Advantage Quote by Meg Greenfield
“Since when do grown men and women, who presume to hold high government office and exercise what they think of as "moral leadership," require ethics officers to tell them whether it is or isn't permissible to grab the secretary's behind or redirect public funds to their own personal advantage?”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Washington Post, 1975
High officials question the need for ethics oversight, suggesting self‑regulation suffices.
In simple terms: Officials think they don’t need ethics rules.
Key Takeaway
Consider the limits of self‑regulation.
Themes
ethics
power
governance
Mood
critical
inquisitive
Type
political
commentary
When to use this quote
- government decision‑making
- public accountability
- conflict of interest
Key Concepts
political science
law
Questions to Reflect On
- Should ethics be mandatory for all leaders?
- What safeguards prevent abuse?
A Different Perspective
Self‑interest often blinds leaders to ethical lapses.
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
