Tag: ethics

Is President Trump surrendering America’s moral high ground?

The following article by James Hohmann and Breanne Deppisch was posted on the Washington Post website January 26, 2017:

THE BIG IDEA: Not even a week into Donald Trump’s presidency, some liberal internationalists find themselves privately pining for George W. Bush.

Despite acts of brutality that were perpetrated on his watch, Bush always insisted publicly that the United States did not torture. He understood that copping to the enhanced interrogation techniques he had secretly approved could undercut our moral standing on the world stage, provide terrorists a potent recruiting tool and give our enemies an excuse to torture Americans.

Trump doesn’t think like that. “I have spoken as recently as 24 hours ago with people at the highest level of intelligence,” the new president told ABC News in an interview that aired last night, “and I asked them the question, ‘Does it work? Does torture work?’ and the answer was, ‘Yes, absolutely.'” Continue reading “Is President Trump surrendering America’s moral high ground?”

Conflicts of DeVos

Donald Trump, Betsy DeVos, and a Pay-to-Play Nomination

The following article by Ulrich Boser, Marcella Bombardieri and CJ Libassi was posted on the Center for American Progress’ website January 12, 2017:

Betsy DeVos speaks during a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on December 9, 2016 /AP/Paul Sancya

Billionaire activist Betsy DeVos and her family have given a massive $4 million to the Republicans who will decide whether to confirm her as Trump’s secretary of education, according to a new analysis by the authors.

DeVos’ hearing begins this Wednesday, and her family has donated a quarter of a million dollars alone to the members of the education committee who are tasked with vetting her nomination. The DeVos family has given a total of more than $950,000 to 21 senators who will have the opportunity to vote on her confirmation. Continue reading “Conflicts of DeVos”