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Are greed and corruption defeatable?
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Ian
(new)
May 30, 2023 11:15AM
If I understand this correctly, somebody made an allegation against Biden that is unsupported by any evidence, the FBI took no further action because there was no supporting evidence, and now McCarthy wants the document for political purposes. What am i missing here?
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The "unsupported" allegations come from the same people who claimed that the Hunter Biden laptop story was Russian disinformation.
An allegation or complaint of that gravity prima facia needs to be investigated. It’s during the investigation the authority is supposed to collect and scrutinize evidence and consider whether it’s convincing enough to proceed to indictment. I remember Muller was given tons of (wo)manpower, time and resources to pronounce that “there is no evidence” phrase
Texas AG Ken Paxton impeached, suspended from duties; will face Senate trialhttps://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/...
Interestingly, in our newspaper this morning there was an item that said that in the negotiations for raising the debt ceiling, the republicans killed a large batch of money going to the IRS for the express purpose of catching rich tax evaders. If true, it would appear that republican "lawmakers" do not share Nik's enthusiasm for investigating rich tax evaders.
Ian wrote: "...republican "lawmakers" do not share Nik's enthusiasm for investigating rich tax evaders...."There are a few non-enthusiastic people in the world still. Hope they'll join this group and change their mind :)
Even USA Today is reporting this.IRS whistleblower alleges removal of 'entire investigation team' from Hunter Biden probe
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/p...
Probably a response to McCarthy negotiating the debt ceiling raise by requiring the removal of the funding of the IRS to seek out very rich tax evaders, who, presumably would be pro-republican.
No, greed and corruption are no longer defeatable.
J. wrote: "Even USA Today is reporting this.IRS whistleblower alleges removal of 'entire investigation team' from Hunter Biden probe
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/p......"
If the probe was over they would be moved onto other cases, or if no evidence was found. That's how investigations work. They had five years of investigation and produced two tax misdemeanour charges. Good return on use of taxpayer funds paying the investigators or did they want a job for life?
Philip wrote: "....Good return on use of taxpayer funds paying the investigators or did they want a job for life?..."I bet Muller spent more :)
Nik wrote: "Philip wrote: "....Good return on use of taxpayer funds paying the investigators or did they want a job for life?..."I bet Muller spent more :)"
Yes and produced a significant report too - including obstruction by Trump associates (the endless stream of communications) which got ignored in favour of no evidence of direct illegality. But no evidence, or not enough for trial, is enough.
Innocent until proven guilty.
BTW - Scotland has a third criminal verdict Case Not Proven which is occasionally delivered. https://www.mygov.scot/criminal-court.... Although they plan to scrap it.
The investigation produced no indictment therefore should be lauded by those investigated but is still criticised.
The alleged perpetrators don't have to prove their innocence, but it still raises questions as to their contacts and communications listed in the report. Not proven maybe...
Reading about some of the Hunter Biden stuff today, and also how the investigation to how cocaine got in the White House being shut down - to the OP - I think there is always going to be greed. People want more money, more stuff, more job perks, more everything. But as for corruption, when you see corruption that is given no punishment or consequences , where sometimes it's ignored, or one person gets a slap on the wrist and another person gets a prison sentence, you start thinking not in terms of what you should or shouldn't do, but what you can get away with.
No one can impose upon anyone a determination to constanly strive to live a life dedicated to honesty, fairness, good behavior, and maintaining hight moral standards. Each individual must determine their own behavior choices. Based upon history, some will always choose evil, greed, and corruption over good.According to the Christian's New Testament, Jesus of Nazerath often stressed that everyone should focus upon their own personal behavior rather than evaluating and pointing out others' bad behavior. I personally believe that to be very good advice.
Perhaps, but a strong justice system and the firm knowledge that corruption will be punished helps suppress it. It is important also to punish both sides of it, to deter the offer as well as the acceptance.
I met 0 saints in my life, everyone stumbles somewhere, incl. myself, however self - awareness and striving to be a good person usually result in a very positive balance. There are decent (relatively) businessmen, but it’s rather despite than because, as decency usually detrimental much more than beneficial in big money-making
What I have found regarding businessmen is that most from small or medium-sized businesses are good people and generally helpful. However, once some get upward in a large organization they seem to run the risk of being somewhat tyrannical. Also, as they get to higher positions in large organizations, power becomes addictive.
Although someone may occasionally do a bad thing, it does not necessarily make them a bad person.Everyone makes mistakes. What separates a good person from a bad person is the good person's determination to never make the same mistake twice. If someone does make the same mistake more than once, it is no longer a mistake, it is a cognizant choice.
So here we are, wondering what goodness we can find if we use Diogenes's Lantern to split the human soul's veil of darkness. Let's take a look.ABC Suppressed Epstein Story
https://youtu.be/HO_FCF6T2SY
Who Ordered The Car Bomb That Killed Maltese Journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia?
https://www.npr.org/2018/07/22/630866...
BBC bosses still trying to cover tracks over Savile in 2012, says Andy Kershaw
https://www.theguardian.com/media/201...
It gets darker.
On the other hand, there are many inspiring examples and lots of good people, so maybe not all is lost, even though from none to few would endure a scrutiny under Diogenes's Lantern :)
Profiteering or just good capitalismBritish Gas £989m for 1st 6 months a record
Shell increased dividend by 15% and made $5 in 2nd quarter - 47% down on last year
DRAX Group 89% increase for first half
Lots of CEOs with bonuses shareholders (Remember pension funds etc) with more
Tax avoided by lots of special measures e.g. paying offshore tax haven final owners for right to use brand (Apple Amazon Facebook and others)
Government windfall taxes on way...
It is a natural consequence of capitalism
One being investigated here is margin increase. Petrol wholesale to outlet and banks loan to savings rates as two examples. All have increased in UK. Our competition and markets regulator has multiple investigations ongoing looking at cartel like operations from large retailers and banks.
In NZ the most prominent villains are the banks, who, as the Reserve Bank promptly raised interest rates, they promptly raised their mortgage rates to stay ahead, but made relatively miniscule increases for depositors. That is slowly coming right, but slowly.
Does this qualify as irony?A Harvard professor raking in over $1 million a year who specialized in ‘dishonesty’ was accused of fabricating research. 3 retractions have already occurred
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/harvar...
It certainly does. On the other hand, it's hard to specialize in dishonesty never trying it herself. Could be viewed as practical experiment of theoretical models :)
Good point, Nik. You have to have practical experience in a field to qualify as an expert :-)
Ian wrote: "Good point, Nik. You have to have practical experience in a field to qualify as an expert :-)"Then she's a dilettante. If you want to meet a professional (retired), may I introduce Sammy "the Bull". Now, he's an old man with entertaining stories. Thirty years ago he was John Gotti's axe man.
https://youtu.be/64ma3Ux2bZY
If I follow that correctly, at least he was not an FBI official when the events took place.
Philip wrote: "https://edition.cnn.com/2023/08/07/po...Former FBI charged and may now plead guilty in plea change"
As far as we know...
A blast from the past:Assemblyman Mike Duvall resigns after his sex comments are broadcast
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-x...
Anybody want to watch the lech hang himself?
https://youtu.be/WvedTURC39k
What goes around comes around. Karma.I agree with you, Barbara: "But as for corruption, when you see corruption that is given no punishment or consequences , where sometimes it's ignored, or one person gets a slap on the wrist and another person gets a prison sentence, you start thinking not in terms of what you should or shouldn't do, but what you can get away with."
This situation with the Bidens may be turning around. Beau didn't get blanket immunity as he had hoped. If justice is served, there will be enough evidence to prosecute. We have enough sense to know that money was paid for influence.
Scout wrote: "What goes around comes around. Karma.I agree with you, Barbara: "But as for corruption, when you see corruption that is given no punishment or consequences , where sometimes it's ignored, or one ..."
Do you think there should be an investigation into the Trump children's $2b from the Saudis?They got it two weeks after their father (In-law) left office alongside another billion. Fund was established with $31.b
<$50m from US sources, the rest from other Middle East nations (Emirates, Qatar) and $625m from other overseas unnamed. The son-in-law was appointed Middle East envoy and has never run a hedge or investment fund.
I'd say the salient point is that it happened after he left office. There's no pay for play there as there was with Hunter for years.
Not sure about that. The deals could have been in place before he left office
Ian wrote: "Not sure about that. The deals could have been in place before he left office"He was in Saudi a couple of weeks before when he was still the Middle East envoy. Of course his future business would not have come up on that tax payer funded trip.
The question is, if he had no underhand dealings while in office, why the generosity aftr he leaves office? What benefit does the ousted President offer, especially when y9u know the actual President does not like the previous one?
Why should the "who" question matter - Hunter or Jared? Monetizing family connections shouldn't be legit as a phenomenon, yet we have suspicions it happens. Maybe there is a prospect that in Hunter's case we'll have some answers. As of Jared - authorities aren't exactly shy about going after Trump and his entourage. What could possibly stop them from investigating the fund? Unless, of course, there are "matters of national security"
Hooray! A political sex scandal which doesn't involve infidelity.Va. Dem. House candidate performed sex online with husband for tips
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-...
I hope the money Hunter made can be traced and show that his dad got some of it. Sadly, even if that can be done, Biden will not be subjected to scrutiny from the press or censure from those in his party.
I understand they are chasing $20m connected to Hunter whilst ignoring $2b connected to Krushner. Both need investigating but only one seems to be.
Metropolitan Museum of Art secretly sold $70M Van Gogh looted by Nazis in attempted cover-up: lawsuithttps://nypost.com/2023/09/20/metropo...
An interesting cross - generation story, awaiting legal resolution
Hunter was not qualified for the positions he was paid for; his only value was in selling influence with his dad while he was in office, and there is some evidence in emails that the "Big Guy" was getting some of that money. Jared, on the other hand made his deals after he and his dad were out of office. The salient point here is that "No law or rules constrain the investment activities of former administration officials after leaving the White House; many from both parties have profited from connections and experiences gained in government."https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/10/us...
Apples and oranges.
This morningThe Paris public prosecutors office has said the far right leader Marine Le Pen & 24 others should stand trial over the alleged misuse of EU funds.
