Ethics and immorality- Donald Trump's reputation for hollow promises

Ethical breaches- an insidiuous spiral toward immorality. 

Echo opinion letter published in the Daytona Beach News Journal

While the definition of immorality has fluctuated in the political and social arena, it has never wavered in the Judeo-Christian ethic. Parents influenced by centuries of decency strive to teach their children right from wrong.

Our moral reputation defines our individual and collective character. And truthfulness is one of the critical foundations of good character and the benchmark of virtuous people.

Unfortunately, in this current presidential administration, there has been a propensity for gross fabrication to manipulate the masses. This comes as no surprise to someone like myself, who hired the Trump Organization in 1988 to promote a national event in Atlantic City, and found his hollow promises and unsatisfactory performance a complete disappointment.

In this 21st century, with the president’s same deficient business acumen, White House trust has been completely eroded, breaching confidence among Americans who depend upon total honesty from the highest office in our land.

Despite three months of investigation into the allegations of a whistleblower and numerous other witnesses, here is the bold truth that lies before us. Donald Trump withheld vital congressionally-approved’ military aid to pressure the new president of the Ukraine to announce an investigation of Trump’s political rival. This is a clear violation of the Constitution of the United States. It left Congress with no alternative but to impeach the president for abuse of power”.

Congress attempted to fully investigate the alleged action of this White House, and was confronted with a “wall of obstruction”. Despite numerous Congressional subpoenas, the president ordered all potential witnesses to refuse to testify, and all documents to be withheld. This clearly constituted blatant “Obstruction of Congress”.

Sadly, rather than seize the opportunity to prove his innocence, the president chose another path. Truth and Defiance are on opposite sides of the scales of justice, and the president’s thumb is on the scale.

Immorality has many faces. Defiance is but one of those faces. Defiance erodes confidence in the office of the presidency when it tests the limits of our Constitution in a way that no other president in the history of our country has done before.

But whether this president acts with defiance or callousness...as in his suggestion that deceased Congressman John Dingell resides in hell...it is certain that we have a president who does not serve with the measured words or actions of a disciplined statesman. 

Such immoral recklessness by Republicans and Donald Trump will harm our nation for years to come.
From L. Ronald Durham, Daytona Beach