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Social Ethics
« Previous EntriesThis holiday season cut spending, not ethical corners
Saturday, November 29th, 2008Thanksgiving is over, leftovers are drying out in refrigerators nationwide, and that means the holiday shopping season is upon us. Not surprisingly, the recent economic downturn is putting pressure on everyone to cut back on holiday buying. Early news reports suggest that most shoppers intend to spend less than they did in recent years and are aggressively [...]
Is it ethical for the police to run want ads for informants?
Monday, November 24th, 2008The Washington Post Express reported this morning on the Albuquerque Police Department’s decision to use the want ads to recruit informants. According to the Post Express, the police department’s ad solicits “people who hang out with crooks,” inviting them to “Make extra cash!” by reporting criminal behavior, earning anywhere from $50 for a tip that [...]
Secretary Paulson refuses to apologize … but he should!
Thursday, November 13th, 2008Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson hit a new low when he announced yesterday that he won’t use the $700 billion Congress allocated for the Wall Street bailout to buy mortgage-backed securities after all. Instead, Paulson appears to have made a unilateral decision to buy stock in banks and credit card companies, bail out other industries, and who knows what [...]
The Obama Administration sets new ethics rules for lobbyists
Wednesday, November 12th, 2008Yesterday, soon-to-be President Barack Obama made a whole lot of points with me when his transition team announced new ethics rules for lobbyists. You may remember that candidate Obama promised to take a strong stance on corruption in Washington, and to prevent lobbyists from gaining undue influence in his Administration. Although he hasn’t even taken [...]
For President Obama, ethical challenges await
Wednesday, November 5th, 2008Congratulations to President-Elect Barack Obama for his historic Presidential victory last night! And kudos, too, to Senator John McCain for his gracious concession speech. Whether you’re elated or disappointed in the wake of yesterday’s Presidential election, it has to be a relief to know that the vote is in and the results are clear.
As soon-to-be President [...]
How serious is the next President about ethics?
Monday, November 3rd, 2008The 2008 Presidential campaign has been slogging on for almost two years, and the time to vote has finally arrived. For the past several months, I’ve devoted Fridays’ posts to ethical issues that the next President is sure to face, and have encouraged you to find out more about how your candidate plans to address those issues. [...]
How will the next President handle the war in Iraq?
Friday, October 31st, 2008With less than a week before the election, it’s time for American voters to choose between the candidates for President. Many of my prior posts on ethical issues facing the next President have focused on economic and domestic topics. Today, let’s look at some of the ethical issues the next President will face concerning the [...]
Is it ethical for other industries to lobby for Wall Street bailout funds?
Thursday, October 30th, 2008Now that the $700 billion that Congress and the White House approved to bail out Wall Street is officially available for distribution, it’s probably not surprising that other industries are coming forward, hat in outstretched hand, to ask for a piece of the pie. Life insurance companies, auto industry representatives, and almost anybody else who can [...]
What budget cuts will the next President make?
Saturday, October 25th, 2008Our nation is facing over $1 trillion in debt in the coming year. Yes, I’m including the $700 billion Wall Street bailout - our leaders have committed us to pay the money, so I think it counts as debt regardless of what the politicians want to call it. Consequently, it was disheartening that Senators McCain and [...]
$700 billion for the bailout, but NOTHING for enforcement?
Thursday, October 23rd, 2008NPR reported this morning that the FBI has begun investigating the financial crisis on Wall Street, and has already started uncovering instances of subprime mortgage lending fraud. That’s no surprise, because we already know that loans were being made to homeowners who couldn’t possibly afford to pay them. The good news is that the FBI is bringing [...]
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