GREED remains our Number 1 Problem at this time.
GREED is what drives people to commit most of our crimes. Who was it that said crime does not pay?
GREED is what defines the level of RESPONSIBILITY that we gravitate towards when we are making decisions. The benefits to self are more important, as an opinion based on greed, than any benefit which may accrue to Groups or Country. And who has the mental capacity to consider the Planet before Country or before Groups?
In turn Morality frequently requires decisions based on RESPONSIBILITY. Without considering the levels of RESPONSIBILITY , when deciding what is moral (or ethical), any decision can become very complex as defined by Immanuel Kant in the Categorical imperative. By adhering to the KISS principle I believe that TheCode makes moral decisions simpler and more effective because RESPONSIBILITY provides a level which can be addressed by the decision being taken.
Thus we have a distinct relationship between Morality, Greed and Responsibility.
How does Morality tie into TheCode. I return to my ultimate benchmark of EVIL being trump. When a person is amoral it means that they are simply unaware of morality. When that person, particularly if they completely narcissistic, wants to do something it is their decision and they will decide whether it is good or bad, nice or nasty, rewarding or challenging based on how they feel about it. Any external opinion, assessment or evaluation is not even remotely of concern to them. If unfavourable or negative (to them) such “opinions” are “fake news” because they are “not real” TO THEM. That person is after all the universe to themselves. Nothing else is of any importance whatsoever.
The oath of the president of the USA was totally meaningless to him. That oath signifies an acceptance of RESPONSIBILITY for a country, its economy and the lives of nearly 400 MILLION people. Not an oath to protect himself or his family or a political party. In return the USA undertook to protect The President no matter what the cost! That was the contract.
When trump took the oath of Presidency of the USA it was, to him, just another contract, which he would weasel out of, if it became inconvenient at any point. In the same way that it was a very regular activity of trump’s to refuse to pay his contractors for work done. In the same way that he did not consider the welfare of anyone other than HIMSELF. And the adoration of his fans whom he had persuaded that he was “THE BEST”. After all it was his RIGHT to refuse to pay if he decided that there was something that he could find fault with regarding any contract that he ever entered. Real or imagined did not matter (no morality) as long as he could reduce costs for that job. $100,000 dollars worth of lawyers fees was a profitable exchange for $780,000 worth of work and materials. The contractor could not afford the $100,000 because he was already out of pocket for far more than that amount on the contract. In trumps view an excellent outcome and good business. To trump the oath was “just another contract”! And lawyers were just a cost of doing business.
With regard to “his people” as long as they continued to worship at the shrine of the trump and maintain “loyalty” to the trump cult, all was well and “they were great people”. As soon as you disagreed, in any way whatsoever, trump would be out to “get you”. Even have you killed! As he instructed the mob to do with Nancy Pelosie and Mike Pence on 6th January.
The oath was “just another contract” which trump broke every time he lied, misinformed, avoided comment, avoided the truth, ignored racism, ignored violence and last of all encouraged violence to try and maintain his position of worship as president of the USA. He was never remotely concerned about ANY of his RESPONSIBILITIES. He was only concerned about SELF. The absolute bottom level of the RESPONSIBILITY scale. He was only concerned about being admired for his actions which he frequently misrepresented to the American People. All the lying he did to the American People is what led them to believe what a “wonderful person” he was and what led the people to violent actions on his behalf.
With regard to trumps impeachment hearing and the senate vote : Trump may not be impeached (writing this 12/2 1040 my time = 11/2 1940 EST US) because the Republican Senators believe that they can vote for the GOP above, and before accepting responsibility for, THE OATH which they themselves have taken when becoming senators and part of The Congress.
The impeachment should be based on the fact that trump took actions AGAINST the oath of office which he swore to uphold when he became president. Inciting the riots of January 6 was the final act of denial of trump’s oath of office. This act broke his contract WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE (all Americans). As he destroyed that contract so he should be impeached which should ensure that he does not enjoy a single benefit as a result of HAVING BEEN a President of the USA. No pension, no security, no travel and no title. Just another American thug.
The Republican Senators, themselves, are in fact in breach of their own respective oaths of office by letting trump off the hook. Their oath was to protect THE AMERICAN PEOPLE (all of them as a whole) and not just to protect their cult leader from loosing face, popularity and his ability to collect funds for their Party. That oath is taken by Senators because it raises (well, supposed to raise!) them above self, above the party and (should!!) force them to take a higher lever of responsibilitiy for THE COUNTRY and all of its people. Peacefully.
We will see whether the Republican Party is capable of honoring their oath, their contract with the people of the USA and not just consider RESPONSIBILITY for themselves and maybe their Party but for the USA.
Keep safe, Jude