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Thank gawd -- or the 11 dimensional chess player -- that FISA [cough] reform gave the telcos retroactive immunity! Because otherwise Ed Whitacre, 17-year AT&T Chairman and CEO, would be in jail -- since FISA violations were felonies, back when we had the rule of law -- instead of being tapped to run GM! Online WSJ:
The 67-year-old Mr. Whitacre is known as a straight-talking, no-nonsense executive with a track record of cutting big deals and working closely with the U.S. government [in small matters like shredding the Fourth Amendment], skills that could prove critical for GM as it orchestrates a massive restructuring under close scrutiny [BWA-HA-HA-HA!] of the U.S. Treasury.
Indeed. And "working closely with the U.S. government" very profitably. Last I checked, that illegal surveillance made AT&T what? $750 a pop? Not much per unit, but those millions add up!
Of course, Whitacre was real strong on net neutrality, too. Not. So I bet the netroots are up in arms about this one, right? Not.
But let's look on the bright side! He's an old white dude who donates Republican!
UPDATE Oddly, or not, newly minted Democrat Arlen Spector -- the kind of rat who boards a sinking ship -- doesn't mention retroactive immunity at all in his new article on limiting executive power in the New York Review of Books. Editorial standards over there have fallen, haven't they? I can't imagine why.
UPDATE See, kidz, it really is possible for the econoblogs and the poliblogs to crosslink!
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NYRB editorial standards,
and the standards of individual writers I used to admire tremendously, have suffered horribly since the rise of Barack Obama. I still think with sadness on the once-great Garry Wills's piece comparing Obama's Philadelphia speech on race with Lincoln's Cooper Union speech. Reading that article was a pivotal moment for me; I remember thinking, "and so...?" I lost a lot of respect for Obama and his supporters in the left "intelligentsia" as a result.
We will push and push and push until some larger force makes us stop.
as someone with very low expectations
I am very disappointed. sigh. Like I keep saying, Obama is Putin with looks and charm.
Is this his boss?
Possibly learning from Jon Favreau...
... this Brian Deese does not have a FaceBook page. However -- and I know this will surprise you -- he does have fans.
First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win. -- Mahatma Gandhi
As it happens, Whitacre isn't all bad
and I'd know as a former employee of the University where he was once Chair of the Governing Board.
That would be Texas Tech.
And you know what? He cannot POSSIBLY screw up GM worse than his predecessor did.
We can admit that we’re killers … but we’re not going to kill today. That’s all it takes! ~ Captain James T. Kirk, Stardate 3193.0
1 John 4:18