jhu72 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 20, 2020 9:09 am
Peter Brown wrote: ↑Fri Mar 20, 2020 8:31 am
Trinity wrote: ↑Fri Mar 20, 2020 8:11 am
More stock act news. Senators Ron Johnson, Jim Imhof also sold stocks after the Senate briefing. Sen Feinstein’s husband, an investment manager, sold shares in a cancer company prior to the Senate briefing. I’ll bet this list grows.
Yup.
Also, we as citizens constantly protect government officials from being held personally liable for the things that the government holds us responsible for. Prosecutors have total immunity, Congress (and their employees!) can trade on information given to them in official meetings and suffer no repercussions, teachers can basically murder someone and they can't be fired, cops historically could get away with murder (literally) and never suffer consequences (though body cameras are changing that).
I am not a fan of government writ large because the natural human tendency when given power which is not earned (almost no political power is earned; promising gifts for votes is not exactly an honorable process) is to abuse that dynamic (Katie Hill anyone?).
Yes and this is my problem with government and politicians and actually the American System in general. Those at the top have and continue to take advantages - huge advantages, whether legal or not. The solution is not to destroy the system. The solution is to fix the problem. Actually hold those at the top MORE RESPONSIBLE. More severe and more certain penalties! There are people in this world and specifically in American society who would not take these advantages.
They actually believe in SERVICE. Very few of these individuals are in federal government leadership positions. We need to lop off some very visible heads.
I have always had a problem with this notion that federal government employees (excepting military) are providing a public service.
They are paid employees at zero risk; they get retirement plans and massive health benefits, and today, many earn far more than their private sector counterpart providing a similar service. They also tend to clock out at five double 0. And if you say, 'well what about the NIH', I would merely say, 'well what about scientists at any research lab, what about doctors pulling 48-hour shifts in private hospitals'? Who owns the designation of honor more? Who believes in service more?
Are some gov't employees altruistic and high-minded? Sure. More than the private sector? I doubt that, a lot...
Most I know feel like they have a job and are proud to do it, but ultimately the anonymity of a disengaged leviathan like 'government' saps their eagerness.
Do we tell our private sector employees they are 'servants'? It's all the same, military excluded.