Quote Of Note - Eliot Spitzer

"Listen, I'm a fucking steamroller, and I'll roll over you and anybody else." - Eliot Spitzer

Just like James Taylor.

The Long Arm Of George W. Bush

From Eliot's Mess By Greg Palast:

Instead of regulating the banks that had run amok, Bush’s regulators went on the warpath against Spitzer and states attempting to stop predatory practices. Making an unprecedented use of the legal power of “federal pre-emption,” Bush-bots ordered the states to NOT enforce their consumer protection laws.

Indeed, the feds actually filed a lawsuit to block Spitzer’s investigation of ugly racial mortgage steering. Bush’s banking buddies were especially steamed that Spitzer hammered bank practices across the nation using New York State laws.

Spitzer not only took on Countrywide, he took on their predatory enablers in the investment banking community. Behind Countrywide was the Mother Shark, its funder and now owner, Bank of America. Others joined the sharkfest: Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch and Citigroup’s Citibank made mortgage usury their major profit centers. They did this through a bit of financial legerdemain called “securitization.”

Then, on Wednesday of this week, the unthinkable happened. Carlyle Capital went bankrupt. Who? That’s Carlyle as in Carlyle Group. James Baker, Senior Counsel. Notable partners, former and past: George Bush, the Bin Laden family and more dictators, potentates, pirates and presidents than you can count.

The Fed had to act. Bernanke opened the vault and dumped $200 billion on the poor little suffering bankers. They got the public treasure – and got to keep the Grinning’s house. There was no ‘quid’ of a foreclosure moratorium for the ‘pro quo’ of public bailout. Not one family was saved – but not one banker was left behind.

Eliot Spitzer, George W. Bush And "Ethical Perversity"

Outrage and calls for impeachment. For Eliot Spitzer, not for George W. Bush. Why? This is the “Ethical Perversity” of our troubled times. I have posted about this previously, specifically in My Thoughts On The Eliot Spizter Prostitution Scandal and in I Plead Guilty. Now, thanks to Rabbi Michael Lerner we have a name for it: “Ethical Perversity.”

I learned about Rabbi Michael Lerner and “Ethical Perversity” from alias Bruce. I like Bruce’s blog more and more with every new post from him. Here is Bruce on “Ethical Perversity”:

What else to call it when one politician is brought down in national disgrace for the hypocrisy and illegality of his dealings with a high-priced prostitution operation, while another politician lies the nation into an illegal war that kills tens of thousands, condones torture, and shreds the Bill of Rights, all to nary a peep about high crimes and misdemeanors?

Years ago George Orwell noted in Animal Farm that “some are more equal than others.” Unfortunately this is all too true in the real world as well as the fictional world of a novel. We desperately need accountability to be applied equally. The most powerful and rich among us should not be spared.

And speaking of the most powerful and rich among us. Why are they allowing the Bush administration to basically abolish the Fourth Amendment? They are the ones who could most effectively put a stop to things like immunity for telecom companies and revisions of the FISA laws. Did Bush go after Spitzer for political reasons? If he did, what’s to say that you won’t be next?

I Plead Guilty

I plead guilty to presuming Eliot Spitzer to be guilty of committing a crime or two. I also feel a sense of shame in a way. I feel the media blitz against Mr. Spitzer did have a negative effect on me and slightly clouded my judgment. What has happened to the presumption of innocence? It seems as if Mr. Spitzer was tried and convicted, all in one day. If only the news media put this much effort into reporting the crimes of the Bush administration.

Overall, I regret making the assumption that Spitzer is guilty. I specifically regret writing: “Spitzer should go” and “It seems that Spitzer has broken some laws and for this he should suffer the consequences for his actions.”

However, if Spitzer is guilty of solicitation, the hypocritical aspect of this is reprehensible. After all he is a person who has put prostitutes behind bars.

Some in the blogosphere are raising some interesting questions about the whole “Spitzer Prostitution Scandal.”

I recommend the following links:

• Who cares if Eliot Spitzer hires prostitutes?
• The Spitzer Sex Sting: A Few More Questions
• Mann-date
• Your Candidate Isn't Jesus

My Thoughts On The Eliot Spitzer Prostitution Scandal

I basically have three thoughts about the Eliot Spitzer prostitution scandal:

1. I am disappointed. Disappointed, because I thought he was one of the good guys going after the bad guys. In the political field this is virtually a non-existent species.
2. That because of this we will throw the baby out with the bath water. Let’s not forget that rooting out corruption, busting white-collar criminals and tackling organized crime still need to be done. This is why Spitzer was elected as governor of New York. The Today Show this morning did not really focus on the good things he has done. This reminds me of Bill and Monica all over again. Spitzer should go, but let’s not replace him with someone worse, like we did with Bill Clinton.
3. It seems that Spitzer has broken some laws and for this he should suffer the consequences for his actions. George W. Bush and many in his administration have broken some laws also. When will they suffer the consequences for their actions?