Light posting at least through afternoon….
|
||||
|
I am Tom Freeland,
a lawyer in Oxford, Mississippi. The picture in the header is my law office.
I'm on Twitter as NMissC
Missing Posts: If you have a link to a post that's not here or are looking for posts from Summer of 2010, check this page. Search NMCError: Twitter did not respond. Please wait a few minutes and refresh this page. PagesCategoriesBlogRollLaw: NationalMississippi & Local: BlogsMississippi & Local: PressPolitics |
33 comments to Open thread |
Write NMCtips, tirades, or just say hello at nmisscommentor (@) gmail.com
Recent PostsRecent Comments
Archives
|
||
|
Copyright © 2013 Tom Freeland - All Rights Reserved
Technorati Profile
bys 77 queries. 1.239 seconds. %d bloggers like this: |
||||
Break a laig today, NMC.
Does it bother anyone that the President fired the leader of a private citizen? Shouldn’t the shareholders make that decision?
I just read a fascinating article in NY Magazine that begins:
There’s a video with it too, but I finally gave up on waiting for it to load.
Hey, Tom: Good luck with the judges. After it’s over, have a great meal at the Bon Ton.
Best wishes, NMC!
Lost Gap, no, it doesn’t bother me in the least. IMO, all of these CEOs of bailed out companies should probably voluntarily resign.
Sailor
Do you really think the POTUS knows whether this guy is the right person to run the organization? Should government really be in the business of deciding the affairs of a private corporate citizen?
This appears to be unprecedented in presidential history.
A lot of news organizations got all up in arms when GWB fired a number of US Attorneys, who were to serve at his will and pleasure, but find no problem when the POTUS fires someone that he has no right to fire.
Based on your argument, the POTUS can decide who leads Trustmark because it received TARP funds.
Scary!
Lost Gap 5:
To the extent that the US is now the largest investor in most, if not all, of the bailed out companies — over 80% equity stakeholder in the case of AIG, then I think the US, as shareholder not government, has every right to make decisions on who should manage our investment.
Not aware of US government filing ownership documents with SEC. Bailout funds were not “shares”. We are talking GM, not AIG. Not aware BO fired AIG CEO.
You would think if they are now owner, the new transparancey would tell us shareholders that BO is our new CEO.
That is the problem with government money. Heaven help us.
Lost Gap, did you hear or read of anyone at GM, including Wagoner, complaining about the President’s suggestion he step down? I didn’t. Maybe that’s because upon his forced retirement, Wagoner qualifies for both a “Salaried Retirement Plan” and an “Executive Retirement Plan” with General Motors. The combined value of the plans at the end of last year was $20.2 million. I understand your queasiness w/ the POTUS serving as CEO of bailed out, loan recipient companies–that is not what’s happening and you know it. I find it perfectly proper for the taxpayers to demand certain sacrifices from those at the helm of the companies to which we are loaning huge sums. Heads SHOULD roll!
Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin Congressional members wanted Wagoner out. They handed the axe to the President and told him to swing away, if swinging became necessary.
But to answer the original question here: There’s nothing in this picture that bothers me. Wagoner resigned … simple as that. The President didn’t “fire” anyone. And Wagoner’s $20 million retirement swag oughta quickly dry any tears he may shed. He’s a big boy … he can take a hard pick as well as he can deliver one.
Just can’t see Bush getting away with this. Double standard.
LG it’s a deal–the goverment is saying “here’s what you have to do to get help.” I agree it’s a scary moment and maybe outside government competence. But thee’s no choice–you play the cards you are dealt.
I’m not buying the double standard– Bush got a virtual free ride for more than 2 years. I’m not buying.
In national crises new things are tried and may not work out–Google “national recovery act we do our part”.
LG: Fear not about Bush. Neither he nor any of his roadies would know what to do in this situation.
Ben, then Bush and Obama are in same boat. We’ll never find out about Bush. I’m not saying he would have done better. Just don’t think media would have given him a pass. I don’t recall him firing or asking for resignation of a private citizen.
To me it is very scary when POTUS can fire or request resignation of a corporate director. Seems to have crossed a line.
NMC, how do you think this compares to GWB firing US attorneys?
Lost Gap, the logic is simple. If companies screw things up so badly that they imperil the national economy and then ask for a government bailout, the government can dictate the terms of the bailout. The firing of the US attorneys is a completely different ballgame and not comparable in any way.
How was your morning, NMC? I assume IT didn’t happen to you!
LG, I hate to go tin foil…BUT Wagoner is a red herring (much like the AIG bonuses).
It is best to stay focused on how President Obama’s administration is going to handle the people who helped Cassano run his casino.
LG: I invite you to read a good bio of FDR and how he had a few banking heads lopped off early in his first administration. These things have happened before in our history, but 24/7 news and talking heads weren’t around to blather on and on about it.
As for Bush: I think that had all this occurred during his watch, the American people and the press would have stood with him PROVIDED he could explain the problems as clearly as has Obama, if he could have devised bold and sweeping remedial reforms, and if he could have spoken to us without that damnable smirk of his that always communicated (at least to me) “I have no idea what I’m talking about but I’m still The Great Decider and I’ve just made a decision but don’t ask me what it was.”
Lost Gap, show me where Obama is getting a free ride from the media. The president is taking bullets from the left (Krugman) to the right (no, Limbaugh is an entertainer, I’ll say George Will). The double standard you suggest just doesn’t exist. If any president has gotten a free ride in the press it’s GWB invading Iraq.
Sailor, President Obama is enjoying the same free ride President Bush enjoyed in this whole scheme that we have been suckered into. Just consider the leak to Zero Hedge this week (and yes, even if it is unsubstantiated at this point, I will buy it-it fits very well with what we have seen so far).
As an aside, I think the whole President Obama v. President Bush blame/media handling is a ridiculous discussion now-something that should be in the realm of ideologues and not people interested in solutions.
Somewhere up there, KL asked me how my morning was and whether IT happened to me.
My morning was fine, and IT didn’t happen, but I make a point about not talking about cases in which I’m involved on the blog.
Po’ long-faced presses . . .
Twitter switch for Guardian, after 188 years of ink
• Newspaper to be available only on messaging service
• Experts say any story can be told in 140 characters
Okay, this one ISN’T April Foolin’. Y’all hear about that guy up in Ohio who collected a DUI on his motorized bar stool (h/t A1A)? Dunno, I think it needs more bling — maybe spinners?
Google’s annual holiday offering is EXtremely geek oriented this year, maybe too much so.
NMC, can you tell us name of case you argued so we can listen to it?
Anybody listen to Nina Totenberg this morning? Rather than continue trying to defend those Bushie-screwup prosecutors, AG Holder is dropping the case against Ted Stevens. Watch out for rolling heads if you’re in the vicinity of DoJ.
Glad to here it went well, NMC. Not as interested in the case itself as I am in the experience. I don’t imagine this COA is any friendlier to counsel that the First Circuit.
Blog readers: I have just pranked NMC so hardcore he may be out of commission.
APRIL FOOLS NMC!
thanks gobs Intrepid Process Server
ips & NMC, let us in on the joke.
IPS works in my office. I was out for 5 days and was worried about one thing that could come up while I was out of town. While I was sitting in a coffee shop about to leave New Orleans, he calls me and asks me what’s up, and then tells me things have gone wildly off the rails. Very plausibly. April fools. AAARGGH!
There may have been some payback from last year but this seemed overkill to me.