Category Archives: ethics

Duplicity

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President Joe Biden (D) eased travel restrictions for foreign nationals, allowing those who can show proof of vaccination against the Wuhan Virus to enter the US.

Except for illegal aliens. They aren’t even being tested, just checked for symptoms—which at the virus’ early stage are largely the same as those for the flu or a cold. If “symptomatic,” illegal aliens are supposed to be quarantined for two weeks, then sent on their way, often, but far from the norm, via deportation.

Biden explained the difference through his Press Secretary Jen Psaki:

As individuals come across the border, they are both assessed for whether they have any symptoms, if they have symptoms, the intention is for them to have to be quarantined.
They are not intending to stay here for a lengthy period of time. I don’t think it’s the same thing.

Never mind that most foreign nationals coming to the US also are not intending to stay here for a lengthy period of time. They’re coming on visitor visas to be tourists or to visit family, and on business visas to conduct some business, and then they’re on their way back home.

Biden knows this.

Ratification Bonuses

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Mondelez International has settled its dispute with its workers as the company and the union representing the workers, the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, signed a new four-year deal.

One importance of this, as far as I’m concerned, is that the supply of Oreo cookies is secured for that period. But what do I know; I’m a sucker for chocolate- and sugar-based junk food.

The deal, however, consists in large part, of

ratification bonuses, hourly wage increases, and a higher company match for 401(k) contributions….

The real importance of the deal is the inclusion of those ratification bonuses. Mondelez isn’t alone in agreeing to these artificial demands, made by unions for no serious reason, but only as an exercise of union strike-based extortion power.

Businesses need to stop being so meek; they need to stop bending over and accepting “ratification bonuses.” The only thing these things do is serve as an incentive for striking again so the unions can collect yet more vig for ending that one. And the next one. And….

The Failure of the Department of Veterans Affairs

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It’s gotten even worse, astoundingly.

The Department of Veterans Affairs wants to hear from its customers, so to speak, but check your skin color before raising your hand. The VA is holding dozens of “listening sessions” for patients at its medical facilities. Eight cities are being virtually canvassed, with hearings for “racial/ethnic minorities,” “LGBTQ+ veterans,” and so forth.

For instance:

At a session on race last week in Augusta, Ga., a woman who described herself as white spoke in favor of inclusive language and safe spaces. “I appreciate your being upfront about the fact that you’re not a person of color yourself,” the VA’s facilitator chided, “because this listening session is for those from racial and ethnic minorities, to give them that kind of safe space.”

The woman was a member of a VA- and Government-disfavored group of Americans, and so she was told to shut up and sit down.

Now the VA has gone openly racist and sexist, and that’s not only damaging to our nation, it’s despicably harming those who defend and have defended our nation.

The VA is long past reparability; it must be eliminated entirely and all personnel returned to the private sector, not merely reallocated to other government sectors.

Veteranos Administratio delende est.

More Foolishness

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This time it’s from DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. He’s finally getting around to talking about dealing with the 12,000, or so, illegal aliens camping out under a bridge in Del Rio, TX, most of whom are Haitians. Recall that months ago, he talked about telling Haitians not to come to the US illegally as they wouldn’t be allowed in. They came anyway (I guess he doesn’t consider Del Rio’s bridge, on the US side of the Rio Grande, to be US territory).

Now Mayorkas is talking about deporting those under the bridge, seven flights daily to Port-au-Prince and to Cap-Haitien.

Those flights will leave from San Antonio and maybe El Paso.

But why? Why would these illegal aliens be bused 160 miles to San Antonio or 430 miles to El Paso to be put on a flight to Haiti? The Del Rio International Airport is just down the road a piece from the bridge—6 whole miles, or less, depending on the route the bus would take.

And when? So far, this is just more Mayorkas chit chat.

Further, what health risks are being inflicted on us Americans by routing these illegal aliens—10% of whom, by CBP estimates, have Wuhan Virus symptoms—all around Robin Hood’s southern barn to get to a runway instead of deporting them directly from Del Rio?

And these questions: what favored special interests are Biden-Harris and Mayorkis paying off for taking this artificially and unnecessarily circuitous route for deportation? What transportation companies are being paid off for taking part in this circuitous inefficiency?

Is Justice Served?

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Marc Baier, Ryan Adams and Daniel Gericke, who illegally transferred computer-hacking technology to the United Arab Emirates, have successfully pled out their crimes of computer fraud and violating export control laws, and they’ve received their sentences.

The men will have to pay $1.7 million to resolve the criminal charges in the “Hacking for Hire” operation.

Their deal also includes

a deferred prosecution agreement also requiring the men to cooperate with the investigation, sever ties with any UAE intelligence or law enforcement agencies, and forego security clearances. The Justice Department will abandon the prosecution if they comply with those and other terms for three years[.]

Never mind that computer fraud, on a first conviction, is punishable by prison terms of up to 10 years, and that export control violations are punishable by prison terms of up to 5 years.

This compares with a navy sailor who ignorantly took souvenir pictures in a classified area of a submarine, and then actually did a year in jail.

Justice most assuredly was not served. The three men, with their wealth, were able to buy their way out into light sentences and a supervision period much less than the jail time for which they were eligible.