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Serving Piqua since 1883
OPINION
Piqua Daily Call
THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012
Should bad behavior be rewarded? W
Moderately Confused
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“Likewise, you husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.” 1 Peter 3:7 AKJV)
hen money managers are asked why they deserve tens of millions of dollars for pushing around other people’s money, the answer is always, “the risk.” They took the risk; they made the bet and won. To the victor go the spoils. That makes a lot of sense. When you take a big risk, you deserve to make a lot of money. You deserve the beachfront house, the private jet, the second home in Aspen. Sure, that’s the same thing drug kingpins say, but there’s one big difference: When drug dealers make the wrong bet, they go to jail. When money managers lose a bet, they get a bonus. “Oh,” you might say, “but the money managers didn’t break the law.” Really? Who told you that? Oh, the money managers. I had a friend who chased down a purse-snatcher in Manhattan once and tackled the thief in a busy midtown crosswalk. The first thing out of the purse-snatcher’s mouth was, “I didn’t do anything!” He kept yelling that at the top of his lungs. When the police arrived, they wanted to arrest my thief-tackling friend instead, until the woman whose purse was stolen finally set them straight. So all the Wall Street money managers are yelling that they didn’t do anything. I keep wondering, when are all the people whose purses were stolen going to set them straight? JIM MULLEN It seems to me that if you’re Columnist going to be rewarded for taking a big risk and winning, you should be punished for taking a big risk and losing. Even if you’re a banker or a stockbroker. Even if you went to Harvard or Yale. There’s a reason we don’t give gold medals to the people who come in last at the Olympics. It doesn’t mean they are bad athletes — after all, you have to be pretty good just to compete in the Olympics. But they didn’t win. So why is it that if you’re a money manager, you can come in last place and win a golden parachute? If risk is the thing that determines how we reward people, why aren’t our combat troops making bags full of money for going to Afghanistan? Aren’t they taking a risk? Aren’t they risking a lot more than any stockbroker or banker? What about our police officers and firefighters? Wouldn’t you say they’re in risky professions? By Wall Street logic, they should all be paid $100 million a year for what they do. Maybe more. My friend Jack says, “If those Occupy Wall Street protesters are so against money, why aren’t they protesting rich movie stars and rich singers?” Excuse me, but has some rich movie star ever been bailed out of financial trouble with your tax dollars? Has some profligate basketball star been bailed out with the public’s dime? If so, I sure can’t find any news stories about it. Money-sucking stockbrokers want you to think that the protest is rich vs. poor, that those who object are jealous of the rich. That’s like saying you are jealous of the guy who mugged you because he now has more money than you do. No, you are ANGRY at the mugger for the mugging. And you want your money back. What if a mugger’s defense attorney argued: “Sure, my client took the money, but that’s the way capitalism works. That’s the risk you take by walking down a dark street. You know you’re going to get robbed someday — what difference does it make if my client robs you or if somebody else does? Besides, my client has these ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ cards that he printed on the back of thousand-dollar bills and sent to all his friends in Congress, so let’s just drop the whole thing.” If you made money losing your clients’ and your stockholders’ money by taking “legal” risks and you got a taxpayer-paid bonus, don’t call it “capitalism.” It’s something else entirely. Am I jealous of the money that rich stockbrokers made for themselves by losing money for their clients? No. Wall Street wants you to think it’s about money. It’s about justice.
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Commentary
Perry made critical contribution to race dict XVI said during a rouack when he was tine visit of American bishjust another Repubops to the Vatican. The lican running for his pontiff went on to warn of party’s presidential nomi“certain attempts being nation, Texas Governor made to limit that most Rick Perry condemned the cherished of American freeObama administration’s doms, the freedom of reli“war on religion.” The man gion.” had a point: The left is “At the heart of every markedly hostile toward KATHRYN LOPEZ culture,” he said, “is a conreligion that does not conColumnist sensus about the nature of form to liberal views. reality and the moral good, And liberalism has become, in some respects, sexual libertinism. and thus about the conditions for human For liberals, it’s no longer just saying ‘any- flourishing.” Paying tribute to our nation’s origins, he thing goes,’ but that we have a fundamental right to an ‘anything goes’ lifestyle and praised America’s grounding “in a worldthe taxpayer-funded tools needed to sus- view shaped not only by faith but a commitment to certain ethical principles tain it. Perry had one of his best debates dur- deriving from nature and nature’s God.” Now, according to the pope, that coning a tumultuous night in New Hampshire, during which moderators insisted sensus has been “eroded significantly in on repeatedly asking questions about con- the face of powerful new cultural currents” traception and homosexuality, seemingly that are “not only directly opposed to core hoping to force a candidate to crack and moral teachings of the Judeo-Christian admit harboring secret plans to issue a tradition, but increasingly hostile to federal directive that would confiscate Christianity as such.” The pope wasn’t endorsing the Repubbirth control. A conversation about the power of the government to override reli- lican field, needless to say, but around the gious organizations on conscience issues world, people are noticing our culture — such as gay couples adopting children coming undone. It’s rare that a prime-time and publicly funded abortion — ensued, broadcast takes note, as well. But that taking in numerous candidates from a va- Saturday night on ABC, there the candidates were, discussing just such an unriety of religious backgrounds. Perry didn’t mince words about what he raveling. Perry’s late entrance into the presidenfelt was a bias toward Christian values on the part of the Obama administration. tial primary field was marked with con“When we see an administration that will troversy over his involvement in a prayer not defend the Defense of Marriage Act … rally in Texas. The rally was an affront to When we see this administration not giv- those who insist that religion and politics ing money to Catholic Charities … be- can never mix. Perry knows that belief in a creator is cause they don’t agree with the Catholic Church on abortion, that is a war against part of the American narrative as we’ve religion. And it’s going to stop under a known it. And while you’re free to not pray, as I am to do so, we’d better be carePerry administration.” He was talking about senior officials in ful about manipulating faith for the sake the Department of Health and Human of politics and ostracizing faith because of Services killing a deal to help interna- our politics, trampling on conscience tional victims of sex trafficking, merely be- rights in service to a phony tolerance. When history remembers Rick Perry’s cause the church’s views on contraception and abortion clash with the government’s. time on the campaign trail, it ought to reA certain man in Rome would likely be member this. He saw some of these things appreciative of Perry, even though the clearly and helped advance a conversaTexan is a Protestant. “It is imperative tion, keeping religious freedom out in the that the entire Catholic community in the open and protected. United States come to realize the grave Kathryn Lopez is the editor-at-large of threats to the Church’s public moral witness presented by a radical secularism National Review Online (www.nationalrewhich finds increasing expression in the view.com). She can be contacted at political and cultural spheres,” Pope Bene- klopez@nationalreview.com.
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THE FIRST AMENDMENT Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
To the Editor: On behalf of the Western Ohio Detachment of the Marine Corps League and the Marine Corps Reserve Toys-for-Tots program I would like to thank you for your overwhelming support once again this year. Because of the generosity of the citizens of Miami, Shelby and western Auglaize counties we were able to help provide toys to more than 3,000 children this year. During a time when the need has never been greater, individuals and groups in each local community stepped up and met that need. We would be unable to meet that need without your help and the success of our local campaign is a direct result of your help. Hopefully the economy will rebound and the need will not be as great next year, but if it is I know that you will be ready to once again step up and help the less fortunate kids in our area. Thanks again. —Robert A. Bloom Toys-for-Tots Local coordinator
Editorial roundup BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Excerpts of recent editorials of interest from Ohio newspapers: The Cincinnati Enquirer Many Ohio drivers would love to see the state’s speed limits increased where possible. We don’t really blame them. Most of us are at least tempted to lead-foot it at times you know that really boring stretch between Cincinnati and Columbus? But a bill in the General Assembly that would raise the speed limit to 70 mph on all interstate highways throughout the state looks like a clunker to us. It’s too sweeping, unfocused, and potentially costly to cities with highway segments that ought to have lower speed limits because of traffic congestion, road design, safety or other factors. … Frankly, we’re not convinced an increased speed limit is wise from a safety standpoint - or is even necessary, for that matter. Let’s be honest here. The de facto speed limit is at least 70 on many highways. That’s what people really drive anyway. So why the push to change it officially? Maag says that Ohio should hike the speed limit because the Ohio Turnpike and surrounding states (Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia) have 70 mph limits. But consistency for its own sake isn’t much of an argument.
Where to Write Public officials can be contacted through the following addresses and telephone numbers: ■ Lucy Fess, mayor, 5th Ward Commissioner, ward5comm@piquaoh.org, 6159251 (work), 773-7929 (home) ■ John Martin, 1st Ward Commissioner, ward1comm@piquaoh.org, 773-2778 (home) ■ William Vogt, 2nd Ward Commissioner, ward2comm@piquaoh.org, 773-8217 ■ Joe Wilson, 3rd Ward Commissioner, ward3comm@piquaoh.org, 778-0390 ■ Judy Terry, 4th Ward Commissioner, ward4comm@piquaoh.org, 773-3189 ■ City Manager Gary Huff, ghuff@piquaoh.org, 778-2051 ■ Miami County Commissioners: John “Bud” O’Brien, Jack Evans and Richard Cultice, 201 W. Main St., Troy, OH 45373 440-5910; commissioners@comiami.oh.us ■ John R. Kasich, Ohio governor, Vern Riffe Center, 77 S. High St., Columbus, OH 43215, (614) 644-0813, Fax: (614)
466-9354 ■ State Sen. Bill Beagle, 5th District, Ohio Senate, First Floor, Columbus, Ohio 43215; (614) 466-6247; e-mail: SD05@sen.state.oh.us ■ State Rep. Richard Adams, 79th District, House of Representatives, The Riffe Center, 77 High St. 13th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215, (614) 466-8114, Fax: (614) 7193979; district79@ohr.state.oh.us ■ Jon Husted, Secretary of State, 180 E. Broad St. 15th floor, Columbus, OH 53266-0418 (877) 767-6446, (614)466-2655; ■ David Yost, State Auditor, 88 E. Broad St., 5th floor, Columbus, OH 43215, 800-282-0370 or 614-466-4514 ■ Mike DeWine, State Attorney General, 30 E.Broad St., Columbus, OH 43266, (614) 466-4320 ■ U.S. Rep. John Boehner, 8th District, 12 S. Plum St., Troy, OH 45373, 339-1524 or (800) 582-1001 U.S. House Office, Washington, D.C., 1020 Longworth, HOR, 20515
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