Ethics Bush style

Didn't there used to be something about avoiding even the appearance of a conflict of interest? Nobody seems to care about that anymore. Hell, forget about apparent conflicts, we might as well encourage real conflicts of interest, rejoice in them, wallow in them, indulge in them, and profit from them:

The chief of the Consumer Product Safety Commission and her predecessor have taken dozens of trips at the expense of the toy, appliance and children's furniture industries and others they regulate, according to internal records obtained by The Washington Post. Some of the trips were sponsored by lobbying groups and lawyers representing the makers of products linked to consumer hazards.

The records document nearly 30 trips since 2002 by the agency's acting chairman, Nancy Nord, and the previous chairman, Hal Stratton, that were paid for in full or in part by trade associations or manufacturers of products ranging from space heaters to disinfectants. The airfares, hotels and meals totaled nearly $60,000, and the destinations included China, Spain, San Francisco, New Orleans and a golf resort on Hilton Head Island, S.C.

I'm going to pick a pocket or two.