After Trump tweet, ethics office to U.S. employees: do not endorse products

A day after President-elect Donald Trump encouraged supporters to "Buy L.L. Bean," a U.S. ethics watchdog on Friday warned federal employees they must not endorse products or companies.

The U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) said on its official Twitter account: "All executive branch employees must refrain from misuse of position, including endorsements."

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I feel vindicated because I was critical of Trump's L.L. Bean endorsement. It's not only that that was right out of the film Idiocracy, it seems wrong for an elected official to use their stature to promote products. Some people brought up Obamacare in relation to that, and I agree with that assessment. The government should not be promoting any products from the private sector.

I foresee this kind of thing happening with Trump a lot. He better watch it or he could end up being impeached if he makes the wrong tweet in the future. Some people are just waiting to impeach him over absolutely anything.

Why not? Obama bailed out GM and Chrysler using 40 BILLION taxpayer money. That's FAR more than a simple verbal endorsement.

Where is the ethics office when Obama let Ford and GM close down American factories, lay off American workers, use cheap labor in Mexico, sell American cars made in Mexico expensive in America to make profit?

originally posted by: JeremySun
Why not? Obama bailed out GM and Chrysler using 40 BILLION taxpayer money. That's FAR more than a simple verbal endorsement.

That's a "too big to fail" issue.

The "too big to fail" theory asserts that certain corporations, particularly financial institutions, are so large and so interconnected that their failure would be disastrous to the greater economic system, and that they therefore must be supported by government when they face potential failure.

SOURCE

I don't see the relationship between the "too big to fail" theory and Trump's endorsement of L.L. Bean. Can you explain it?

originally posted by: JeremySun
Where is the ethics office when Obama let Ford and GM close down American factories, lay off American workers, use cheap labor in Mexico, sell American cars made in Mexico expensive in America to make profit?

A lot of people think "protectionism" is a dirty word. That's not an ethical issue. I agree that's unfortunate.

a reply to: Profusion
By the same token, I trust that no federal employees are involved in demanding a boycott. A boycott is as much of an interference in business matters as an endorsement. It amounts to a indirect endorsement of a company's competitors.

a reply to: Profusion

Well, he is not in the office yet. But yeah, he should be cautious in the future.

I don't see a problem. If liberals are going to start boycotting products and services out of dislike for the President, then he should be able to lend a hand. The old games are over. Political activists are no longer going to be able to stack the deck.

a reply to: Profusion

"Too Big to Fail" is simply a government's way of shielding itself from favoritism.

There is a huge difference between Trump saying "buy _____ product" and Obama handing banks and corporations billions in tax payer dollars.

The difference is not "one is too big to fail" and the other is an ethics violation. The difference is with one Americans have a choice whether or not to contribute. Politicians hate that.

Politicians have to have control -money is control. If they determine where the money goes they have the power. If the people can determine for themselves where it goes, government loses power. Bread and circuses only work when handed down from on high.

a reply to: JeremySun

That was an endorsement? Or that was a bailout to save an industry?
I don't recall Obama saying buy GM cars. Ever...

a reply to: Sillyolme

It was an endorsement because he gave taxpayer money to GM and Chrysler and not to Toyota and Honda's American subsidiaries, thus showing favoritism in the private sector.

He tweets about the cost of Air Force One and Boeing stocks loose $.2.00 a share.
He affected stock prices on Ford, Toyota, Lockheed Martin, United Technologies and GM And now LL Bean.

Just one more example of what he doesn't know.

Heavy sigh....

a reply to: JeremySun

It wasn't an endorsement of them it was saving U.S. jobs. You know ...part of his job.

There is an ethics committee? lol!!!!!



HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!!!!

Good one!!! HAAHAHAHAHAHAHa!

a reply to: Profusion



NOBODY... is "too big to fail"!!!

NOBODY!!!

originally posted by: Sillyolme
He tweets about the cost of Air Force One and Boeing stocks loose $.2.00 a share.
He affected stock prices on Ford, Toyota, Lockheed Martin, United Technologies and GM And now LL Bean.

Just one more example of what he doesn't know.

Heavy sigh....

So, some rich people lose a bit of their investment portfolio, whilst Boeing reduce costs to the tax payer. Good news, I'd say. Same with Lockheed.. News jobs and reduced cost of the F-35 program in order to appease Trump. More good news.

a reply to: JeremySun

Toyota and Honda weren't in danger of failing either.

a reply to: UKTruth

I think the bigger concern were lost jobs but you know what ev.
Isn't it funny ...all the wall street people he's hiring...

originally posted by: burgerbuddy
There is an ethics committee? lol!!!!!



HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!!!!

Good one!!! HAAHAHAHAHAHAHa!

I found it quite funny that the head of the 'ethics' committee did a press conference to talk about Trump's businesses and admitted he had not spoken to him. Doesn't say much for the moral principals that govern his behaviour that he'd stage a hit piece against the incoming President, when his job is supposed to be to help and advise.

originally posted by: Sillyolme
a reply to: UKTruth

I think the bigger concern were lost jobs but you know what ev.

What lost jobs?

So now Trump is Hitler because he likes LL Bean? I hope the Russians don't know about this!

You mean like this?