Heard this line lately?

BUSH (economic forum, general remarks): ... by far the vast majority of CEOs are good, honorable people ... by far the vast majority of those leading corporate America are good, honorable people.

BUSH (economic forum, Corporate Responsibility): By far, the vast majority of people running corporate America are good, honorable people; good, decent people that care about their shareholders, care about their employees, care about communities in which they live. And that's important for people to know

BUSH (economic forum, Healthcare Security): We talked a little bit in these other seminars about how some have let us down, cheated, didn't tell the truth when it comes to their numbers on their balance sheets. And we'll find those, and hold them to account. But by far, the vast majority of Americans are really decent, honorable people.

And it's not just corporate America:

SAN JOSE MECURY NEWS EDITORIAL: ... remember that the vast majority of priests do not abuse children.

That's certainly an interesting point of view, but does it mean anything? The vast majority of people in (choose your favorite klepocracy) aren't corrupt, but would you want to invest there? The vast majority of people in (choose your inner-city) are law abiding, but would you want to walk down a dark alley there at night?

Sometimes, small percentages matter.


posted by Quiddity at 8/14/2002 03:36:00 PM