Letters to the Editor
FredrickBernanke
Published Letters: 183 Editor's Choice: 9
-
Could Even Honest Abe Survive Today's Press Scrutiny?
[Read the article: Obama's big fat Countrywide mess]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The departure of Jim Johnson from the Obama campaign is a good proxy for a more general issue facing all candidates seeking national office.
Putting aside for the moment that illustrious group we call elected officials who serve in the Public Sector (PbS), is there anyone from the Private Sector (PvS) who could withstand the intense media coverage of their lives and emerge as clean and ethical as Mother Theresa?
And is that what is required nowadays?
Successful inhabitants of the PvS have often been called upon to tread a very thin line between maximizing the profitability of their enterprise and adhering to a strict and obvious moral code of ethics. Often a deal can only be made if a couple of toes briefly cross that line and dip into the water of moral ambiguity, the rationale often being "business is business."
We're not talking about egregious violations of ethics, let alone violations of the law. Those certainly are, ipso facto, disqualifiers for government service. And this piece has nothing whatever to do with Johnson specifically.
What rational person, which the PvS is largely composed of, unlike the PbS, what rational person would want all their actions scrutinized by a bunch of gotcha-journalists?
I'm reminded of a story that Lincoln allegedly told about himself.
He told the story to a young aide. Lincoln told this young man that when he--Lincoln--was a State Legislator in Illinois he was visited in his by a representative of a railroad company because there was a bill before the Legislature that could prove to be a windfall to the railroad if it passed. Lincoln was on record opposing the bill.
The railroad guy took a seat across from Lincoln at the great man's desk and began talking. "I understand that you do not favor the bill. I also understand that State Legislators are not very well paid, the railroad understands that as well....So, I've been authorized to make a contribution to you in the amount of $5000 cash, to show how much my company would appreciate your support."
Lincoln sat silent, staring at the man.
"Of course, $5000 doesn't go very far in these times, so, in addition, we have already printed 10000 shares in our company registered in your name...."
Lincoln sat silent. Not a word did he say.
"Oh...I almost forgot," said the railroad guy, "we've also opened a bank account for you in Switzerland and await your word before we deposit $25000 in gold into that account...."
Suddenly Lincoln jumped out of his chair, strode around his desk, grabbed the railroad man by the scruff of his neck and physically ejected him from the office.
"Why, Mr. President," the young aide asked, "did you take action at that particular moment?"
Lincoln smiled at the young man and said simply, "Because he was getting too close to my price."
-
An Utter Waste of Space
[Read the article: Coming to a Kabuki theater near you -- the search for a vice president]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]You get PAID to write this?
-
Questions from a non-Attorney
[Read the article: Supreme Court to Bush: You're not above the law]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]" [The ruling] says that anyone held in what is de facto U.S. territory -- no matter what crimes he may have committed or where he is from -- is entitled to challenge his detention."
Please excuse the ignorance of the following questions from a non-attorney (me.)
1. Does this ruling give the Gitmo detainees the same rights as, say, OJ Simpson?
2. Does this ruling mean that if Executive-prisoners are detained on de facto and de jure territory that the United States does not control, they do not possess the right of habeas corpus?
3. Does this ruling extend the Constitutional rights enjoyed by US citizens to every citizen of the world?
4. Would the court have ruled this way if the petitioner were a prisoner rended by the US to a Romanian or Jordanian facility?
5. Does the ruling open the door for "obviously dangerous and guilty" prisoners to have their cases dismissed and be released into the world to saw heads off and blow up children at school based on legal transgressions committed by the Bush Administration?
-
Thanks Ansley B...
[Read the article: Supreme Court to Bush: You're not above the law]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]...for taking the time to respond with such thoroughness.
I have read the opinion and the dissents of Roberts and Scalia.
But I am still not an attorney.
To me, the majority opinion seemed much more legalistic, abstract and "distant" from the "real world" than did the dissenting opinions.
My complete lack of any legal training prevents me from voicing an opinion, let alone a strong one, on the merits of the arguments put forth by the majority or the dissenters.
Your answers to my questions were, thank you, much more accessible.
And, yes, some of my questions were "loaded."
I thought the following unambiguous and non-legalistic statement with which Scalia's dissent concluded both remarkable and ominous:
"The Nation will live to regret what the Court has done today. I dissent."
Are statements like this common by SC Justices?
-
Again, To Ansley B.
[Read the article: Supreme Court to Bush: You're not above the law]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Thanks again for replying.
I'm learning from, and it's a pleasure to read, your writing.
PS-There's no "e" between Fred & rick---my father thought it added strength to the name to remove that "e". And I agree.
Again, sincere thanks.
FB
-
"Bill & Hillary"
[Read the article: Why Obama should pick Hillary Clinton as veep]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Your repeated use of "Bill & Hillary" throughtout at least the first half of your article destroys your suggestion.
-
Tell Me This is All a Bad Dream
[Read the article: Tin-eared at MSNBC]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I still can't get over the fact that you are Editor-in-Chief of Salon.com.
It's absolutely astonishing.