The American Spectator

The public needs to understand that the two “crisis” are similar in many ways. To list a few, both oil and banking industries are heavily regulated and subject to ongoing federal oversight, both industries have been demonized by the administration and the press for historic abuses and greed, both industries have been poorly served by federal regulators who have failed to do their jobs properly (which may have averted each crisis), both will be subject to bigger government reaction and newer, stronger regulations from Congress responding to the administration’s need “to do something.”

But as much as these “crisis” are similar, these industries have been handled very differently by the administration.

The banking industry was offered TARP as a lifesaving measure because it was too big to fail. The administration pushed Congress to pursue bigger government answers to confront a nationwide problem it helped create. And the administration has done nothing for the businesses (the actual job creators) that have been crushed by the aforementioned banks’ unwillingness to extend credit to most businesses. The administration did not offer any support for the legitimate business losses for those directly affected by the banking crisis. Yet the financial institutions that caused the crisis continue to reap large profits without any relief to the businesses that continue to be affected.

The oil industry continues to be a target of the administration whose agenda includes the eradication of fossil fuels in pursuit of green technologies. The administration’s focus is on pushing all blame for the current Gulf crisis on the industry (and BP specifically), accepting none of its own mismanagement and regulatory failures, and pursuing every dollar possible to “politically” reimburse Gulf Coast businesses for their losses. 

I am trying to understand why the administration chose to pursue the reimbursement of legitimate claims for Gulf Coast businesses while not even considering the losses incurred by business affected by the banking crisis.

There is an inherit risk in business ownership that should be taken into consideration when setting this dangerous precedence of government-enforced reimbursement for Gulf Coast business losses from the private sector. But I believe there is even more danger in the federal government being selective in providing said enforcement.

I am sorry for the losses that will be absorbed by Gulf Coast businesses and hope that each business owner can survive; but I am not sure that an oil rig accident (it has not been proven to be a criminal act) or even a hurricane in the Gulf Coast for that matter should cause the federal government to extort money from the private sector to compensate individual business losses under a free-market system.

Does anyone else understand the ramifications of the administration’s actions? I cannot believe I am the only one.
— Joseph P. Amato

A MINDLESS SPORT
Re: Lisa Fabrizio’s Soccer to Me:

Baseball is a nuanced sport where the head is used to out-think your opponent. Soccer is so hopelessly lacking in nuance that the head’s primary purpose is to be bashed by a projectile which was launched from another man’s foot.

Soccer as culturally significant? It evolved with pre-historic man — prior to the advent of opposable thumbs. In the days before evolution mindlessly discarded the significant biological advantage of prehensile feet, soccer may have made sense.

Now, soccer is a waste of real estate. Soccer pitches in the Third World should be turned over to cultivation. Then, perhaps, the Third World could send us some well-nourished youth to play the sport of baseball.

There is only one sport more boring than soccer. Women’s soccer! Even when they rip their shirts off, there is little to be excited about.

And what is a vuvuzela? It sounds like something a witch doctor from  deepest, darkest Africa snips from an 11 year old girl. Another practice, even grosser than soccer, that the Third World expects us to tolerate. To  which I say, “NEVER!”
— Dan Martin
Pittsburgh

ARMCHAIR RADICALS
Re: James Bowman’s Rebels Without a Clue: