| 1. If your
brother steals a car, but you knew nothing about his plan to steal, are you guilty of
theft? |
Yes
No
I never thought about it |
|
| 2. If your father was
convicted of theft, are you a convicted thief? |
Yes
No
I never thought about it |
|
| 3. If your business
partner embezzles money from your jointly-owned company, are you guilty of embezzlement? |
Yes
No
I never thought about it |
|
| 4. If you work for a
company and the company is defrauding its customers, are you guilty of fraud? |
Yes
No
I don't want to think about it |
|
| 5. If you invest
in the stock market and the stock you bought goes down, aren't you guilty of less than
perfect investing? |
Yes
No
I don't know anything
about that stuff |
|
| 6. If you drive
through a red light are you guilty of driving through a red light and, therefore,
committing a moving traffic violation? |
Yes
No
I don't want to think about it |
|
7. In light of Arthur
Andersen & Co.'s questionable dealings with Enron:
If you hire Arthur Andersen & Co. as your accountants, are you
planning to use unorthodox accounting methods? |
Yes
No
I don't know anything
about that stuff |
|
| 8. If you worked for
Enron and received Enron stock as bonus extra compensation, weren't you simply unlucky
with this stock market investment? |
Yes
No
I don't know anything
about that stuff |
|
| 9. If you lost money
on Enron stock, aren't you in a position similar to stockholders of Northern Telecom, many
quality companies and even similar to stockholders of the dotcom companies? |
Yes
No
I don't want to think about it |
|
| 10. If the president
of Enron took you and your wife to dinner several times over the years, are you guilty of
mismanagement of Enron? |
Yes
No
I don't know anything about that stuff |
|
| 11. If President
George W. Bush was a friend of Enron's chairman, does that make GWB guilty in Enron's
bankruptcy situation? |
Agree
Disagree
I don't understand this stuff |
|
| 12. Flashback:
Clinton Official Met With Enron Chairman; $100,000 Cash Donation To Democrats Timed To
Plant Approval, Time Magazine, September 1, 1997 "On Nov. 22, 1995 President Clinton scrawled an FYI note to chief of
staff Mack McLarty, enclosing a newspaper article on Enron Corp. and the vicissitudes of
its $3 billion power-plant project in India. McLarty then reached out to Enron's
chairman, Ken Lay, and over the next nine months closely monitored the project with the
U.S. ambassador to New Delhi, keeping Lay informed of the Administration's efforts,
according to White House documents reviewed by TIME magazine.
In June 1996, four days before India granted final approval
to Enron's controversial $3 billion power-plant project, Enron gave $100,000 to President
Clinton's party. Enron denies that its gift was repayment for Clinton's attention
and assistance. McLarty was later hired by Enron. Lay also played golf with
President Bill Clinton and slept in the Clinton White House. A master of political
manipulation of both parties, Lay served as an adviser to the Clinton White House on
energy issues. The Clinton administration, in turn, helped Enron get a contract for
a gas pipeline in Mozambique and other projects, according to reports."
Is Clinton guilty of participating in Enron's long-term
pattern of political contributions and deal making? |
Agree
Disagree
I don't understand this stuff |
|
| 13. Over 250
politicians received contributions from Enron. Are each of these politicians guilty
of some criminal behavior? |
Yes
No
I don't understand this stuff |
|
| 14. |
We rely on media reporters and editors to
ferret out meaningful aspects of events. They should dig for details supporting
their conclusions, identify lessons to be learned, and promote discussion of legislative
changes needed to prevent similar problems. Their work should be done in the
interest of improving society, making progress and using rational, non-partisan methods. |
|
Agree
Disagree
I don't understand this stuff |
|
| 15. Regarding the
Enron situation, what is the primary aspect of the story which could likely lead to
disclosure of other aspects having major impact upon business ethics, accounting
practices, societal morals, employee compensation, stock and retirement plans, use of
insider information in the stock market, etc., etc.? |
Arthur
Andersen & Co.'s appearance of collusion with Enron top executives and ordering of its
employees to destroy all documents relating to the Enron audit.
Enron's
chairman, Ken Lay, and his political wheelings, dealings, phone calls and contributions.
Employee
compensation in the form of stock options, salary and benefits.
Peer
review among accounting firms does not accomplish its goals & major accounting
standards reform & review procedures are needed.
Top executives sometimes feel so shielded
by the corporate umbrella that they abuse their power and manipulate the corporation
knowing that the corporation takes responsibility if their deeds are exposed.
Employees of
accounting firms need to understand that reasonable ethical standards override
instructions from the company's lawyers requesting destruction of pertinent audit
documents. |
|
| 16. The
quasi-technical legal term 'recuse' has now entered our everyday vernacular because it is
a position that so many elected and appointed lawyers and congressmen must
take. That is sad for our society. |
Agree
Disagree
I don't know anything
about that stuff |
|
| 17. |
With over
250 members of the U. S. Congress as well as lawyers and local politicians having received
Enron contributions, we have reached the point where a great many lawyers and politicians
must recuse themselves from investigating Enron and its top executives. Do you think we should acknowledge that since the "must
recuse" group is such a large percentage of all lawyers and politicians, we can
invert the logic? That is, we should admit that since the "must recuse"
group is so large, in order to enlist enough prosecutors and investigators, they can all
participate and we expect more payoffs and cover-ups? |
|
Yes
No
I don't want to think about it |
|
| 18. Are you aware
of the following facts recently reported in various media including The New York Times,
broadcast and cable news, and magazines including Time? Please check the
topics to the right that you are aware of. |
Enron created over 600 domestic and foreign-based accounting entities to move
large amounts of debt off their balance sheet
Enron's chairman, Ken Lay, contributed to over 250 members of congress
effectively building a 'friendly' legislature
Enron continued right up to October, 2001, to make positive announcements
regarding its business prospects and potential stock price appreciation
Investment bankers and loan officers from money center institutions who
should have known better continued to assist Enron's top management inflate on-balance
sheet assets and valuations
In 1997, the SEC granted Enron a special exemption from Depression Era laws
that permitted it to use off balance sheet accounting entities |
|
| 19. As Enron's
bankruptcy proceedings unfold over months and years it becomes more obvious that the
primary problem and cause of it was: |
Arthur
Andersen pushed the limits of interpretation of financial accounting standards
The
Financial Accounting Standards Board, FASB, procedures & standards are not adequate
Top
management of Enron was greedy beyond imaginable realities
Too
many ordinary people involved were intrinsically dishonest & unethical
I don't understand this stuff |
|
| 20. Neither
Congress, FASB, nor God can develop laws, regulations and standards that will prevent
dedicated crooks from stealing and cheating. |
Agree
Disagree |
|
| 21. I am: |
Female
Male |
|
| 22. My age group is: |
Under 20
20-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60-69
70
& older |