Repost: Moral Bankruptcy
Today, one of our readers reminded us of this post from October 7, 2017 about how Rex Tillerson was then opposing Trump’s support for doing away with US bribery laws. In view of what we’re going through right now, we thought it would be timely to repost. Here it is:
Moral Bankruptcy – October 7, 2017
One of the rising stories in the war between Trump and Tillerson has underlined the actual issue at the core of this administration – moral bankruptcy. We all know that Trump is a complete waste of oxygen, a Grade A Shitbag, and every other pejorative one can conjure. What is he, though, at his essence? At his center, Trump is totally devoid of any decency or empathy and worse (if that’s even possible), he is morally bankrupt. The case in point is the disagreement that has been simmering between Trump and Tillerson since the beginning of this train wreck; Trump’s desire to legalize bribery.
One of Trump’s core issues is a law that he wants reversed: the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The FCPA was passed in 1977 in an attempt for the United States to lead the world in reducing what was then blatant corruption and bribery in international business. The law is enforced by the SEC and DOJ and has greatly reduced corruption because, under the law, business leaders are personally liable should their companies get caught paying bribes. For years, Trump has railed against the law, calling it a “horrible law and it should be changed.” Trump says that not being able to pay bribes to foreign officials makes us uncompetitive.
Fortunately for us, but unfortunately for Tillerson, Rex disagrees with Trump. In a White House meeting in February, Tillerson dared to do just that with Trump after he complained about the act, saying that bribery was key to success. Tillerson stood his ground and even related a story to him about how he refused to bribe a Yemeni state official when he was CEO of Exxon. The deal got done anyway.
What this story reveals is not only the importance of actual adults like Tillerson, Kelly, Mattis, and others to keep Trump in check, but the critical need that they do so. Trump is the very definition of corruption. He is so self absorbed and completely saturated by his corruption that he actually wants to weaken US policy so HE’LL make more money. Just thinking about having this cretin at the levers of power sends cold chills down my spine. This man is not only evil; his corruption is a cancer on our society.
This disaster can’t end soon enough; in the meantime, as much as I disagree with Tillerson on any number of policy issues, I also see his value as the last defense against Trump burning down what’s left of our republic. He, and those like him owe it to the rest of us to stay in place until we can excise this disease from office by either criminal charges and/or resignation.
IMO, this did not start with trump. This principle of extreme self interest has always been here in various degrees over history. Recent history players can start with nixon, reagan, bush. Johnson and Clinton at least initiated some good for the have-nots.
1Of all the bad players, the one who stands out as the leader is rupert murdoch and his communication empire. Yet he escapes any real criticism or penalty from any major entity. Why is that? Or am I wrong?
rupture mrudock –
Is the poster child [along with trumpl-thin-skin] for illegal business prac’s. Fellow travelers are the “supply-side” pseudo-economic provocateurs, like tillerson, feldman, et al, who agrued that all revenue is equal. Well stolen cash from a widow on a pension is not equal to labor or management within a business. Capital is being abused by banks & insurance companies.
Anybody buy a savings bond lately?
2Rexxon Drillerson. That guy? The one who probably depended upon the US State Department and military for his very existence while doing deals for Exxon. The same guy who went to work for IQ4.5 dismantling the State Department. Only honest words he ever spoke he denied, or maybe he didn’t call IQ4.5 a ***king moron.
That he, Kelly, Mattis and others eventually left this maladministration doesn’t erase the fact they did maximum damage while there. Some like Flynn and Mattis continue to profit from their time with this maladministration.
van heldorf@1 let us also not forget the enablers who changed our laws so Murdoch could amass his communication conglomerate. Special mention to those who greased the wheels to expedite US citizenship for Murdoch.
3Blame Reagan for Murdoch. He accelerated his naturalization, then undid the fairness doctrine. History will not be kind to Reagan. HE is the one who started our rapid decline.
4El Jefe @4, Or rather it were Rayguns’ puppeteers, who did a great job of stringpulling on that senile horseapple.
5El Jefe, not sure reagan alone can be blamed for murdoch who is a knowing manipulator along with reagan and all the other bad actors in history or our self-made CF. This didn’t happen overnight or without significant participation of voters. How, then, did this occur to our country, our reputed shining example to the history of the world of a true democracy in action?
6Is there anything new in history as to what is going on in principle? Isn’t it curious that every baby is born without any info from the parents, ancestors, but has to learn everything from scratch? What does any of this have to do with today’s situation? Or tomorrow’s?
The rot is deep and estymic.
7Just look at 3 news story’s today.
Senator blocks consideration of new gun law while at the same instant another mass shooting is taking place. Lynching fan hyde-smith was the physical manifestation of the moral bankruptcy today.
Guilliani using “mob speak” warns the demented one that he has “insurance” so don’t even think of throwing him under the bus.
And in Italy the regional council sitting in Venice blocked any action on Climate Change even as flooding was knocking at the door and flooded the Council room 2 minutes after killing amendments on Climate Change.
Ps
I place the rot accelerating at tricky dicks impeachment when the thuglicans decided that it was all the medias fault and started program to buy the media to give cover to their corporate toady’s.
you left out “thematically dull”.
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