The Elegance of a Hypocritical America

What do these have in common?

Elliot Spitzer
Government Purchase Cards
Anti-Dumping Taxes
The Iraq War

These very things display the hypocritical nature and values of modern America led by example from our government and leaders. Of which the leaders of our nation proclaim righteous reasons for our society, and then take actions on personal motives.

We start a war in Iraq claiming to protect the world, find weapons of mass destruction, and fight terrorism. But what did happen was that we ended up spending almost $1 trillion, found no weapons of any threat, and terrorism still remains on high alert for America and the rest of the world after 5 years. I know Dick Cheney’s (our Vice President) company, Halliburton, made a few billion dollars providing military services our servicemen in Iraq.

Anti dumping taxes were leveraged on trading companies and manufacturers in China regarding furniture and other home goods because American Furniture companies accused China of subsidizing their manufacturers to be able to offer lower than cost prices to compete against the world’s manufactures. But what do we have today? A few of the largest furniture manufacturers in the country with a few million dollars more from the tariff sanctions that we don’t even know how they spent it, and a continuing growth in our trade deficit. And what about the furniture retailers in America that also employ a lot of workers in this country that are now faced with increasingly higher import costs not only from the tariffs but now from rising energy costs affect transportation and shipping.

Just recently, I read about how there are over $2 million in estimated unauthorized purchases by government employees made on government purchase cards. There was even a USPS event for a Florida postal forum where the postal workers had a heft $13,500 dinner at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. Our government working on our behalf, taxing our income and sales, funds quite a few of these transactions. At least they found out, but I can guarantee you there is a high chance that millions more are yet to be found in unauthorized spending of the people’s tax dollars, where government employees say they are providing a “public service”, but they are for sure getting paid for some of it.

When I read about Elliot Spitzer’s call girl scandal, I knew I heard his name from somewhere before. He was the New York Atty. General that indicted the biggest companies in the insurance industry for giving out kick backs and fees to agents for referring customers. But we find someone that stands righteous with such immoral personal values.

I will not proclaim I am the most perfect or righteous person in the world, but at least I don’t tout myself as someone that I am not and do things claiming benefit to the world and personally gaining from those actions. I think accountability is very important in setting our country back on the right path, but even more important is that the people are clear on who is checking and signing off on that accountability. And that starts from the top, such as a CEO or nation’s President putting in place policies that demonstrate the proclaimed values in every action, and avoiding any one person having even the slightest opportunity to be tempted to abuse their power.