Frodo Gives The Ring to King George and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson

I so want to go back to just being a divorced, daddy blog and talk about my kids and music and self-amusing anecdotes of life. I’m trying so hard not to turn this blog into a political thing again (like Mudholer became at times).

But when the chain of events lead to the American public giving ONE MAN $700,000,000,000 with no means of oversight or accountability, I have to simply say, “No!” with a capital ‘N’. No is the only responsible word here.

Now, I don’t know much about Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. He is probably a good man. (I tend to trust the good in people first, even politicians. I know, it is a fault of mine and I’m working on that issue.) And I’m sure he knows a kazillion more about the financial system than I do, but … but… But THIS wording from the Bush Administration’s proposal simply can’t be more of the ‘King George’ stuff, can it?

Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency.

So, let me get this straight. We’re handing over $700 Billion to one man in exchange for a promise, a promise with no public or even judicial review? This guy gets our money to do as he pleases without accountability, without interference? Well, let’s just throw this whole democracy thing right out the window.

How is this not taxation without representation at its best?

I understand this is serious. This is like when Frodo offers The Ring to those in the Fellowship of the Nine to take the burden as Ring Bearer. The only ones you CAN trust are the ones that DON’T want that much sole power.

So, the reason I don’t want this nice Mr. Paulson to get all this money is precisely because he says he wants it and to trust him. And I’d rather trust a slower moving bureaucracy with oversight and accountability than anointing a king.