Did You Know... (3 October 07)

...that facilitating, or "grease" payments to foreign officials, unlike bribes, are lawful under U.S. law, but still considered to be questionable from the point of view of business ethics? (More Wikipedia goodies!)

Why am I not surprised? Why is this not that shocking? So bribery is illegal but "grease" payments are not. Well, well. Sounds like a law that needs some serious re-thinking. Clearly this is completely unethical but why is it not outright illegal? I can't pay off the government to keep the H-2B visa programs in place, but companies or exceedingly wealthy people can pay off other companies to do their bidding or keep something bad in place? How is this right?

I'd say write your local government, or your congressman, but they are likely delighted that this sort of thing is legal, since they potentially stand to benefit from it!

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