Thursday, October 27, 2016

Give and take, a national culture

Today's news discussion is about the Clinton Foundation and the relationship among fundraising for the non-profit and commercial benefits from Clinton participation. It is about the appearance of impropriety and conflicts of interest.

Having devoted much of my career working for government contractors, in and around national politics, I can testify that the American Political System is one of giving and taking. In a capitalist economic society, profit is the driving incentive. Corporations are not in the business of social and environmental responsibility. They are about maximizing economic gain.

Of course, government exists to create an optimal environment in which individuals and their corporations can flourish. Government regulates that performance with constraints that force a degree of social and environmental responsibility. That is accomplished by laws and regulations.

Special interests that include the regulated entities, as well as constituents who benefit from constraints, influence elected representatives who make laws and regulations.  Representatives weigh considerations in the balance.

However, when representatives are dependent upon donations of money for their campaigns which come from those who are being regulated, there can be conflicts of interest.

Transparency is one way to mitigate the influence. Restricting donations is another way. As it stands, current practices among non-profits and for-profit corporations are inherent. Integrity and trust are a product of the persons involved.

"Memo reveals interplay between Clinton Foundation, personal business 
By Katie Bo Williams and Jonathan Easley - 10/26/16 08:51 PM EDT" 
http://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/303023-memo-reveals-interplay-between-clinton-foundation-personal-business


Getty and The Hill

1 comment:

  1. The Clinton Foundation is transparent and above board. There are hundreds if not thousands of such relationships among elected representatives. It is how the system works to a great extent.

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