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[Pres. Obama and Company] Ethics may be to much to ask (Mild Barf Alert)
The East Texas Weekly Review ^ | February 18, 2009 | Donald Kaul

Posted on 02/18/2009 7:06:37 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

Give Barack Obama credit. Barely a month on the job and already he’s increased tax revenues by hundreds of thousands of dollars. He nominated Timothy (Tiny Tim) Geithner to be Secretary of the Treasury and Geithner immediately discovered he’d forgotten to pay $48,000 in back taxes.

So he paid them.

Then he chose Tom Daschle as his Secretary of Health and Human Services and Daschle quickly coughed up $140 K in back taxes. Too late. He had to withdraw his candidacy; just after the president’s candidate for chief government performance officer withdrew hers because of tax problems. She paid up too.

I have two words for the Obama administration: H&R Block.

It’s not been the happiest of times for ethics in public office, which is rapidly becoming an oxymoron.

We have seen the governor of Illinois thrown from office by his legislature after it found him trying to sell the vacant Obama Senate seat on e-Bay. Then there is the revelation that Sen. Christopher Dodd, head of the Senate banking committee and outspoken opponent of tightening certain bank regulations was getting sweetheart loans from a bank that is also one of his biggest political contributors. What a coincidence.

All this, of course, happened not long after Ted Stevens, the longest-serving Republican in the Senate, was diselected by voters after being found guilty of using his office as a home improvement enterprise. His home.

And who could forget Louisiana Rep. William “the Refrigerator” Jefferson, he of the $90,000 in (very) cold cash? Did I mention Eliot Spitzer, the former governor of New York? I won’t. Let lying dogs sleep, that’s my motto.

It almost makes you wish for the good old days when President Dwight Eisenhower had to fire Sherman Adams, his right-hand man, for taking the gift of a vicuña coat from a grateful political patron. (Which inspired the apocryphal story that had Ike saying to Adams: “Vicuña? Vicuña waited until after the election?”)

Today Adams wouldn’t have to resign. He’d be laughed out of office for thinking small.

How does all of this square with President Obama’s pledge to bring a new integrity into the political process? Technically, it doesn’t. However, I would argue it’s just a matter of commendable idealism clashing with the harsh realities of political life.

We work within a system of capitalism that celebrates greed as a virtue, after all. That being said, it’s unfair to say that it’s OK for everyone in the private sector to take every dime that isn’t nailed down (think Wall Street bonuses) while people seeking government service are expected to have lived the lives of monks who have taken vows of poverty. You have to give people a little slack. If you’re taking bribes and putting the cash in your freezer…that’s a definite no-no. If you just chisel a little on your income tax, well, maybe we can let you off with a warning. Or not.

It’s a matter of degree. I’ve always thought that the proper rule of thumb in these matters is this:

Don’t expect anyone to take less advantage of their situation than you would if you had their chances.

And here’s another: Never trust a totally honest man.

He has no sympathy for human failings.

I think we could eliminate half the hypocrisy in government by privatizing the U.S Senate. Instead of electing senators, as we do now, we could put Senate seats up for auction for corporations and special interests to bid on, with the money going into the Treasury.

What about the will of the people, you say? That’s why we have the House of Representatives. A key point: No corporation or special interest could own shares in more than four senators (several fewer than they own now). The senators would be required to wear the corporate logos of their sponsors while on the floor of the Senate, sort of like NASCAR drivers.

The plan would slice through the hypocrisy and go a long way toward balancing the budget.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections; US: Illinois; US: Louisiana; US: South Dakota
KEYWORDS: bho44; bhoethics; congress; corruption; democrats; obama; porkulus; stimulus; taxes
Donald Kaul is one of the farthest left columnists I've ever met, so if he's (even half-heartedly) going after President Obama already, I foresee trouble for the Muslim Maddrassa Madman!
1 posted on 02/18/2009 7:06:37 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

So far, this is the most corrupt administration I’ve have ever seen. Does anyone know if a list exists of the number of Clintonistas from the other “first black president’s” administration that are serving in Bari’s administration? I read somewhere today about that damn Laura Tyson being one of his economic advisors. That could explain why everything is so screwed up right now.


2 posted on 02/18/2009 7:10:32 PM PST by FlingWingFlyer (Have You Punched A Democrat Today? - Do it for the children.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I find it interesting that the ONLY pol he called out by party was Stevens (R).

Search for Democrat. Not a mention!


3 posted on 02/18/2009 7:12:20 PM PST by Nervous Tick (Party? I don't have one anymore.)
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To: FlingWingFlyer
Ted Stevens, the longest-serving Republican in the Senate

I skimmed this pretty fast so I might have missed it, but is this the only party affiliation mentioned?

4 posted on 02/18/2009 7:15:29 PM PST by highpockets
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To: Nervous Tick

beat me to it


5 posted on 02/18/2009 7:16:35 PM PST by highpockets
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To: All

Freedoms March is planning a march on Washington

http://www.freedomsfirst.org/

Anti-Obama organizations are being united for a ‘million man’ march on Washington. The permit is secured

From ‘FreedomsMarch’:

PRESIDENT OBAMA, WE DEMAND THAT YOU BE TRANSPARENT NOW

We will come together in a peaceful rally. We are proud Americans who fear that we are losing the America we all know and love. The America where millions have served in our military sacrificing and giving their lives so that we remain free. A people who honor their flag and understand what it means to fly it and be so proud to do so. It is time for our voices to be heard loud and clear. Our government is for the people and by the people. Where is that now? We are PRO GOD, PRO LIFE, PRO GUN Americans who see our rights slipping away as we speak. It is time our voices are heard. It is time for us to shout loudly and strongly that we refuse to live under a socialist regime, where our voices are silenced. Lets take this action now before we awaken one morning and our freedoms are nothing more than a memory.

We ask you TO wear RED, WHITE AND BLUE CLOTHING... BRING YOUR FLAGS WAVE THEM HIGH... SIGNS WILL BE PROVIDED.. WE WANT TO GIVE THE GREATEST IMPRESSION OF WHO WE ARE AS WE WILL BE SEEN ALL OVER THE WORLD. UNITED AND PEACEFUL AND WITH CONTROL. WE WILL LEAVE THE GROUNDS AS CLEAN AS THEY WERE GIVEN TO US.

No food or beverage will be provided. Your welcomed to bring your own.

Entertainment will be provided. We are setting up a wonderful assortment of guest speakers,, political and non political,prominent people and many surprises. Major news networks, including CNN, MSNBC and Fox News. Resistnet.com will also attend. MUCH more to come .

Please make your reservations early as hotels and motels will fill quickly.

We are God,s Army. The soldiers of voice and heart that believe in AMERICA for one nation as it stands indivisible with liberty and justice for All. We marched with Dr Martin Luther King and placed our hands upon our hearts as we sang. We knew what was right, what was good and of God. We stand united and strong for we are Right and mighty and proud and in Dr. Martin Luther King,s words, “ WE SHALL OVERCOME.”

CHECK OUT OUR GREAT T SHIRTS... let everyone know where you stand as a real Patriot... and Please go to STEVES WHOLESALE OUTLET... Great bargains on things we all enjoy and need... These purchases will make this RALLY happen.. You help when you buy and you get something great to show for it too.... Thanks and God Bless America

Freedoms first has recently received permission to hold our protest in Washington DC. Our protest will now be held at the lincoln Memorial Reflections Pool in front of the Lincoln memorial ,on a date that will be released on feb 12 2009.

We find this very interesting because just two weeks earlier Washington told us we could no protest in DC for at least a year and a half . But the day the spendulus bill passes we get a call from Washington inviting us with a choice of dates and locations. Folks we take this as a sign that our country if starting to realise the mistake they have made with putting Obama in office.

We will have live speakers and other entertainment for you.

WE would like to see 1 million supporters attend this protest. It is time to take our country back and make our voices heard.

Why are we protesting ?

1. To get the attention of the mainstream media.

2. To demand That Obama Provide proof that he is eligible to be president.

3. To demand that Congress and the Supreme court uphold our constitution.

4. To inform the public on the issue of Obama’s ineligibility to be president of the USA.

5. To demand that they can not take our constitutional rights away.

6. To say no to abortions.

Please take the time to sign up so we have an idea of how many people we have attending and to get update emails so you know what to do , where to meet , where to park and what is happening so on and so forth.

Thank you for your attention and patriotism

Sign up here:
freedomsfirst@inbox.com

.


6 posted on 02/18/2009 7:34:46 PM PST by patriot08
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; FlingWingFlyer; Nervous Tick; highpockets
Ethics may be to [sic?] much to ask

Is correct spelling too much to ask, too?

7 posted on 02/18/2009 7:36:05 PM PST by sam_paine (X .................................)
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To: FlingWingFlyer

The Grant Administration seems organised and amazingly ethical by comparison.


8 posted on 02/18/2009 8:55:57 PM PST by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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To: do the dhue
ping
9 posted on 02/18/2009 8:56:19 PM PST by Bag (Impeach Obama !)
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