Ethics Classes
Mike should appreciate this article. It seems that the White House has decided to subject itself to ethics classes with a prime focus on tightening the noose on classified information. According to the Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/04/AR2005110402040.html
Somehow I get the impression that the White House uses a different dictionary than I do.
From dictionary.reference.com
ethics
A set of principles of right conduct.
A theory or a system of moral values: “An ethic of service is at war with a craving for gain” (Gregg Easterbrook).
ethics (used with a sing. verb) The study of the general nature of morals and of the specific moral choices to be made by a person; moral philosophy.
ethics (used with a sing. or pl. verb) The rules or standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession: medical ethics.
Now I suppose meaning number 3 could apply here, as in "White House ethics." But that assumes that the White House is a profession in itself, which it should not be. Maybe a broader meaning would be "political ethics" but that's what Rove has been all about, and DeLay, defining political ethics standards for a new generation of American politics.
But I don't see in the above definition anything about the ethical importance of keeping state secrets in a democracy.
What I do see, though, in the Washington Post article is more of the same from Bush. More secrecy. And as we all well know, that secrecy is used in the Bush White House to hide unethical activity. So are we to believe there will be any change to that standard after these ethics classes or should we simply accept that there will just be a tighter reign on these unethical secrets?
Oh, and I wonder if Bill Bennett will be hired to teach the courses!!! He wrote the book, after all...
http://www.bennettmornings.com/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/04/AR2005110402040.html
Somehow I get the impression that the White House uses a different dictionary than I do.
From dictionary.reference.com
ethics
A set of principles of right conduct.
A theory or a system of moral values: “An ethic of service is at war with a craving for gain” (Gregg Easterbrook).
ethics (used with a sing. verb) The study of the general nature of morals and of the specific moral choices to be made by a person; moral philosophy.
ethics (used with a sing. or pl. verb) The rules or standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession: medical ethics.
Now I suppose meaning number 3 could apply here, as in "White House ethics." But that assumes that the White House is a profession in itself, which it should not be. Maybe a broader meaning would be "political ethics" but that's what Rove has been all about, and DeLay, defining political ethics standards for a new generation of American politics.
But I don't see in the above definition anything about the ethical importance of keeping state secrets in a democracy.
What I do see, though, in the Washington Post article is more of the same from Bush. More secrecy. And as we all well know, that secrecy is used in the Bush White House to hide unethical activity. So are we to believe there will be any change to that standard after these ethics classes or should we simply accept that there will just be a tighter reign on these unethical secrets?
Oh, and I wonder if Bill Bennett will be hired to teach the courses!!! He wrote the book, after all...
http://www.bennettmornings.com/
posted by Bill | 10:58 AM
1 Comments:
I picked up Joe Wilson's book this weekend and have begun reading it. I'm thinking it might be a little more informative than the White House version of the tale, or the Limbaugh version, same difference.
You people are such idiots. Why is it that you can't figure out who you support and who you don't when it comes to right-wing political nutcases. You think all you need to do is circle jerk around some liberal and everything will come out your way in the end.
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