rosa
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Post by rosa on May 14, 2009 13:07:21 GMT -7
I have absolutely no answers and too many questions. I know of no politicians who haven't had to compromise their personal ethics in order to achieve political goals
can anyone think of somebody? Was thinking of the Kennedys, but didn't get very far...
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Post by webrunner on May 14, 2009 13:11:58 GMT -7
Obama. No personal ethics to compromise. ;D
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rosa
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Post by rosa on May 14, 2009 13:22:28 GMT -7
now that you feel better, get to actually doing some thinking, man! ;D
perhaps the better question to ask is: at what point does a politician compromise (read: abandon) personal morality/ethics in order to achieve political goals?
they are all confronted with this sooner or later, I'm just wondering if there is some agreement on where this line should exist
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rosa
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Post by rosa on May 14, 2009 13:31:40 GMT -7
I should have said this earlier, I was reading a news report about Teddy Kennedy and that's what got me to thinking
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Post by Tim Collins on May 14, 2009 14:43:05 GMT -7
now that you feel better, get to actually doing some thinking, man! ;D perhaps the better question to ask is: at what point does a politician compromise (read: abandon) personal morality/ethics in order to achieve political goals? they are all confronted with this sooner or later, I'm just wondering if there is some agreement on where this line should exist The line is no where. If you compromise/abandon your personal morality/ethics to achieve a political goal you are wrong. No issue here to me. You either have a moral code or you do not.
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Post by webrunner on May 14, 2009 19:43:46 GMT -7
What if your voters want you to do something that you really think is the wrong thing? Is it ethical to blow off those that elected you?
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Post by Tim Collins on May 15, 2009 3:45:54 GMT -7
What if your voters want you to do something that you really think is the wrong thing? Is it ethical to blow off those that elected you? This is America - do you think there will be any issue where 100% of the voters will ever want the same thing? In the case you offer it would be my job to honestly explain my position, then do the right thing and face the voters in the next election.
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rosa
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Post by rosa on May 15, 2009 3:57:53 GMT -7
most people have a moral code and most have been forced to back away from it at one point or another-there is little question that this is a challenge that politicians face
no one is above this
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Post by matthew on May 15, 2009 10:17:55 GMT -7
Hypothetical situation:
A politician is morally opposed to the issuance of public debt without prior voter approval. A needed transportation project in the politician's district is proposed, but is to be funded using debt not approved by a voter referendum. If the politician holds to her moral principles and votes against the project, is she acting morally? Is she a good politician?
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Post by Tim Collins on May 15, 2009 10:26:31 GMT -7
I would say he/she is both acting morally (in the sense of acting with integrity that I would define as having a moral code and acting on it) and a good politician in that he/she is doing what they hold to be the responsible position for those represented.
Now does he/she risk not being reelected - proabably. But reelection as a goal unto itself if the biggest problem we have with government today.
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rosa
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Post by rosa on May 16, 2009 15:14:56 GMT -7
without being re-elected, most politicians cannot complete the tasks they planned on or deliver on whatever promises they planned on delivering
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Post by Tim Collins on May 16, 2009 15:45:29 GMT -7
without being re-elected, most politicians cannot complete the tasks they planned on or deliver on whatever promises they planned on delivering Others will run and if the project was worthy it will get done
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rosa
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Post by rosa on May 16, 2009 17:08:16 GMT -7
without being re-elected, most politicians cannot complete the tasks they planned on or deliver on whatever promises they planned on delivering Others will run and if the project was worthy it will get done maybe it'll get done, but when and under what circumstances? Say the next go-round, you stuck up for your principles, started looking for financial alternatives and were on the cusp of something really great but because you didn't get a chance to finish, owing to your ouster, the original bad idea is implemented instead. That "worthy project" just cost the taxpayers ten times more than it should have grrr...
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Post by Tim Collins on May 16, 2009 17:11:58 GMT -7
That's one scenario
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Post by flash on May 17, 2009 8:26:17 GMT -7
Snill My question would be ,if a person knew that going into government ,from the start, and were willing to give up to some degree their codes of ethics and morals than to me one would have to question if they believe truly in their ethics and moral codes to begin with? Does this mean one should always be willing, if in government, to abandoned your ethics and moral codes on a case by case bases? Can it be said that this person in government then is acting in ethical and moral way? Thomas the Flash
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