental entitities, you are sadly mistaken. There is more corruption than the SEC or legal system will ever be able to handle. With that I will put on my Chicken Little Hat and say "The sky is falling! The sky is falling!"