If you're honest about your corruption can you call it unethical?
by digby
Greg Sargent caught Sean Spicer explaining why Trump's blatant conflicts of interest aren't unethical:
“You tell everyone, here’s what’s going on, here’s the process, here are the people that are playing a role, that’s being transparent. Conflicts of interest arise when you’re not — when you’re sneaky about it, when you’re shady about it, when you’re not transparent about it.”
See? Trump is openly selling the "presidential brand" and using his position for personal profit which makes him honest. Or something. Since the only remedy for a criminal president is impeachment and the Republican congress is either in thrall or intimidated, Trump knows he can do whatever he chooses and there's nothing anyone will do to stop him. It's a waste of time to try to hide his corruption and they've figured out that being "transparent" about their criminal behavior perversely offers them a public defense.
When you elect a thoroughly shameless person to be president, you shouldn't expect them to have any shame.
Sadly, I actually think this will work for many Americans and most of the Republican Party until there is some evidence that it resulted in those voters being personally harmed. (It's not as if he had a consensual affair, ran a global charity for poor people or used a private email server fergawdsakes!) It almost certainly will have to be an economic crisis or a war for his supporters to hold him responsible for his criminality. Short of that I think his supporters are fine with him and his family stealing the country blind --- just as long as no benefits flow to people they believe don't deserve it.
Trump said it himself many times, in different contexts: "to the victor belongs the spoils"
Trump didn't keep his intentions secret. His voters knew what he was planning. They didn't mind.
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