3 quotes found
"The origin of the term “nepotism” comes from Catholic bishops who would bequeath wealth, property, and priesthood to their “nephews”---usually their illegitimate offspring, and it served as a way for church clergy to both own property and to retain power in their families. Today, we use nepotism to refer to the hiring or promotion of a family member (including in-laws), and it smacks of favoritism. Indeed, the hiring of relatives in some companies is forbidden by company policy."
"There is one simple change that would help shake up the status quo and reverse the ongoing trend towards incumbency and plutocracy. All we need do is pass a law that prohibits family members of a current or former officeholder from running for elected office or serving in any capacity in his or her own administration. Ever since John Quincy Adams... America has suffered the shortcomings of a system open to the abuses of nepotism... George W. Bush was never qualified to be president, but he had the family connections...the Democratic Party could have saved itself from itself with such a statute in place as Hillary Clinton, the wife of a former president, would have been disqualified... would have cleared the way in 2016 for Bernie Sanders, who had a far better chance of knocking off Donald Trump... Such a provision would prevent the likes of the Bush daughters and Chelsea Clinton from running. More importantly, it would halt any further political ambitions by the Trump siblings, including Donald Jr., Eric and Ivanka.... With special interests ruling the roost, we're lucky to see new blood take office and instead must put up with something more akin to dynastic rule.Let's at least put an end to the passing of power from one generation of professional politicians to another, and clear the way for the possibility of truly representative government."
"NEPOTISM, n. Appointing your grandmother to office for the good of the party."