Eliot Spitzer for Treasury Secretary

Back in the day, and that was not very long ago, I used to grin with delight whenever I heard or read swashbuckling tales of New York’s former Attorney General Eliot Spitzer excoriating-- and even prosecuting-- Wall Streeters for their excesses. He was my very own populist hero. When he was “brought down” as Governor due to personal lapses involving a prostitute, I suspected vengeance at play. Frankly, his or any other public personalities’ sexual proclivities should only be the concern of those directly involved-- like spouses to whom one has made a vow of fidelity, for example. Since prostitution is against the law in New York and he was, at the time, Governor of New York though, his resignation was justifiable. Fortunately, for us, I believe that makes him available for a new gig: Treasury Secretary.

What is NOT justifiable, is the fact that Tim Geithner was confirmed as Treasury Secretary despite his recurrent practice of not filing taxes, given that the Internal Revenue Service, to which one files taxes, is a subagency of said Treasury Department. Aside from that, given his quote unquote handling—no, let me call it what it is—bungling of the various bailouts that are supposed to lead us out of this calamity that Eliot’s foes caused, Tim Geithner appears to be out of his depth. Either that, or he’s beholden to some interest(s) that are not consistent with our interests. Some suggest that AIG’s contributions to Obama’s Presidential campaign and to Senate Banking Committee Chairman and former Presidential contender Senator Chris Dodd explain the shenanigans AIG has gotten away with. If contributions of a few hundred thousand dollars buys one the right to plunder the American economy, it’s a wonder it didn’t go to hell in a handbasket long before now!

President Obama is making the rounds on television again, Leno on Thursday, then 60 Minutes on Sunday, perhaps to offer a few more mea culpas. I hope he says “I screwed up when I selected Tim Geithner as Treasury Secretary. I’ve accepted his resignation and intend to appoint Eliot Spitzer.” Surely if Geithner can be confirmed, Spitzer can.

You heard it here first. :)