THE NEW YORK SALON in association with New York Society for Ethical Culture:

Is There a ‘Culture of Corruption’ in Politics and Business?

Wednesday 21st June 2006, 7.00pm - 8.30pm
Arrive early. New York Society for Ethical Culture FREE ADMISSION

The NY Salon proudly announces Is There a ‘Culture of Corruption’ in Politics and Business?, a public debate featuring Robert Pollock, Matthew Continetti, David Callahan and Daniel Ben-Ami, and moderated by NY Salon’s James Matthews.

From Abramoff to DeLay, many claim Washington is riddled with corrupt practices. At the same time, confidence in Corporate America has yet to fully recover from the blows of Enron and other scandals. This apparent explosion of corruption has led some to wonder if our political and business institutions face a deep-rooted problem of illegal and unethical behavior.

On June 21st, 2006, the NY Salon and the New York Society for Ethical Culture will present “Is There a ‘Culture of Corruption’ in Politics and Business?” a discussion with four leading writers on the extent and implications of corruption in our institutions.

Robert Pollock, Editorial Board member at The Wall Street Journal, recognizes the problem that corruption represents, but thinks the solution lies in a freer market for corporate control and criminal prosecutions where warranted, not the regulatory excesses that emerged in the aftermath of Enron. Matthew Continetti, journalist at The Weekly Standard and author of The K Street Gang, says the current problems in Washington can be traced back to the Republican reformers elected in 1994, who succumbed to the temptations of power and became worse than the Democrats they had been elected to replace. David Callahan, Research Director at the think-tank Demos and author of The Cheating Culture, contends that Americans in all walks of life are cheating more than ever, and blames the unfettered market and economic inequality for corroding our values. And Daniel Ben-Ami, London-based financial journalist and author of Cowardly Capitalism, identifies a growing anti-corruption movement internationally, and says that the pre-occupation with scandal is the result of today’s political and business leaders being unable to promote their missions positively.

Are political and business organizations rife with corruption today? Has there been an increase in corruption in recent years, or is the extent of corruption exaggerated? Is the current focus on corrupt behavior an important democratic check on authorities, or a negative statement about the low horizons of politics today? Will these charges lead to the demise of the Republicans, or will both parties be tarred by the brush of corruption? What’s the solution to corruption?

The panel discussion begins at 7pm, followed by a question and answer session with the audience. The event will take place at the New York Society for Ethical Culture, 2 West 64th Street at Central Park West. Admission is FREE. For more information, please call (212) 874 5210.

Participant Biographies

Robert Pollock
Robert Pollock is a member of The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board. In July 1995, Mr. Pollock joined The Wall Street Journal Europe in Brussels as an editorial page writer. He moved to the domestic Journal in May 2000 as an assistant editorial features editor. He was also the editor of the weekly Manager’s Journal column. In January 2002 he became an editorial page writer and then senior editorial page writer in 2003. He Joined the Editorial Board in 2005. In 2003, Mr. Pollock was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in the editorial writing category for “his clear, compelling editorials on the Food and Drug Administration’s delay in approval of new cancer drugs.” In 2002, he was named runner-up in the inaugural Frederic Bastiat Prize for Journalism awards held in London.

Matthew Continetti
Matthew Continetti is a staff writer at The Weekly Standard and author of The K Street Gang: The Rise and Fall of the Republican Machine (Doubleday, 2006). His articles and reviews have also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, and Doublethink. He lives in Washington, D.C.

Buy Matthew Continetti’s book, The K Street Gang
Watch Matthew Continetti on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart:

David Callahan
David Callahan has written extensively about American history, business, and public policy. He is author of The Cheating Culture: Why More Americans Are Doing Wrong to Get Ahead (Harcourt, Jan. 2004). His five previous books include Kindred Spirits: Harvard Business School’s Extraordinary Class of 1949 and How They Transformed American Business (John Wiley/Forbes). David’s numerous articles have been published in such places as The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, and The American Prospect. He has also been a frequent commentator on television programs on CNN, CBS, PBS, MSNBC, and Fox News, and has been a regular guest on radio talk shows across the United States, including appearances such programs as Morning Edition, The Connection, and the Tavis Smiley Show. David lectures frequently about issues of ethics and integrity to universities, associations, and businesses.
Visit David Callahan’s web site: http://www.cheatingculture.com

Buy David Callahan’s book, The Cheating Culture

Read David Callahan’s article “Dull Moment: The Surprising Face of Corporate Evil,” New Republic Online, February 15, 2005:

Daniel Ben-Ami
Daniel Ben-Ami has worked as a financial journalist for 20 years during which time he has contributed to numerous publications including the Financial Times, Guardian, Independent, Prospect, the Sunday Times and Which? He has also done country risk analysis on the Middle East for the Economist Intelligence Unit. Cowardly Capitalism (Wiley 2001), his book on global finance, was recommended by the Baker Library of Harvard Business School. He also contributed a chapter to Cultural Difference, Media Memories: Anglo-American Images of Japan (Cassell 1997). Daniel is currently writing a book on changing perceptions 

Buy Daniel Ben-Ami’s book, Cowardly Capitalism

Read Daniel Ben-Ami’s article, “Not the Smartest Film in the Cinema,” Spiked Online, May 31, 2006:

Event Sponsors:

Founded in 1876 by Felix Adler, the New York Society for Ethical Culture (NYSEC) is a humanist organization whose mission may be simply stated as “deed above creed.” Among the Society’s good works are providing shelter for homeless women and raising funds for the DNA testing of prisoners who may have been wrongfully accused. NYSEC is also committed to producing programs that educate the public on current social and political issues. Recent speakers and programs have included Al Gore on Global Warming, Richard A. Clarke, Former Ambassador Joe Wilson, America Coming Together, Toni Morrison and Cornel West, Robert Fisk, and Nicholas Kristof. 
For more information: http://www.nysec.org/

The Donald and Paula Smith Family Foundation defends free speech and a free society through the critical examination of ideas, sponsoring debates and related activities in the New York area. In a world where philosophical arguments all too often take the form of partisan rancor and anti-intellectual appeals, the Foundation hopes to serve as a reminder that we are united by a deeper loyalty: to skeptical analysis, reason, and truth-seeking. The Foundation aims to foster informed debates that are both vigorous and civil, on topics ranging from economics to ethics, from politics to art, and beyond. Some debates will yield clear answers and some debates can never be settled, but the argumentative process itself can serve as a model of rational discourse in an often divided society. For more information: http://thesmithfamilyfoundation.org