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RE: The Needed Mental Attributes Of A President; The Presidential Campaign And Forthcoming Appointments To The Supreme C

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            The candidates, however, aren’t talking about the Supreme Court or the lower federal courts.  But they damn well should be and the public ought to insist on it.  There is no question that the right to abortion (er, choice) is at stake.  Of crucial importance to the country, also at stake is the question of Presidential power, i.e, the question whether the President will have the authority to be - - and will indeed be - - the kind of all powerful, monarchical official the farmers feared, while Congress continues to be a mere cipher and the courts do zip.  And, finally, also at stake will be the rights of the small man, whom the current screw-the-small-guy-five don’t care about, and questions of the power of willing states to protect the environment against degradation by big companies who buy off Washington (and lots of state capitals too). 

 

* * * *

 

            Screwing the small guy brings up another brief point.  Bush and the Republicans are against a bailout for the small people who have been hurt badly by the subprime mess fostered, for awhile to their enormous profit, by huge commercial banks, huge investment banks, mortgage brokers, and other big business types.  The Bushies think that helping the small guy will represent moral hazard, will encourage people in future to buy what they can’t afford, to live beyond their means.  Well, let’s accept what these paragons of mendacity say; let’s forget that big businesses defrauded small guys, defrauded investors, cooperated in illegality, repeatedly urged small people to take out mortgages the banks knew were unaffordable and, in the case of ARMs, just plain crazy.  Let’s forget all that devastating culpability - - which the Administration, Congress and the Supreme Court will doubtlessly find ways to ignore or protect - -and just focus on the moral hazard of giving the small guy a break despite his unfortunate behavior.  Tell me, how is this moral hazard different from the moral hazard of bailing out Chrysler, which was bailed out only to fall flat on its face again later?  How is it different from bailing out the savings and loan industry?  How is it different from bailing out the railroads in the 1960s?  For that matter, how is it different from helping out - - by giving them scores of billions over the years - - some of the worst governments in the world, like Pakistan’s, or Egypt’s, or Saudi Arabia’s, or Indonesia’s? 

 

            These questions answer themselves, of course.  There is no difference.  Except one.  These bailouts and help outs were for the benefit of the rich and powerful.  The homeowners’ debacle deals with the small guy, who is neither rich nor powerful.  To steal from Karl Marx, but to do so with regard to the top dogs, not the bottom ones, “Wealthy and powerful of the world unite.   You have nothing to lose, and scores of millions of people to screw over with your hypocrisy.”

 

* * * *

 

            A last point - - a question really.  What is Michael Bloomberg’s game?  He says he will not run for President (which is very likely wise in view of Obama’s popularity), but thinks an independent candidate could win and will support someone who says and does what he considers the right things.  Is he setting the stage to support the candidate, if there is one, of Gerald Rafshoon’s independent group?  Is he hoping this group will run an independent candidate who is bound to lose but who will set the stage for a winning Bloomberg candidacy in 2012 (like the Republicans with Fremont in 1856 and then Lincoln in 1860)?  Is he possibly even aiming for a vice presidential nomination on a major ticket now, and then a run for the presidency in four years, when he is 64, or eight years, when he is 73?  Will he support some non-Rafshoon-group independent candidate if a highly worthwhile one throws his or her hat into the ring (which is unlikely)?  Is he aiming for a cabinet position?  Should he simply be taken at his word?  (Take a pol at his word? - - even one with the good qualities that Bloomberg has?)[*]

 

            Well, I have no idea.  Does anyone?

   R:\My Files\Blogspot\Blogltr.NeededMentalAttributes..doc   


* This posting represents the personal views of Lawrence R. Velvel.  If you wish to comment on the post, on the general topic of the post, or on the comments of others, you can, if you wish, post your comment on my website, VelvelOnNationalAffairs.com.  All comments, of course, represent the views of their writers, not the views of Lawrence R. Velvel or of the Massachusetts School of Law.  If you wish your comment to remain private, you can email me at Velvel@mslaw.edu.   

VelvelOnNationalAffairs is now available as a podcast.  To subscribe please visit VelvelOnNationalAffairs.com, and click on the link on the top left corner of the page.   The podcasts can also be found on iTunes or at www.lrvelvel.libsyn.com 

 

In addition, one hour long television book shows, shown on Comcast, on which Dean Velvel, interviews an author, one hour long television panel shows, also shown on Comcast, on which other MSL personnel interview experts about important subjects, conferences on historical and other important subjects held at MSL, presentations by authors who discuss their books at MSL, a radio program (What The Media Won’t Tell You) which is heard on the World Radio Network (which is on Sirrus and other outlets in the U.S.), and an MSL journal of important issues called The Long Term View, can all be accessed on the internet, including by video and audio.  For TV shows go to: www.mslaw.edu/about_tv.htm; for book talks go to:  www.notedauthors.com; for conferences go to:  www.mslawevents.com; for The Long Term View go to: www.mslaw.edu/about­_LTV.htm; and for the radio program go to: www.velvelonmedia.com.

 

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Lawrence R. Velvel is a cofounder and the Dean of the Massachusetts School of Law, and is the founder of the American College of History and Legal Studies.
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