Is it wrong for someone of influence to actually use that influence?

[Bandit]

I mean I have nothing to say about Bush* getting into the Guard because strings were pulled for him. Hell I expect that. In fact I think if a father has influence and doesn't at least make an attempt to use that influence to help his children then he is cold. I think it is actually expected and part of the percs that go with the job. What disgusts me about Bush* and his guard duty is his failing to complete any part of it especially after so many strings were pulled to aid him. He really is a sorry individual IMHO.

[bushisagungrabber]

1. What I want to see is

if somebody can find out if George Bush Sr. was a Congressman when the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was voted upon. I want to see what George Bush's vote was.
This could be used against the whole BFEE since it would indicate that being hypocritical is one of their family values.

[bushisagungrabber]

4. Nevermind

He was a freshmen congressman in 1966.

[Stoker]

2. Depends...

It depends:

Do they know what they are talking about when they speak on what they are trying to influence (for example, movie stars have no business pontificating on points of government simply because they are movie stars)?

-and-

Are they using their influence for good or bad?

Stoker

[Devlzown]

3. That seems to be dubya's life story in a nutshell.

Poppy pulls some strings to get dubya a job, dubya fucks it all up, poppy gets one of his friends to bail dubya out. That's why dubya thinks he can do no wrong -- he's never had to pay the consequences for any of his actions.

[LoRoy]

5. It's human nature

Nepotism has been around since the beginning of time and will be with us always. As is said, it's not what you know, but who you know.

[Mattforclark]

6. Phrasing is key

It is not wrong for someone of influence to use that influence or to not use that influence. In other words, it is not wrong for someone to be of influence.

It is wrong for someone of undue influence to use that undue influence, but it is not wrong for someone of undue influence to not use that undue influence.

So use of influence is OK, but use of undue influence is not OK... By definition, really..