Everybody's still talking about Obama's speech on race, so I might as well put in my two cents. Was it self serving? Of course. He's a politician in an election year. But I mostly thought it was damned good. Too many politicians, when confronted with embarassing statements by a friend, will either dissemble---"I didn't know", "that's out of context", "you're just bringing … [Read more...] about Obama’s Big Speech on Race
What’s Up With Bear Stearns?
I've been trying to make sense of what the Federal Reserve has been doing with Bear Stearns. My usual source for smart thinking about financial issues, Kip Esquire, is so far silent, so I'm trying to figure this out myself. It's not going well. The argument against government bailouts of private businesses is that it's a bad idea for the government (even in the form of the … [Read more...] about What’s Up With Bear Stearns?
Spitzer’s Women
As is often the case, a lot of women are getting hurt by the Spitzer scandal. My wife feels particularly bad for Spitzer's wife Silda. Aside from cheating on her, Eliot Spitzer also seems to be dragging her to all his humiliating press conferences. As Maggie Gallagher puts it: No animal would plan for its mate as exquisite a humiliation as Eliot Spitzer inflicted on his wife, … [Read more...] about Spitzer’s Women
Resigning Is Not Enough and Way Too Much For Spitzer
There have been some rumors that New York Governor Eliot Spitzer is trying to bargain with the feds over his involvement with a prostitution ring. Apparently, he's offering to resign the governorship in return for a walk on the charges. This is wrong for two reasons: First, it's not much of a punishment. Thousands of men arrested as prostitution patrons and money launderers are … [Read more...] about Resigning Is Not Enough and Way Too Much For Spitzer
The Hookers Aren’t the Real Problem With Spitzer
I'm still riding high on the Elliot Spitzer hooker scandal. What a tool. Note that I didn't call it a sex scandal. That the governor of New York was having sex with these women is not the problem. (Mrs. Spitzer might have a different opinion.) No, the problem is that he was hiring hookers. To be more specific, he was hiring them in violation of the law. He even owed them money. … [Read more...] about The Hookers Aren’t the Real Problem With Spitzer