why aren't we holding our leaders to some kind of moral standard?
Because I don't care about their morals. Be as corrupt as you want, as immoral as you want, that doesn't (for this example) make the air dirty. However, if we catch you not meeting the standards put forth, the hammer will fall swiftly and hard.
But suppose we publish a moral standard to be met. Who's chosen deity do we use? Because for the majority of people, there's at least a nod to some form of god when aligning our moral compasses. In some cultures, a little corruption is just part of it. From my POV, most of our systems of laws have a little morality baked in, but those systems are more concerned about outcomes. "Don't do this, or punish shall befall you." "If you manufacture these, they must meet a minimum standard, or you will be fined."
Because I don't care about their morals. Be as corrupt as you want, as immoral as you want, that doesn't (for this example) make the air dirty. However, if we catch you not meeting the standards put forth, the hammer will fall swiftly and hard.
But suppose we publish a moral standard to be met. Who's chosen deity do we use? Because for the majority of people, there's at least a nod to some form of god when aligning our moral compasses. In some cultures, a little corruption is just part of it. From my POV, most of our systems of laws have a little morality baked in, but those systems are more concerned about outcomes. "Don't do this, or punish shall befall you." "If you manufacture these, they must meet a minimum standard, or you will be fined."