Illinois ex- Governor Blagojevich

Amended 19 February 2020.

As you will see I wrote this quite a time ago – 10yrs to be exact – but the dear ex-governor has now had his prison sentence commuted by President Trump. I’m staggered. But there we are – a good example of “draining the swamp”?

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Okay!  “The governor of Illinois has been arrested on charges of conspiring to sell Barack Obama's recently vacated US Senate seat.

The news that Illinois Governor Blagojevich was taken into custody complicates the matter of filling the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

Governor Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, were also accused to trying to "induce purge of newspaper editorial writers," critical of him at the Tribune Company, the US attorney's office said in a statement.

"The breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering," US attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said in a statement...” (From ‘The Australian’ web site 10 December 2008).

I know that politics is often considered a ‘dirty’ game and I am no great respecter of politicians, of any persuasion. Just because they hold the positions they do does not mean that I respect them – they have to earn my respect. They can say what they like, it is what they do that counts and which may, or may not, earn my respect.

In this case I am just amazed at the audacity of someone like the governor. Does he (or did he) believe that as governor he is (was) above the law? He is just a man of straw – not worthy of the office of governor. He is just a common felon and a con-man to boot. He fooled the electorate of Illinois into electing him. But what staggers me more than anything is the lack of moral understanding; the lack of the appreciation of values and  that any conception of ethics seems to be totally wanting from his psyche, from his understanding as to what it is to be a human being. Maybe he now has an appreciation of the law of cause and effect!

As governor he is obviously not short of money. He has one of only fifty such positions, so he is already in somewhat rarefied atmosphere in American politics – he is head honcho in the state - he has authority, he has power. Very obviously that was not enough.

He must believe that his sole reason for existence is to make money – and the more the better. Now I am the last person to say that having a desire to make money is wrong, because I like money as much as the next person, but not at any cost. Does this bloke actually LIKE himself? When he looks at himself in his bathroom mirror in the morning when he shaves, what does he see? Can he honestly say to himself, if positions were reversed, “ I would like to be governed by me?”

What also alarms me is the is the possible answer to the question, “Is this what unbridled capitalism breeds?” Laws, no matter how tightly enforced will never cover all human failings. There has to be self regulation (self discipline) there has to be trust; there has to be respect not only for yourself but for others. Laws are essential but unless they are applied and followed from the bottom up (and not just enforced from the top down) anarchy will prevail and the ‘rule of law’ will not be worth the paper it’s printed on. 

I am going to watch this one with great interest. I hope and trust that my respect for politicians generally is not reduced any further and that he gets what he deserves.

And this is something wrote a few days later - also in 2008:-

The latest on the Illinois Governor case is that the Illinois House of Representatives has voted to begin an impeachment inquiry into Governor Rod Blagojevich, who is accused of trying to sell the US Senate seat vacated by president-elect Barack Obama.

The inquiry, approved 113-0, will be placed in the hands of a special committee. 

If it determines that impeachment is warranted, the House would vote on whether to impeach, to be followed by a trial in the state senate.

If convicted at trial the governor could be forced from office.

It seems that no one wants to be seen to ‘like’ this bloke any more!!

What Gandhi said.

In light of the present day – and world wide - investigations into corruption, fraud and, shall I say, a disinclination to tell the truth, in government, business, sport and finance, what Gandhi said may be of relevance. Gandhi (Mohandas  Gandhi, 1869 to 1948) said that one of the seven deadly “sins” (as he described them) of the modern world was “Commerce without Morality”. 

What did he mean by this and is it true? 

We need first to ask ourselves two questions; what is morality? Is it important?

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) defines Morals inter alia, as “… of or pertaining to the distinction between right and wrong, or good and evil in relation to the actions, volitions, or character of responsible beings; ethical; …” ; and Ethics, inter alia, as “… the moral principles by which any particular person is guided; the rules of conduct recognized in a particular profession or area of human life”.

Ethics and morality then are the flip sides of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other.  Someone who is moral must, by definition, be also ethical and be what we would call a ‘good’ person. Such a person we would consider trustworthy, someone we would like to deal with, to call upon for help, advice and guidance. Someone who’s word is their bond.

In the Analects of Confucius (551 BC to 479 BC) translated by Simon Leys, there is a quote about the importance, in ancient China, of the notion of the word ‘gentleman’.

“Originally it meant an aristocrat, a member of the social elite: one did not become a gentleman, one could only be born a gentleman. For Confucius, on the contrary, a ‘gentleman’ is a member of the moral elite. It is an ethical quality, achieved by the practice of virtue, and secured through education. Every man should strive for it, even though few may reach it.” 

It is my contention that Morality is common to all peoples in all places and at all times. As human beings, we naturally, seldom continuously think about things we do not like, or try to do something we would not normally like doing. We generally try to do things that make us happy. We, through our actions, try to express ourselves, what we choose to be, in the eyes of our fellow beings, and at a deeper level, in our own eyes. We naturally try to do ‘good’ and to be true to ourselves. To do or be anything else is always stressful and will certainly reduce our chances of leading a fulfilling life with a good work-life balance. 

In many respects what has been forgotten in today’s frenetic world is that there has been an impoverishment of the concept of MAN (homo sapiens) as a human being. For instance people who look for measurable success live only a one dimensional existence (e.g. a CEO always expected to maintain or increase earnings per share year on year). There is a need to distinguish between succeeding for the sake of winning, and a desire for success that will enrich our lives and lead to fulfilment and a feeling of well being. We need a balance between success, as a human being and success in activities (not always the same thing).

Expectations of measurable success and the activities required to meet them, possibly even exploitative actions, diminish the perpetrators.  Such people are reduced to a one-eyed perception of Life. This is what I believe Gandhi was thinking about when he made the statement that leads this article. The aim of life is the unfolding of man’s creative powers; the potential of Life’s process is a transformation of Society into one governed by compassion, justice and truth.

Those with long memories may recall a businessman (the late Albert Dunlap) nicknamed “Chainsaw”, who, quite a few years ago now, was engaged to reinvigorate a large appliance manufacturing company in the USA. They may also recall his business fate. 

The need for moral and ethical conduct was well known in earlier times. People received instruction about the Natural Laws, by way of fables and myths. These highlighted, in often graphic detail, the consequences of irresponsible actions and the operation of the unwritten “Law” of cause and effect. 

This may be more directly stated as in the old saying, “You reap what you sow”.

For those interested, the 'Seven Sins' according to Gandhi were:- 1: Knowledge without character. 2: Science without humanity. 3: Wealth without work. 4: Commerce without morality. 5: Politics without principles. 6: Pleasure without conscience. 7: Worship without self-sacrifice.

Injustice is the Problem.

Amended January 31, 2020

I am no soothsayer nor do I have special access to any particular research but I do, sincerely, believe that what follows is true and applies, and has applied, for all peoples for all times.

I ask the question - "isn't their just one species of human? Homo Sapiens? Isn't the fact that different languages are spoken; that people have different coloured skins; that people worship (presumably) the same God in different ways; isn't all this dependent of where they were born?" 

And another question - "did anyone have a choice about where they were born or who their parents were?"

Where there is prejudice; where there is discrimination based on the colour of a person skin; where there is great inequality in the distribution of wealth between the very rich and the very poor; where  access to good health facilities and health care is determined by the amount of money they spend; where there is a perception that how any individual worships God matters to others; where justice is denied; where the concept takes hold that “profit” has precedence over “people”; where access to high quality education is limited or non-existent; where there are limited or non-existent employment opportunities; where there is corruption or a perception that the wealthy can bend the rules and “get off lightly”, the prospect of social unrest will inevitably arise.

This is the root cause of the current problems in the USA, in Europe, in the Middle East in Brazil and other South American countries, and unfortunately – for future peace prospects – in China and Russia, though both are struggling to contain the unrest.

Australia, Canada and other so called “Western” countries are not immune!

I just hope that ideology will be set aside and that statesmanship and commonsense will prevail. Both of which I might add, are notably absent today!

I'm not going to hold my breath!

There is  a speech by Frederick Douglass (African American, a former slave, social reformer, orator and statesman) on the 24^th anniversary of emancipation, Washington, DC, 1886, which has great relevance today, and I quote:- 

“Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails and where any one class is made to feel that society is in an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe.” (From “Spirit Level” by Wilkinson and Pickett)

Troubles: Ebola and the Islamic State.

My one loyal reader – Archie – asked me the other day why I had not written anything since July. This is not easy to answer as there is always SOMETHING to write about but, no excuse, I just felt like a break. Not that I have been entirely inactive. I also write letters, principally to our Australian politicians - some of whom seem in need of guidance in ethical conduct!!

My Blog is about “Ethics and Life”, which covers just about everything – this is why I chose the name. Now, today, there are two major issues (events) that need addressing – Ebola and Terrorism. 

Neither is easy to explain or to cure – if that is the correct word to use for terrorism. But both have a similar root. In the case of Ebola – poverty, lack of basic facilities and poor education, in other words, injustice. In the case terrorism, in this instance the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) – injustice, both perceived and actual, and historical precedent.

Firstly Ebola. Fear, leading to inaction and helplessness is/are the main concerns with this truly awful disease. Fear – knowing that there is no cure; helplessness and inaction – knowing that there is nothing that can be done except wait. The speed with which the virus attacks its victims is astonishing – the incubation period is between two and twenty-one days. Once it strikes the victim is dead within about ten days. The only glimmer of  “light” is that not everyone who contracts the disease actually dies – victims have about a 1:4 chance of surviving, even without treatment.

But the reason for the rapid spread of this frightening virus is the common factor of poverty – poor standards of education and a lack of basic hygienic facilities (appropriate housing, clean water, piped sewage) – all of which relate back to poverty.

Why this poverty prevails is complex but ultimately stems from a reluctance by the “developed” world to provide the means to help the local population root out corrupt and inept governments and to improve their living standards.

This is why there are so many people trying to gain entry into Europe, the USA, the UK, Canada and Australia by "illegal" means – to escape the impoverished conditions in their own countries. And we (the developed countries) blindly turn them back – a VERY short-sighted approach. 

My imagination fails me when I try and envisage what it would be like to know that I have a 75% chance of dying because I came in contact with the “bodily fluids” of someone who had Ebola – my wife, child or other family member, or a friend, or someone I was trying to help. Then what about the emotional and psychological effect of watching someone you love die, because nothing can be done except comfort them as best as possible.

Truly shocking. But we, in developed countries are part of the problem – and the solution.

Secondly - the BIG ONE – terrorism. Let me state at the outset that what the believers in, and the followers of, the Islamic State (IS) are doing is absolutely appalling and casts them into the outer fringe of what is generally considered as humanity.

My understanding is that the IS – and their various off-shoots - has an agenda that is driven by an idealism that is not, and cannot, be matched by those who oppose them. For instance I do not believe that even the professionalism of the men and women in the Royal Australian Air Force (or any of the coalition forces cobbled together by the USA) is a match for the idealistic (and ostensibly religious) fervour that drives these extremists.  

These people – the IS – are driven by a combination of deep resentment at their treatment by the Christians over the thousand years since the first Crusades; by what they (the Muslims) see as “Western customs” which they consider as profane and which violate their understanding of what it means to live a life according to the Law as divulged by God/Allah to the Prophet Mohammed and by what Muslims experience as marginalisation and diminished “status”. This is evident in the manner by which the rest of the world treats them, hence their avowed intention to re-create a Caliphate which, they firmly believe, will give them cause for pride and status in the world.

So, we in the developed nations, are part of both  the problem and the solution.

The IS see themselves as re-creating something “good”, by whatever means, however obscene and barbaric these may be to others. But they are also trying to make a point for disaffected Muslim youth – “See, we are strong and people fear us. Come and join us and you too will be seen as strong.” This is attractive to disaffected and marginalised youth.

This is what may be considered as a Crusade – in reverse. These “new” Crusaders (for Islam) want to reclaim what they believe is rightfully theirs – what they had in the first Caliphate. This reversion to the “old” Caliphate which would comprise all of North Africa, Portugal and Spain in the West, Jerusalem and the entire Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East and as far as the China border in the East, plus Indonesia and (possibly) the Philippines, which are more recent additions to the Muslim World.

This, for the IS, would be a start.

Whatever means the USA and their allies use to combat the IS it will take a very long time to achieve “victory”. Remember that the Crusades of the Middle Ages extended over a period of nearly two hundred years – from the First Crusade in 1096AD to the Ninth and last Crusade which ended in 1272AD.

It took this long for Christian Crusaders to reclaim most of the lands overrun by the Saracens or “Moors” in their initial expansion – but, note carefully, they never defeated Islam; they never killed the ideal. An ideal, a goal, a promise or religious fervour can NEVER be defeated. It lives on in the hearts and minds of the believers no matter what. Look at what the might of ancient Rome did to the original Christians – yet they survived.

The USA and their “coalition”, unfortunately, will never defeat the ideals and the fervour of the IS. The only way is through negotiation, however unthinkable this may seem. Unless there is negotiation the IS may be driven underground where it will fester for generations, before resurfacing somewhere, unexpectedly and with unforseen results.

This is a "new" world scene that we are entering.

The Australian version of Democracy

It is difficult to gauge how democracy is travelling in “democratic” countries. I speak particularly about Australia (where I live) which is touted as one of the strongest democracies in the world.

That I (and my wife) are pensioners (I am 73 and retired only one working day before my 72^nd birthday) and have no income other than the Government provided Age Pension, is incidental to my concerns.

My concerns are about what it is we are forced to vote for (on pain of a penalty for NOT voting).

For those who may be unaware of this curious fact, Australia has compulsory voting –whether you like any of the candidates or not, whether you like their policies or not, whether you like it or not, you have to vote – or face a fine for NOT voting.

I personally am not sure that compulsory voting is actually democratic, but this again is incidental to my concerns.

My concerns are about what we are told (promised?) prior to an election but then are told after the election that what was said is not going happen; that these promises were not “core promises”. What is a “core promise” pray tell? Why bother to say something (“read my lips”) but then conveniently forget or ignore or use “weasel words” to deny that it was said at all?  Surely a promise is a promise in any language?

My concern is about what it is that we are actually forced to vote for – a lie? Is this an example of being a good role model? Is this how leaders are supposed to behave? Is this an open, accountable and “mature Government”? Is this a Government that can be trusted?

Trust takes a long time to develop but can be lost in an instant. To understand what I am getting at it may help to recall what Confucius had to say about this some twenty-five centuries ago:

 “If you govern the people by laws, and keep them in order by penalties, they will avoid the penalties, yet lose their sense of shame. But if you govern them by your moral excellence, and keep them in order by your dutiful conduct, they will retain their sense of shame, and also live up to this standard.”

In light of the astounding lack of trust and moral leadership shown - and admitted – by many leaders (political, business and religious or in fact any position with monetary significance), I truly believe that it is time for everyone to stop, even take a step back and look, I mean really examine, their actions and see whether they make any sense. For example, just look at the corruption, the appalling moral and ethical short comings exposed by the various commissions of enquiry currently underway in Australia (into child sexual abuse and into corrupt union activities). Think about the financial scandals in England and the USA (LIBOR, Wall Street and “banks too big to fail”); the International Olympic games organization (athletes and performance enhancing drugs and also bribes being paid to officials); the International Football Federation (“ditto”); international cycling (“ditto”); international pharmaceutical companies (using corrupt methods to enhance sales of products with doubtful efficacy); using children as slave labour to produce low priced garments - the list just goes on and on and on!   

And then as a further Australian example, I was told in a letter (dated  9^th January 2014) from Malcolm Turnbull ( the Australian Minister for Communications) that, and I quote:-

“I would like to take this opportunity to assure you the Government does not have any current plans to privatise or reduce the ABC’s funding. The Government understands the significant relationship the ABC has with the Australian public and is committed to maintaining its quality, performance and efficiency.”

The ABC is the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, which is owned and fully funded by the government - but three months later Turnbull cuts hundreds of millions of dollars from their budget allocation (possibly out of spite – the ABC, in the past, has dared to criticize the current government).

And we HAVE to vote for these people? Please!!

I believed Prime Minister, Tony Abbott when he said, before the recent general election, that there would be no changes to the Aged Pension or to Medicare, but there are changes. In light of the 2014 Budget cuts are these the words of a trustworthy man? All the cuts to health and education, and the reductions to benefits and allowances are, ostensibly, designed to “improve the economy” and balance the budget.

The trouble is the “Economy” is not some esoteric, alien “thing” somewhere out there. Without people there would be no economy – the economy IS people, the citizens of this country. The Prime Minister (Tony Abbott) and Treasurer (Joe Hockey) may well “balance the budget”- the Federal Budget - and help the “economy”, but they cannot ignore what the States do because they affect the “economy” as well. We are supposed to be the Commonwealth of Australia after all. But if they, the Treasurer and the Prime Minister, hand-ball the hard work to the States (funding health and education) why do we need a Federal Government – or if you prefer why have State Governments? Having both, singing from different hymn books, does not serve.

If people have less money to spend (because of the afore mentioned budget constraints) how is the economy supposed to grow? It is worth repeating that the economy is made up from people – more money and confidence and it grows; less money and less confidence and it contracts.      

Who do we trust? No wonder there is a rise in the number of independents and micro-parties – if we HAVE to vote might as well vote for something or someone novel.

It is worth asking what we ACTUALLY vote for – what politicians SAY they will do or what they ACTUALLY do – which is discovered only after the event?

And Australians are penalised for not voting. Democracy indeed!

We know so little!

My one loyal reader may be wondering where I have been for the last three weeks or so. Well the news is that I and my wife are now on our first ever overseas trip together – after 34 years of marriage! Long overdue you might say, and I would most certainly agree.

Unfortunately Man’s inhumanity to Man is still evident no matter one’s destination! There is no escape. Much of this inhumanity is based on opinionated ignorance. In this regard I read the following piece somewhere (regretfully I cannot remember where): “Help us never to become imprisoned by the things we think we know – because we know so little!”

I think this advice is well worth following. Doing so may go some way to making us more understanding, more humble, generous and compassionate. Remembering how little we know may help bring us up short before we (possibly) forget ethical considerations and involve ourselves in, shall I say, less than charitable activities.

The outrageous levels of intransigence, corruption and abuse apparent in all countries and all institutions (Government, religious and commercial), unfortunately, does not auger well for future stability. The “Rule of the Gun” is everywhere. The appalling level of gun violence in the USA (roughly four times greater than that of any other civilized country) beggars belief.

I have been following the distressing topic of child abuse for some time now, ever since the news broke about levels of abuse in the Protestant churches in all countries where they practice, and in the Catholic Church particularly in America, Ireland and Australia. The appalling and systematic abuse of children carried out by, mainly, males of every religious persuasion; by males of every ethnic type and in every country is breathtaking in its malevolence, scope, variety and level of depravity. 

Why, Oh why, do we humans think that we can do what we like and get away with it? It is almost as if we have adopted the belief that it is OK to do what we like and the only “crime” is to get caught – to have our misdeeds exposed!

If we recalled ethical principles; if we recalled the basic doctrine that, of necessity, what harms you must also harm me (what goes around, comes around!); if we recalled the fundamental fact that we are all human beings and that we all have the same needs – love, nurture, shelter, food and happiness – I am sure there would be much less strife and tribulation and a great deal more happiness in the world.

So I repeat the quote, “Help us never to become imprisoned by the things we think we know – because we know so little!”

Unlikely I admit – but I live in hope!!