{"id":1113,"date":"2020-09-02T12:58:20","date_gmt":"2020-09-02T12:58:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bikingwithmike.com\/?p=1113"},"modified":"2020-09-02T12:58:20","modified_gmt":"2020-09-02T12:58:20","slug":"september-2-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bikingwithmike.com\/?p=1113","title":{"rendered":"September 2, 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I\u2019m sure most people are not aware of the story about MacDonald\u2019s former CEO, Steve Easterbrook, who was ousted last November after having an affair with an employee and that indiscretion came to light.\u00a0 Easterbrook, at the time, stated that he hadn\u2019t had any other sexual relationships with employees.\u00a0 He was awarded a severance package and booted out the door.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recently, it surfaced that Easterbrook had lied and, in fact, had sexual relationships with at least three more women employees.\u00a0 Macdonald sued Easterbrook to recover the severance package that was awarded to him.\u00a0 Recently, Mr. Easterbrook asked the court to dismiss the case against him.\u00a0 In MacDonald\u2019s response they stated: \u201cWhen McDonald\u2019s investigated, Steve Easterbrook lied. He violated the Company\u2019s policies, disrespected its values, and abused the trust of his co-workers, the Board, our franchisees, and our shareholders,\u201d McDonald\u2019s said in a statement to CNBC. \u201cHis argument that he should not be held responsible for even repeated bad acts is morally bankrupt and fails under the law.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We currently have a man in the White House who is an unindicted co-conspirator in a crime to pay hush money to a porn star, has been accused by over a dozen women of various forms of sexual assault up to and including rape, was caught on tape bragging about being able to grope women and has a long history of treating women with disrespect.\u00a0 In addition to that, he has never released his tax returns so there is little definitive information about his true financial situation, business relationships and other entanglements.\u00a0 He has never, unlike previous presidents, released any of his medical records outside of brief letters from his personal physician which tell little. \u00a0He is one of only 3 presidents in history to be impeached and there are lingering questions about some of his foreign relationships.\u00a0 A review of his Twitter account will show a long history of racist and sexist tropes along with forwarding controversial conspiracy theories.\u00a0 \u00a0And, to top it all off, there is the constant lying \u2013 a daily occurrence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MacDonald\u2019s fired their former CEO, Steve Easterbrook, for lying and having affairs with employees and declared him morally bankrupt.\u00a0 When you compare what Easterbrook did, as distasteful as it was, it pales in comparison to what Trump has done during his tenure as President of the United States.\u00a0 The fact is, I would bet Trump could not get hired as a CEO at any reputable major American company.\u00a0 And, if he were hired, and performed there like he has performed for the American people, he would be fired just like Steve Easterbrook.\u00a0 There is no doubt in my mind that the only reason that Trump is still head of the Trump Organization is because it is a private company.\u00a0 If it were a public company, my guess is the Board of Directors would have booted his ass out the door a long time ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The list of CEOs at American companies who have been fired for far less egregious behavior than President Trump is fairly lengthy. This is only a partial list:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

American Outdoor Brands (Smith and Wesson) CEO<\/strong> \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CBS Corporation CEO\u2014Leslie Moonves<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Papa John\u2019s chairman and founder\u2014John Schnatter<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wynn Resorts CEO and founder\u2014Steve Wynn<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intel Corporation CEO\u2014Brian Krzanich<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walt Disney Co COO\u2014John Lasseter<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Athena Health CEO\u2014Jonathan Bush<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Xerox Corp CEO\u2014Jeff Jacobson<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barnes & Noble CEO\u2014Demos Parneros<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It just begs the question, \u201cHow the hell can people put up with the ongoing pathetic, corrupt and incompetent behavior by the person occupying the White House when CEOs of major corporations are fired, sometimes for having a single \u2018ethical lapse.\u2019\u00a0 \u00a0The Republican Party which has often billed itself as the party of \u2018family values\u2019 where \u2018character counts\u2019 must have to twist their collective brains into pretzels to be able to rationalize how support for this man is justifiable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps it\u2019s just me \u2013 but I find it unbelievably ironic that Trump loves Macdonald\u2019s and, in all likelihood, couldn\u2019t get a job there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, Mr. President, enjoy those Big Macs.\u00a0 Maybe you can get some to go and share them with Mr. Easterbrook and other fired CEOs at your next MBA (Morally Bankrupt Anonymous) meeting. [My apologies to my fellow MBAs \u2013 UCLA 1987]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2020\/08\/31\/mcdonalds-slams-ex-ceo-as-morally-bankrupt-after-he-asks-for-suit-dismissal.html?ocid=uxbndlbing<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.foxbusiness.com\/features\/the-biggest-ceo-exits-of-2018<\/a><\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"