Greeks bearing gifts

Don Enss

Remember the old saying after the fall of Troy, “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.” Well, a more appropriate saying in our time might be “Beware of billionaires promising to be the one to fix every problem by themselves.” This includes global warning.

I have to admit that sometimes well maybe more that sometimes I am astounded that they can make statements and get a free pass from the reporters.  Sometime I would just like a reporter to say, “Give me a break! Do you really think that I am that stupid or gullible or that my listeners are to buy that?”  When Branson answered “I’m not very good with figures,” or “I failed my elementary maths.” I would have been all over that – “and you can say that with a straight face knowing that you are the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company and negotiate contracts involving sophisticated planning, budgeting, and tax decisions?

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But they just smile and ask him some inane question about what it felt like having a naked woman riding his back during a sky-dive. I certainly hope that as people become more involved and engaged that politicians and business leaders won’t be allowed to spin their answers, that they will be confronted and challenged when they try to. But it all starts with each one of us. When you hear something that doesn’t sound right, question it and then instead of being part of the social media circulation, be the one who interjects and says “that’s incorrect and here’s where you can learn more about that and see how the individual lied or misquoted.”

 Not to single out Eric Trump, but he was in the news tweeting a photograph showing a big rally recently in Florida. Fortunately, Mark Cuban saw the tweet and realized that it was from his center in Texas and that it wasn’t this week at all. He called him on it. Hopefully some of people who haven't made up their minds might pause to think about whether this is the first time.