In America, We No Longer Have An

Our Laws Governing Lobbying And Campaign Contributions Have Struck The Right Balance Between The Wishes Of The People And Those Of Private Industry, So Why Are We So Quick To Doubt That The Same Great Results Can Be Achieved By Putting The Government's Justice-dealing Branch On The Same Market-based Course?

Every City Is Either Vibrant These Days Or Is Working On A Plan To Attain Vibrancy Soon. The Reason Is Simple: A City Isn't Successful - Isn't Even A City, Really - Unless It Can Lay Claim To Being 'vibrant.'

Under The Administration Of George W. Bush, You Will Recall, Federal Spending Grew Pretty Significantly. At The Same Time, The Number Of People Directly Employed By The Federal Government Shrank. One Of The Factors That Explained The Difference Was Contracting.

Corruption Is Uniquely Reprehensible In A Democracy Because It Violates The System's First Principle, Which We All Learned Back In The Sunshiny Days Of Elementary School: That The Government Exist To Serve The Public, Not Particular Companies Or Individuals Or Even Elected Officials.

Money Never Seems To Be Interested In Strengthening Regulatory Agencies, For Example, But Always In Subverting Them, In Making Them Miss The Danger Signs In Coal Mines And In Derivatives Trading And In Deep-sea Oil Wells.