Wealthiest More Likely to Lie, Cheat, & Steal (for 2/29/12)

High-income people lie and cheat more often, compared to those of average income or wealth, according to a recent study.  The wealthy also cut off other drivers on the road and believe in breaking the rules while working.  Greed is one thing that drives the wealthy to exhibit these various socially unacceptable behaviors that may ultimately lead to corruption which angers Americans of average or below-average income.  When the wealthy amass so much riches that they are in th top 1%, they often fail to see how their actions affect others.  This type of attitude may affect how they conduct interviews with potential employees, to whom they withhold important information regarding the positions they seek.  In the workplace, they are more likely to justify stealing money, bribery, and ripping off customers.  When extremely wealthy individuals are heavily involved in philanthropy, it can make one wonder if they are merely using it as a cover for these anti-social behaviors.  The recent reports of the wealth divide between Congressional members and their constituents indicated that insider trading is surely going on among members of Congress.  Constituents are left to wonder if their Congressional Representative or Senator believes it is all right to lie, cheat, and steal.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/02/27/1068884/-The-1-more-likely-to-lie-cheat-and-steal-Science-says-so-?via=spotlight

Watered-Down Insider Trading Bill Passes House (For 2/13/12)

Eric Cantor's efforts to water down the STOCK Act have proven successful. Congress easily passed the weakened STOCK Act last week, with 417 votes for and only two against, to ban insider trading among members of Congress. As the bill's author, Cantor left in the loophole that allows individuals who "sell information they learn from Congress to corporations to not register as lobbyists." Therefore, Cantor wants to hide these individuals, who may be his big campaign contributors, from public scrutiny. Perhaps the only thing that will work to prevent insider trading on the basis of Congressional dealings will be a strong Constitutional amendment to hold Congress members accountable. An amendment to get money put of politics will help, but may be difficult to pass. With Cantor's actions on this bill and Congressional approval at an all-time low, it may be much easier to first pass an amendment more narrow in scope that regulates the behavior of members of Congress. http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/02/09/422050/house-passes-stock-ac/

Cantor Wants to Stop Insider Trading Ban? (for 2/3/12)

President Obama challenged Congress in last month's State of the Union address to pass a bill outlawing insider trading by members of Congress. The bill, known as the Stop Trading On Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act, has 273 co-sponsors. But, Eric Cantor is holding up the bill to include other kinds of unrelated economic activity such as land deals. This is an effort on his part to water down or even kill the bill and deny Obama a big public relations victory that will boost his re-election efforts. It shows the corruption that exists in Congress and why Congressional approval is at an all-time low. This commonsense bill should pass without being watered down and not be subjected to any individual Representative's desire for any special exemption. Therefore Cantor is totally corrupt and unworthy of the Office he holds. http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/02/02/417767/cantor-insider-trading-ban/