While this article is primarily about ethics and morals as related to American presidents, I would be remiss not to at least briefly reflect on this same issue as it also relates to the Congress.
The Congress is a prime example of how ethics and morals no longer appear to have a place in the governance of our nation. Power and money rule our once hallowed halls of Congress; ethics and morals have no place, no relevance whatsoever. The business of Congress is conducted based upon who can get how much from what special interests; that is how decisions are made. Our legislators, save for a select few, are selling their ethical souls for more than a few "pieces of silver." They know that we know what they have become, but they have not the slightest compunction to reverse their despicable and dishonorable behavior.
This lack of ethical behavior is not just found in the Congress. It is also present in many government agencies such as the SEC, whose members looked the other way when the Wall Street robber barons were using every means available to manipulate our financial system. It's also a problem that has corrupted any number of government regulatory agencies that completely failed to carry out their responsibilities that led to coal mining disasters in West Virginia and the horrendous BP Gulf Coast oil spill. This gives every appearance of being a pervasive moral, ethical disease that is rampantly spreading through all elements of our government. It is highly contagious in that anyone in government can be infected with it.
But let's get back to American presidents. The president is the leader of our nation, and that position entails many responsibilities. To think that this leader does not have a responsibility to carry out his duties in an ethical and moral manner is not acceptable. Just consider what the founders of our nation would think if they could see what America is doing in our world today. Would they simply accept and condone the invasions, the occupations and the spread of the military empire? Our founders fought a war of necessity, a war that they had to fight to preserve freedom. Would they not be extremely dismayed over the grave moral implications of what is being done in the name of American freedom today?
That's the point exactly: what might have been unthinkable to our founders is no longer unthinkable in the America of today. The question is - could America safely exist in this world and conduct itself in an ethical and moral manner in its dealings with other nations without having to resort to our current practice of invasions, occupations and destruction in foreign lands?
The answer is yes, without a doubt, it could; but a further question is, does America, led by our president, have any desire to follow such a different course? Right now the answer is a resounding no! And until the day when that answer will be yes, then America will remain as a mere shadow of its former self.
Michael Payne
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