Today, the Albuquerque Journal offers us the wisdom of William F. Buckley again, yes the very distinguished fellow who just gave up his responsibilities at the National Review, the conservative magazine he founded years ago. (The Journal regularly offers the views of the current National Review editor, too. Must be a great magazine!)
Buckley is no hack. Recently, for example, he made the argument for legalizing marijuana. He also threw light on the differences between GOP conservatives and neo-conservatives.
But today's column - ridiculing Senator John Edward's speech and views, is a low blow.
Now Buckley is a likeable fellow, rarely if ever vicious, often generous to opponents, as befits a son of the (oil wealth) aristocracy.
But here he is, tearing down a guy who made his own pile by representing individuals against major corporations, Noblesse doesn't oblige that. Buckley just diminishes himself in the process.
The Journal also sees fit to write another one of those editorials saying, as the headline puts it, that "Free Enterprise Will Survive the Scandals."
Yes, once again, we hear that the morality of a few CEOs produced the scandals. Again, we are reassured that most complanies "play fair and are headed by scrupulous and industrious CEOs."
I'm happy to hear it.
But the scandals came about because the regulations were weak and the regulators cowed by Senators and Congressmen who - coincidentally, I'm sure - get their money from the regulated firms. Thus, business has for years cut every corner possible, including a few corners supported by laws dating to the New Deal, laws not yet repealed by the corporate class.
It's not morality. It's the system, stupid.