Ethics. They're hard. Especially in Government.

[MineralMan]

All that power from being a powerful elected official. I mean, there are so many opportunities to use a position to advance your own financial situation or position in society. But, there are ethics. They're not hard to understand. You're not supposed to do what is so easy to do. Now, it's not easy to resist that temptation, to be sure.

And yet, most politicians manage to keep their ethical lapses private and out of the news. They certainly don't Tweet their lack of ethical compass in public. I mean, a lot of politicians manage to enrich themselves and their families and never get caught doing it. It happens all the time, even though it's unethical to do so.

Donald Trump is an exception. He has apparently decided that ethical practices are not required of a President. He publicly said that he was withdrawing from his many business interests. Of course, anyone who can see knows that's not true, but at least he said he wouldn't do it and isn't being seen to do it. But, here he was today, pimping his daughter's fashion business and disparaging one of the retail chains that decided to drop her lines of goods after massive public protests against them. That's unethical, Mr. Trump.

I guess nobody told you about ethics. Maybe you slept through that class in college. I don't know. But Twitter? How more public you you be with your lack of ethics? Do you not care? Or is it that you don't know you violated ethical standards? Either way, your Nordstrom's tweet was a big mistake. You clearly demonstrated your lack of ethics. Everyone read it. People are talking about it.

Keep it up, Mr. Trump, and you'll find yourself backed into a corner where your only course of action is resignation. Now, we wouldn't mind that outcome at all, but surely that's not your goal. Try following standard ethics, why don't you? Who knows. It could become a habit. Or, at least, do what all the other Republican political leaders do and keep your ethical lapses to yourself.

I mean, Twitter? Really? Please!

[guillaumeb]

1. What is the likelihood that a person who has been a con man for his entire life

will suddenly develop ethics or a conscience?

[TubbersUK]

2. That's the thing

Ethics guidelines and standards are designed to protect the office holder as well as the public interest.

Divestment and a blind trust would have kept Trump on the side of the angels, at least ostensibly.

As things stand, he's in grave danger of hanging himself politically & he's already tainting his brand.

There's a danger that he'll actually blight his business interests, if the business world finds it too risky to engage with him , if the Brand becomes a liability.

He must have felt pretty pleased with himself when he got away with his Alt-ethics 'solution' , here's hoping he pays a big price for it down the line.