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WS Journal's Otten reports the question, "Inevitably, some
lying and deception is necessary to business of govt, buthow much?"
was put to some 100 Harvard grad students and their responses sug-
gest "W'gate may have had less-than-expected impact on ethical
standards of our future leaders. 11 A dozen case studies of "official
duplicity" were used, and "surprisingly, large numbers of
students -- in a few cases, substantial majorities -- endorsed
deception. 11 There appeared the "apparent untroubled acceptance of
widespread deceit and lying. No conspicuous concern over abstract
ethical questions, or the damage to the democratic process in having
a bamboozled Hill or an increasingly cynical citizenry. Rather, let
prudence be the guide. Volunteer as little info as possible. If
pressed, evade and obfuscate. 11 Otten notes the Harvard
insturctors conducting the test thought it underlined the need for more
attention to "just where the line ought to be drawn between acceptable and
unacceptable deceit, 11 or for "institutions that' root around and make
it harder for officials to cover up and lie. 11 Or, as Vermont Royster
hopes, "perhaps W'gate will eventually make public expect more from
its officials" because of the "very flagrancy of recent scandals. 11
Then, says Otten, "deception and lying may become far poorer risks. 11
Phillips finds it's an unfortunate fact that dollar-minded US culture
together w/ the exalted status of Pres "focuses a very real psychologi-
cal pressure on Presidents" to get enough money to ma intain their
accustomed lifestyle after leaving office. And $200, 000/yr. doesn't do
it. Few kings and queens are accorded comparable splendor and
foreign prime ministers don't command the perquisites or regal life-
styles of US Presidents. If only JFK among the last 4 Pres didn't
have to struggle for wealth, it was because of trusts/inheritances
rooted in Joseph P. 's controversial liquor and real estate deals.
Phillips doubts academicians understand the up-close impact of
"dollar politics on a Pres. 11 He's surrounded by millionaire business-
men and flush labor leaders. Pres campaigns cost $50-100M. In
such an atmosphere it's not surprising middle class Presidents strain
for greater affluence. The Imperial Presidency of the last 25 years
nurtured this attitude in all our Presidents -- not just RN.
Phillips believes Pres and top Hill leaders are underpaid: the
financial deals of Ike, LBJ, HHH, RN, STA bear some witness.
Compare RN's situation w/that of a corporate chieftain. For ending
a crippling 11-yr. war, breaking new ground in overseas relations,
ending city rioting, the corporate chieftain "would P robably have
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"ocrText": "21\nWS Journal's Otten reports the question, \"Inevitably, some\nlying and deception is necessary to business of govt, buthow much?\"\nwas put to some 100 Harvard grad students and their responses sug-\ngest \"W'gate may have had less-than-expected impact on ethical\nstandards of our future leaders. 11 A dozen case studies of \"official\nduplicity\" were used, and \"surprisingly, large numbers of\nstudents -- in a few cases, substantial majorities -- endorsed\ndeception. 11 There appeared the \"apparent untroubled acceptance of\nwidespread deceit and lying. No conspicuous concern over abstract\nethical questions, or the damage to the democratic process in having\na bamboozled Hill or an increasingly cynical citizenry. Rather, let\nprudence be the guide. Volunteer as little info as possible. If\npressed, evade and obfuscate. 11 Otten notes the Harvard\ninsturctors conducting the test thought it underlined the need for more\nattention to \"just where the line ought to be drawn between acceptable and\nunacceptable deceit, 11 or for \"institutions that' root around and make\nit harder for officials to cover up and lie. 11 Or, as Vermont Royster\nhopes, \"perhaps W'gate will eventually make public expect more from\nits officials\" because of the \"very flagrancy of recent scandals. 11\nThen, says Otten, \"deception and lying may become far poorer risks. 11\nPhillips finds it's an unfortunate fact that dollar-minded US culture\ntogether w/ the exalted status of Pres \"focuses a very real psychologi-\ncal pressure on Presidents\" to get enough money to ma intain their\naccustomed lifestyle after leaving office. And $200, 000/yr. doesn't do\nit. Few kings and queens are accorded comparable splendor and\nforeign prime ministers don't command the perquisites or regal life-\nstyles of US Presidents. If only JFK among the last 4 Pres didn't\nhave to struggle for wealth, it was because of trusts/inheritances\nrooted in Joseph P. 's controversial liquor and real estate deals.\nPhillips doubts academicians understand the up-close impact of\n\"dollar politics on a Pres. 11 He's surrounded by millionaire business-\nmen and flush labor leaders. Pres campaigns cost $50-100M. In\nsuch an atmosphere it's not surprising middle class Presidents strain\nfor greater affluence. The Imperial Presidency of the last 25 years\nnurtured this attitude in all our Presidents -- not just RN.\nPhillips believes Pres and top Hill leaders are underpaid: the\nfinancial deals of Ike, LBJ, HHH, RN, STA bear some witness.\nCompare RN's situation w/that of a corporate chieftain. For ending\na crippling 11-yr. war, breaking new ground in overseas relations,\nending city rioting, the corporate chieftain \"would P robably have"
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