I used the exact same quote from Jack Welch in an op-ed last year, but where you substituted "ethics" for "decency," I used "common sense." Truly, is there no decency, no ethics, no common sense left in our world?
Do not, and I repeat, do not get me started on Clarence Thomas. I've spent my entire adult life defending my profession in the legal field. In one instance, said defense pissed me off to the point where I went outside and punched my car. I didn't break anything, but... That being said, it infuriates me that John Q. Lawyer in the trenches is held to a higher ethical standard than a judge in the highest court of the land.
Lawyers like doctors are reluctant to hold their peers accountable. I think of Attorney Giuliani and others of his ilk who have lied in court without serious consequences! The SCOTUS has lost credibility yet wields untamed power to rule so many facets of American life! Elections matter, if only those most deeply affected would vote?!?
The double standard is enraging - because it effects all of us. I also hate it when people are not held accountable for bad behavior that harms others or allows them to harm others in another ways. Ethics and yesterday's ethics (laws) should guide people to know right from wrong and behave accordingly. However, ethics have become even more highly subjective and too many values have diverged completely based on political leaning. 75-ish years ago during the Red Scare, I think a lot more of the population would shake their heads and shame the one who behaved badly. (Though as a country we also had huge blind spots. But that's another discussion.)
Now, it seems half the crowd shames and the other half cheers, depending on political party. We are a broken society if our ethics are so mismatched that we cannot agree on what is not acceptable behavior, regardless of political affiliation or leaning. (Another example: George Santos) Now, the GOP seems to have abandoned ethics and operates with a win at all cost mentality. As you said, laws are yesterday's ethics (love that btw). It's no wonder we find it so difficult to pass laws that are rooted in ethics and values today. We don't have basic agreement on what's right and wrong. We don't even agree that right vs wrong should matter, which it does among most democrats. Republicans only want to win, never mind who gets hurt along the way. I really hope the pendulum swings back to all of us knowing and saying together - "Have you no decency?" when someone behaves badly.
My point entirely. It becomes a means of hanging onto power when you've denigrated the office or position you hold. It hurts the team, as it were. SCOTUS is going to have to go a long way toward rebuilding their reputation and for what?
Historically, did the erosion of the SCOTUS start with Thomas' confirmation? Or, does it just seem that way to me since I didn't really pay attention before Anita Hill spoke up? Ever since then, I've been watching much more closely with s skeptical eye.
I am reminded of the time not too long ago when words mattered, even to the gQp, when leader McCarthy removed Steve King of Iowa from his committee assignments for his racist comments.That was then BUT this is now when Gosar of Arizona is a guest at a white nationalist gathering, when MTG is allowed to continue spewing lies coupled with hate, and finally Santos is still standing even though he has not spoken a bit of truth only fealty to Speaker McTrump. Decency has no place in the gQp playbook!
My late father, a State Department wonk/covert CIA agent (I shit you not about the CIA part. Some things started to make sense when we found out. LOL) is poofing (he was cremated, so he can't roll) in his grave.
My father -- also covert CIA -- is, as well. He was a conservative Republican and this would have sent him screaming to the Democrats. (Before he died, we talked a lot about politics.)
To be clear (re: your statement that "there is no indication that she broke the law"), as the Globe points out in an editorial this morning, "One of the reports found [Rollins] 'knowingly and willfully made a false statement of material fact' during an interview with investigators" while under oath. She also leaked confidential DOJ information about her favored DA candidate's opponent. If the later isn't a crime, the former clearly is. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/05/18/opinion/biden-garland-rachael-rollins/
Yes, and this is what happens when you write something the day before in a story that's still breaking. I thought of holding off until the report is actually made public. Regardless, she should resign. It's right and righteous to do so. So should Clarence Thomas.
Exactly. At least Rollins understands she should step down, and she did. Conservative Thomas appears to have no shame when it comes to his own ethics/disclosure violations.
I empathize. It's happened to me more times than I can count. I, too, have called on Thomas to resign, but SCOTUS simply thumbs its nose at us little people.
It's starting to get ridiculous. The New Yorker has a piece about the whole ethics question (who's watching over SCOTUS) and the answer? No one. I should probably go back into the piece and write "as of this writing." I often do that but didn't this time.
Last time I tried to revise a post, Substack made me send the revised edition out again to all my subscribers, which would have been tedious for them, so I decided against it. But I'm new to Substack. There may be a way to do it without resending.
I used the exact same quote from Jack Welch in an op-ed last year, but where you substituted "ethics" for "decency," I used "common sense." Truly, is there no decency, no ethics, no common sense left in our world?
https://ctnewsjunkie.com/2022/11/14/op-ed-will-the-2022-election-bring-common-sense-back-to-the-gop/
Do not, and I repeat, do not get me started on Clarence Thomas. I've spent my entire adult life defending my profession in the legal field. In one instance, said defense pissed me off to the point where I went outside and punched my car. I didn't break anything, but... That being said, it infuriates me that John Q. Lawyer in the trenches is held to a higher ethical standard than a judge in the highest court of the land.
It makes zero sense.
Lawyers like doctors are reluctant to hold their peers accountable. I think of Attorney Giuliani and others of his ilk who have lied in court without serious consequences! The SCOTUS has lost credibility yet wields untamed power to rule so many facets of American life! Elections matter, if only those most deeply affected would vote?!?
That is the polar opposite of journalists. We eat our young because we understand our own reputations are tied up in the actions of our peers.
The double standard is enraging - because it effects all of us. I also hate it when people are not held accountable for bad behavior that harms others or allows them to harm others in another ways. Ethics and yesterday's ethics (laws) should guide people to know right from wrong and behave accordingly. However, ethics have become even more highly subjective and too many values have diverged completely based on political leaning. 75-ish years ago during the Red Scare, I think a lot more of the population would shake their heads and shame the one who behaved badly. (Though as a country we also had huge blind spots. But that's another discussion.)
Now, it seems half the crowd shames and the other half cheers, depending on political party. We are a broken society if our ethics are so mismatched that we cannot agree on what is not acceptable behavior, regardless of political affiliation or leaning. (Another example: George Santos) Now, the GOP seems to have abandoned ethics and operates with a win at all cost mentality. As you said, laws are yesterday's ethics (love that btw). It's no wonder we find it so difficult to pass laws that are rooted in ethics and values today. We don't have basic agreement on what's right and wrong. We don't even agree that right vs wrong should matter, which it does among most democrats. Republicans only want to win, never mind who gets hurt along the way. I really hope the pendulum swings back to all of us knowing and saying together - "Have you no decency?" when someone behaves badly.
My point entirely. It becomes a means of hanging onto power when you've denigrated the office or position you hold. It hurts the team, as it were. SCOTUS is going to have to go a long way toward rebuilding their reputation and for what?
Historically, did the erosion of the SCOTUS start with Thomas' confirmation? Or, does it just seem that way to me since I didn't really pay attention before Anita Hill spoke up? Ever since then, I've been watching much more closely with s skeptical eye.
I just discovered the Abe Fortas (former associate justice of the Supreme Court) situation in 1969. Though he resigned. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/04/07/metro/some-legal-experts-compare-justice-thomass-acceptance-lavish-trips-1969-supreme-court-scandal/
I am reminded of the time not too long ago when words mattered, even to the gQp, when leader McCarthy removed Steve King of Iowa from his committee assignments for his racist comments.That was then BUT this is now when Gosar of Arizona is a guest at a white nationalist gathering, when MTG is allowed to continue spewing lies coupled with hate, and finally Santos is still standing even though he has not spoken a bit of truth only fealty to Speaker McTrump. Decency has no place in the gQp playbook!
Any political party that would allow Gosar, MTG, Boebert, Blackburn and the list goes on should be examining why they no longer feel shame.
My late father, a State Department wonk/covert CIA agent (I shit you not about the CIA part. Some things started to make sense when we found out. LOL) is poofing (he was cremated, so he can't roll) in his grave.
My father -- also covert CIA -- is, as well. He was a conservative Republican and this would have sent him screaming to the Democrats. (Before he died, we talked a lot about politics.)
I’m going to be arrested. Any pro-bo folks here? Jk. I think.
It’s certainly anti-Republican.
It’s certainly anti-Republican.
To be clear (re: your statement that "there is no indication that she broke the law"), as the Globe points out in an editorial this morning, "One of the reports found [Rollins] 'knowingly and willfully made a false statement of material fact' during an interview with investigators" while under oath. She also leaked confidential DOJ information about her favored DA candidate's opponent. If the later isn't a crime, the former clearly is. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/05/18/opinion/biden-garland-rachael-rollins/
Yes, and this is what happens when you write something the day before in a story that's still breaking. I thought of holding off until the report is actually made public. Regardless, she should resign. It's right and righteous to do so. So should Clarence Thomas.
Exactly. At least Rollins understands she should step down, and she did. Conservative Thomas appears to have no shame when it comes to his own ethics/disclosure violations.
I empathize. It's happened to me more times than I can count. I, too, have called on Thomas to resign, but SCOTUS simply thumbs its nose at us little people.
It's starting to get ridiculous. The New Yorker has a piece about the whole ethics question (who's watching over SCOTUS) and the answer? No one. I should probably go back into the piece and write "as of this writing." I often do that but didn't this time.
Last time I tried to revise a post, Substack made me send the revised edition out again to all my subscribers, which would have been tedious for them, so I decided against it. But I'm new to Substack. There may be a way to do it without resending.