US Supreme Court makes Business FRAUD Legal

 

US Supreme Court makes Business FRAUD Legal

The US Supreme Court takes very few cases each year.  They only take cases that have “large” constitutional issues and can have a wide and important impact on the country.  They receive thousands of petitions for a hearing and only take about 1% of all petitions.

The definition of fraud and a bribe are clear.

Fraud:

1.    Intentional deception resulting in injury to another person

2.    Imposter: a person who makes deceitful pretenses

3.    Something intended to deceive; deliberate trickery intended to gain an advantage

Bribe:

1.    Make illegal payments to in exchange for favors or influence; "This judge can be bought"

2.    Payment made to a person in a position of trust to corrupt his judgment

In business, I spent 30 years in this murky place, determining what is and isn’t fraud and a bribe is difficult.  People and companies are paid for advice, consulting, assistance with strategy and other murky things.  Sometimes these services involve information and services that cross the line.

There is corruption in all countries around the world.  The level of corruption is the only real difference.  In places like Afghanistan the corruption is open and everywhere, pay-offs are in plain sight.  The US Army pays the Taliban (through a war lord) for not attacking a US convoys, the business man pays the local official for permits, everyone pays-off everyone.

In America business gives political contributions to elected officials and they vote for contracts the business wants and get billions in US taxpayer funds.  Contracts are granted by business to elected officials friends and so on and so forth.

But the few honest elected officials have tried hard to reduce these “business relationships” and restrain fraud and bribes between business in an attempt to protect the public and the taxpayers.

This is extremely difficult because in America the Golden Rule is now; “Those with the Gold make the rules.”

Both political parties play this game and both are corrupt.  A few in these parties are less corrupt and they are fighting to keep America for becoming Afghanistan.

No one who has read the record of Enron actions can claim they didn’t engage in fraud and that they didn’t bribe people to make money.  Their actions to blatant and reflected the pure greed at the heart of all business.  Profit equals higher pay, stock options and additional benefits.

It is the old story of the man who asked a woman if she would sleep with him for one million dollars and she said yes.  He then asked if she would sleep with him for twenty dollars and she replied, “What do you think I am?”  He said, “We have established what you are and we are now negotiating a price.”

A little murder is murder, a little greed is greed and a little fraud is still fraud.  But in business this rule simply doesn’t exist.  Years ago I found the company I was working for was bribing officials in Mexico to protect our plant there.  I asked if this was legal and I was told it didn’t matter, it was being done by every US Company with a plant in Mexico.

I asked the corporate attorney and he said, “It is not legal.”  He said that US law forbids making bribes of any kinds to foreign officials.  He advised that we have the officials set up phony companies and then pay the companies for none existent services.  He finished with, “That would be both dishonest and legal.”  Wow!  I quit and found another job.

The US Supreme Court has now found the same enlightened path.  It is perfectly legal to be dishonest and still take bribes and engage in fraud, if you do it the right way.

America has lost its way and is now in the hands of the crooks.  I was taught, as were many, to always do what is right.  I recall a friend of mine commenting on a huge government contract just awarded to our company after millions in political donations to both Republicans and Democrats, “That’s just how business is done.”

The US Supreme Court has lost its way and we are now in danger of becoming Afghanistan in many ways.  There is no such thing as a little fraud, fraud is fraud.  We have now established who we are and the only thing we need determine is at what price?   

   

Matthew 22:37-40 

37”And He said to him, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'

38"This is the great and foremost commandment.

39"The second is like it, YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'

40" On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets

Mark 10:19 

19"You know the commandments, DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, Do not defraud, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.”

Matthew 7:12 GOLDEN RULE -

12 “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”

John 14:15 “If ye love me keep my commandments.”