Over at the AmSpec blog, I look at the just-wrapped House ethics trial against Charlie Rangel. Worth noting: while that Damoclean sword was hanging over Rangel’s head, 80 percent of his district’s voters though him worthy of another term.
Nothing against Rangel; he has his problems, but he’s good on some issues, such as wanting to end the Cuban embargo. But the ease with which even ethically-challenged incumbents get re-elected is a sign that our democracy is not healthy.
Comments Off on The Power of Incumbency: Charlie Rangel Edition
Posted in Elections, Political Animals
Tagged american spectator, amspec blog, charlie rangel, congress, damoclean sword, ethics, house, incumbency, rangel ethics trial, re-election, sword of damocles
According to a new poll, “Congressmen were rated as having a “low/very low” ethical standards by 55 percent of 1,017 adults across the nation.”
The same poll found that 45% of 1,017 adults across the nation had either never heard of Congress, or are big believers in grade inflation.
The shocking part is that used car salesmen only out-performed Congress by four points.
Comments Off on Poll: Used Car Salesmen More Ethical than Congress
Posted in Political Animals
Tagged approval rating, congress, congressional ethics ethical standards, congressional ethics standards, ethics, politico, poll, used car salesman, used car salesmen
If your company exports chemical weapons, make sure you keep good records. Every year, on company letterhead, you have to list ten things for the government. This includes which chemicals you exported, in what quantities, to whom, etc.
Reasonable enough. Chemical weapons in the wrong hands could pose a legitimate security threat. And supplying people with the means to kill other people is, shall we say, ethically dubious.
Still, the sixth item of our ten struck me as superfluous: “Purpose (end-use) of export.” This is rather obvious, is it not?
Comments Off on Regulation of the Day 46: Chemical Weapons
Posted in Regulation of the Day
Tagged chemical warfare, chemical weapons, ethics, regulation, Regulation of the Day, regulations, war
Inertia Wins! 