The Politics of Shame

"It is shameful".  That's how President Obama chastised Wall Street bonuses. I wish that for once these politicians and talking heads would stop using the amorphous term Wall Street. Speak up, man, what firms are you singling out? Whose pay was shameful and how much do you calculate was overpay? Just drop the populist finger-pointing and speak clearly. Yes, what's that word? Transparency. That's it.

I propose that the use of taxpayer money to pay for all the Inauguration Day excess was equally shameful to many taxpayers. Consider how many Americans could have been bailed-out of imminent foreclosure if the money had been used for main street and not Pennsylvania Avenue. Consider the cost, whatever it is, of the "bipartisan Super Bowl Party" Obama is holding at the White House tonight. Shameful! More than one person can play the populist game.