Executive order 13989

[ishtat]

Donald Trump has rescinded this order. Essentially it required members of the executive to declare gifts from lobbyists either domestic or foreign. It also limited the ability of former members of the executive from becoming lobbyists within their former area of responsibility. A number of secondary sources report that Trumps family during his first administration received undeclared gifts of about $300,000. I have not been able to identify the primary source but similarly it appears that a number of Democrats may also have been in conflict with gift acceptance rules. Congress critters are governed by similar but legislated rules but very weak where they are privy to information not publicly available. It seems that all sides of politics are very hazy on ethical issues but there seems little point in just pointing a finger at either one side or the other.

Some questions;

1. Should executive members be allowed to receive gifts without declaring them and their value?
2. Should former members of the executive be allowed to become lobbyists without limitation?
3. It might be more interesting to require the gift givers to report their gift as well.
4. Are the rules concerning the gaining of assets being advantaged by information gained privately tight enough?
5. Or should it all be recognized as just too hard, and accept a free for all.

Major qualification: it is very difficult to obtain hard fact on the depth of the problem.

 

[Noitall]

What problem