This expression is one I now try very hard to live by and I believe the American economy would be in a far better place if those of us in business, from main street to Wall Street, would return to this adage.  Today we seem to think any opportunity given (even a morally wrong one) must be taken or we are “suckers” because if “if don’t my competitor will.”

This category will include examples to make this point.  Here’s our first and so far leading contender.

1.  A doctor overseeing the Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act says cancer will not be covered under the $2.8 billion law due to insufficient scientific evidence linking the disease to toxins at the World Trade Center site.

http://www.news12.com/articleDetail.jsp?articleId=288015&position=1&news_type=news

Doesn’t take too much thinking to figure out why this exclusion exists.  We all know this ruling is the work of the insurance lobby and other business interests.  I could not think of a more suitable example to illustrate my “live by” message.  You have shamed yourself those involved with this action.