Ethics seem to make sense to everyone but the ones in office. I agree, they really aren't very complicated.

i always thought that if somebody might think whatever you are contemplating doing is wrong then don't do it---however, i have watched a lot of years and the standard of wrong has changed---i believe the truest measure of ethical behavior is the accountability standard---that is if you have to tell your mother about it will you be proud, ashamed, or indifferent---we hold our public officials up as above the fray so we want them to treat us as their mothers and report everything---they develop thick skins so even when they are not proud they are rarely ashamed---and if they "get away" with something they do sometimes feel proud and others look at them and say how can i do that---if we were a truly ethical nation we would do nothing that involved any advantage or edge and would be sure that all parties to a deal had all the information any party had---and we would not make any deal that presented because of a position of public service---furthermore we would not inform our closest friends and family of such deals either---

"ETHICS" was torn from the vocabulary pages in the White House just most recent. Do I think there's an ethical politician out there anymore????? NO!

Easy solution: Use the death penalty for unethical politicians of any political persuasion. Why do we keep putting up with these miscreants?

My ethics are whatever I want them to be as long as they don't infringe on the ethics of others.

Legislators are often lawyers. To be a legislator is, almonst by definition, to be at least a dabbler in law.

As lawyers or wannabes they know how to "muddy the water". Nothing is clear that can be profitably complicated.

This is simple. No gifts, period. No tickets, period. No favors, period. Work for the citizens, period. No lobbying after serving, period. See, simple!

Ethics are a very confusing concept to Republicans. How do you use your public office to enrich yourself and your friends without actually doing so? It's a tough world . . .

The only reason it is confusing for politicians is for the most part they lack ehtics. Both sides of the floor.

Ethics is not a difficult concept for the honest. For politicians, though, it depends what the definition of "is" is.

""ETHICS" was torn from the vocabulary pages in the White House just most recent. Do I think there's an ethical politician out there anymore????? NO!"

What are you talking about? What, and be very precise about it, has the current administration done that is "unethical"?

How many Reagan appointees were indicted? Convicted?
Do the same for GHWB, WJC, and GWB. You can add JEC,Jr. if you want to. Add in all the legislative branch indictments and convictions. Can you still allege that ethics have gotten worse? How would that be?

Something that is unethical is NOT Illegal or against the law,

ethics are based on morals,

but what with liberal's moral relativism,

you can neither be ethical or unethical.

You MUST have a moral base before you can define what is ethical.

Ethics is based on what is morally right or wrong.

nevertheless in the eyes of the law ethics have NO standing.

since ethics are based on morals you have to decide who morals you choose and use.