No?
Of Course Not?
Does it stop the requests?
No?….Yes?
I work in compliance. I’m about to do a double session today on annual Compliance/HIPAA training for two local businesses. A full 30 minute segment of the training is going to be on how to say no without losing business.
While doing my final prep for today, I’ve been listening to the clap trap about the Clinton emails and their connections to the Clinton Foundation. No matter no one can show quid pro quo. Innuendo is all that is needed, after all, this is Hillary Clinton we’re talking about (yes, that’s sarcasm). For good measure, we’ll include a clip of Trump shrilly calling for a special prosecutor to look into it (No, on second thought, I’m not going to link to anything or show anything that guy says).
For me, I have to look at this through the prism of my own career. How many times have I called my contacts to get a favor of an introduction or a chance to meet someone to make a pitch that would get my little business more business? Many, many times. Are my requests always granted? No. Are my pitches always accepted? No. Do I get more business from these activities? Yes. Is it unethical for me to ask a physician, nurse or medical coder to introduce me to a manager of a medical business that can make use of my services? No. The flip side happens, too. Many times people meet with me to advance their agenda. “Hi, glad to meet you. No, I won’t need your services for a few months, but could you help me with this situation?”
Ok, asking for an introduction is not bad, but is there quid pro quo? Well that’s open to nit picking. I was listening to Kristen Welker go after a Clinton spokesman about the Clinton Foundation, “Why not just close it?” she asks. I think the proper response to that is another question. “Well, Kristen, just how many people are you willing to see die if the Clinton Foundation closes? They are a major supplier of HIV drugs on the world market.” When Kristen Welker suggests that the Gates Foundation could take over the Clinton Foundation I’d probably ask, “How many people are you willing to see die from the chaos likely to occur from transferring a foundation as large as the Clinton Global Initiative to another huge global foundation?” The Clinton Foundation isn’t a water spigot. It isn’t hyperbole to assert people can die as a result of a huge charity undergoing a major upheaval. Just look at the Red Cross if you don’t believe me. If you didn’t have a problem with George W’s involvement with the Points of Light Foundation while he was president, then you shouldn’t have a problem with the Clinton Foundation.
But what about the appearances of ……
What about it? Show me. Don’t hint, quibble, equivocate….TELL ME where, exactly has the Clinton Foundation don’t something unethical? Did it do as the Red Cross did? Raise $500 million only to NOT spend it in Haiti? No? Seems to me this is another bunch of concern trolls with their heads stuck up their… oh, maybe I shouldn’t complete that thought.