Thursday, November 10, 2005

Mistakes or missing ethics?

Leasing a luxury vehicle for an exorbitant price during lean times is a mistake. Attempting to sneak it past the city council and lying about it to the public is a moral failing.

Failing to balance the city budget in the current economic climate reveals a lack of financial capability and leadership. Lying about the size of the budget deficit to the city council and the public is a moral failing.

Staffing city positions with incompetent and unqualified bureaucrats demonstrates a lack of management skills. Staffing those positions with incompetent and unqualified friends and relatives is a moral failing.

Maintaining a large and unnecessary security staff reveals an inflated ego. Using that staff to intimidate whistle-blowers and reporters is a moral failing.

Kwame Kilpatrick claims he has learned from his mistakes and a majority of voters believed him. Unfortunately, moral failings build over a lifetime and take longer than a campaign season to remedy.

[Letter to the Editor - The Detroit News - Submitted 11/09/2005]

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