Posted by
Gary A McAvin on Wednesday, January 10, 2007 6:27:18 AM
Headline: Townhall.com
House Democrats and ethics reform:
“The new House Democratic majority has announced its "conversion" on matters of institutional and individual ethics…”
I’ll never run out of writing topics as long as Democrats are in control (oh really?) of the House. Democrats--Ethics reform? Is this a contradiction in terms or what? It seems like smoke and mirrors overall. A cold day in you know where would occur first. If they were really serious about ethics reform (oh that would happen?) there is an itinerary that would prove their sincerity. Difficult to implement, but not impossible, a real House cleaning, followed by a serious Senate sweep. This would of course mean the removal of various ethics violators from both places. Irregardless of Party affiliations!
I believe the lines between entitlements and ethics violations have become obscured. The not so hidden message signaled by constant violations, is that these violators really believe they are entitled to the spoils of being elected to public office. Perhaps a lesson and refresher concerning ethics is needed here!
Ethics
Encyclopedia of Political Information. Ethics is the general term for attempts to state or determine what is good, both for the individual and for the society as a whole. It is often termed the science of morality.
Divisions of Ethics
In analytic philosophy, ethics is traditionally divided into three fields: Metaethics, Normative ethics and applied ethics.
We will refresh ourselves on normative ethics for application’s sake.
Normative ethics bridges the gap between metaethics and applied ethics. It is the attempt to arrive at practical moral standards that tell us right from wrong, and how to live moral lives.
- One branch of normative ethics is theory of conduct; this is the study of right and wrong, of obligation and permissions, of duty, of what is above and beyond the call of duty, and of what is so wrong as to be evil. Theories of conduct propose standards of morality, or moral codes or rules. For example, the following would be the sort of rules that a theory of conduct would discuss (though different theories will differ on the merit of each of these particular rules): "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"; "The right action is the action that produces the greatest happiness for the greatest number"; "Stealing is wrong."
Pigs in their natural surroundings have no scruples, ethics, cares, or concerns with anyone or anything but themselves. They are only concerned about where their next meal is coming from. They have no morals as they only seek to satisfy their carnal lusts and needs. Can you see the parallel to those elected officials that feel “entitled” to graze, devour, play, and reject the morality of ethics? And all of these takers are operating on the public’s expense account—Taxes!
I agree; there should be ethics reform but; who should the reformers be? Corrupted officials? Corrupted House and Senate representatives? The fox is in the henhouse here, and no good will come from it, only more devouring and vitiation.