The Usual Suspects

Prof. Blanchard is once again taversing the countryside, so he said to me, "If you feel like blogging, go ahead." 

If you read nothing else today, give a read to David Brooks' piece today in the NY Times on the scandal that is Fannie Mae.  Perhaps the central point:

Underneath, Fannie was a cancer that helped spread risky behavior and low standards across the housing industry. We all know what happened next.

The scandal has sent the message that the leadership class is fundamentally self-dealing. Leaders on the center-right and center-left are always trying to create public-private partnerships to spark socially productive activity. But the biggest public-private partnership to date led to shameless self-enrichment and disastrous results.

It has sent the message that we have hit the moment of demosclerosis. Washington is home to a vertiginous tangle of industry associations, activist groups, think tanks and communications shops. These forces have overwhelmed the government that was originally conceived by the founders.

The final message is that members of the leadership class have done nothing to police themselves. The Wall Street-Industry-Regulator-Lobbyist tangle is even more deeply enmeshed.

Brooks, perhaps the nation's leading RINO squish, concludes a little unexpectedly:

People may not like Michele Bachmann, but when they finish “Reckless Endangerment” they will understand why there is a market for politicians like her. They’ll realize that if the existing leadership class doesn’t redefine “normal” behavior, some pungent and colorful movement will sweep in and do it for them.

Comments

[larry kurtz]

Pray for Ron Paul to be your nominee, Professor; maybe he'll pick Brooks to be his running mate.

[3rdparty]

The most obvious way to reduce corruption in government is to reduce the size of government and the scope of it's power.

But my time in state government has shown me that even in our small state of SD there is a lot of unethical and borderline corrupt practices that occur.

[Jimi]

The best way to combat corruption is to expose it to sunlight. Since the media complex is idiologically driven corruption is allowed to run rampant. Americans are generally common sense people, and if they were exposed to some of the behavior that takes place, they could shape it in a fashion that works best for the country.

[Bill Fleming]

Good post Jon. Hard to argue with that. But seriously... does it HAVE to be Michelle Bachmann?

[Jimi]

Bill,

"does it HAVE to be Michelle Bachmann?"

Well...who is it that you prefer?

[Bill Fleming]

I like Ron Paul. He's my favorite Tea Party guy.

[Donald Pay]

I absolutely agree that the revolving door is a big problem, but it's much, much bigger than Fannie Mae. Don't look for any help for Tea Party darling Bachman. She and her Tea Party is funded and controlled by major players in the revolving door.

[duggersd]

It really does not matter who Bill Fleming likes, I seriously doubt he is going to vote for that person in the general election. So, if we have a choice between Ron Paul or Barack Obama, who does he vote for? I am guessing Barack. So why does it matter who Bill likes?
BTW, in the event the choices are Barack Obama or Ron Paul, Paul gets my vote. Any of those people who were on the stage in Vermont are way more qualified than they guy in the office now.
On another note, does anybody else see a resemblance between Ron Paul and Pat Paulsen?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Paulsen
http://www.digitalmeetingcenter.com/ron-pauls-shocking-message-to-the-tea-party/851883/

[larry kurtz]

No matter which earth hater is nominated by the GOP South Dakota will vote for him/her/it. It gives great pleasure watching this process: knock yerselves out!

[Bill Fleming]

I've voted for the Libertarian candidate for President before DuggerSD.
I'm just as capable as you are of throwing my vote away, which is what
you'll do if you vote for Ron Paul.

[larry kurtz]

The nominee will be online before South Dakota even has a chance to vote in the primary!

[Miranda]

I particularly like the last line here, but I think Brooks is more optimistic than I am about the chance of change.

[duggersd]

Bill, if Ron Paul is the Republican nominee, then voting for him will not be throwing my vote away. And yes, I voted Libertarian last election as a protest to the choices I had. Ron Paul is very much more qualified than BHO. If he is the nominee (and I doubt it), he will stand a very good chance of beating BHO. Right now, I think Snidley Whiplash could beat him.

[Miranda]

I agree with Duggersd. Voting for Paul in the primary would not be a waste of a vote. He could end up being one of the most viable candidates the Republicans have. Paul is appealing to many conservatives because of his belief in limited government. But I think he is also more appealing to the left than someone like Michele Bachmann, because of his hands-off approach to social issues.