Do we all have friends like Jack?

[The Backlash Cometh]

Interesting comment from a Jack Guerin on Crooks and Liars:

Deguerin was on "The Abrams Report," to discuss Tom Delay's relationship with Jack Abramoff. He was steadfast in telling us that although Jack was a crook to the worst degree, good old Tom stood by his friends. Wouldn't you?

Dan listed all the quality time Tom spent with Jack and asked:

Abrams:...are you concerned?

Deguerin : There's no question that they are friends and Tom Delay's not the kind of person that's going to turn his back on a friend that's in trouble---Tom Delay is not going to abandon Jack Abramoff just because Abramoff has done some illegal things...
- - - - - - - -
So, do you have friends like Jack? I certainly don't. In fact, I remember making a conscious effort to stay away from people like Jack. In fact, I have cut back the time I spend with relatives who I think would feel very comfortable drinking Jack Daniels with Jack at the Nineteenth Hole. I mean, what kind of person goes out of their way to befriend a crook like Jack?

[bryant69]

1. Well it's the little things

I mean sure it's bad that he's a crook and all, but, well, you know how hard it is to get into those fancy shmancy washington restaurants? One call from Jack, and they are taking my coat at the door. And that time I wanted to get Iraq invaded so as to settle a bar bet? Jack came through in spades as I think we can all agree.

But perhaps I've said too much.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. That's the part I don't really get. It really comes down to principles.

If you have them, you won't have a problem staying away from those kinds of seductive alluring traps.

I'm not saying that I'm an angel. I'm not above being seduced. But usually it happens in places like a garden nursery, for instance, when a lacy Japanese Maple strikes my fancy...

[MADem]

5. Hell, Jack CREATED a fancy-schmancy restaurant for those toads

It was called Signatures, which is a kind of amusing name, since his pals who went there never had to sign the bill, seeing as he picked up the tab more often than not. He figured that the dirt he picked up, and the influence he gained, was well worth a plate or two of chow with garnish, and a heavy hand with the booze!



Oh, how the mighty have fallen!

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

10. Shoulda been called the Bada Bing.

[cyanide]

2. What kind

I mean, what kind of person goes out of their way to befriend a crook like Jack?




Another crook.

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. What kind of person defends a person who befriends a crook?

[Selatius]

3. If money and power is my game, then Jack is my friend.

If you're in it for the money, the power, the ego, you need people like Jack to back you up because you'll be waging war against everybody else who stands in your way, and it is good to have people in high places to back you up if Plan A or Plan B fails.

Also, just to illustrate how cutthroat it is in this world of greed and power, it makes sense to also have a back-up plan to make your old friend Jack the fall guy if something goes wrong. Of course, Jack probably has a similar design on you as well.

At this level of the game, alliances are made strictly to gain power. Loyalty is fast becoming an anachronism.

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. Exactly. And that's the point of this thread, isn't it?

We have found the flaw in our system. Power is the ultimate goal, and how you get there isn't being criticized or regulated by the usual social mores. Not the churches, not the criminal justice system nor the people or media.

[Selatius]

9. Power is an issue in any system of governance

It seems the more one concentrates decision-making power, the more one is likely to attract those who lust for that power. Perhaps this is why people like Jefferson were so concerned with the new federal Constitution. Unfortunately, the nature of governments is the nature of concentrated decision-making power. The question is who gets to wield that power? In theory, the people decide who gets to sit in the seats of power, but too often it is demonstrated that the people can be made to vote one way or another through sophisticated means of social engineering.

A good example is to use fear to get people to approve of policies that would suspend civil liberties in the name of national security. Those who oppose are unpatriotic, soft on defense, and are exposing the country to greater danger. It works the same in any form of government with any economic ideology be it socialism or capitalism or a mix of the two. Hermann Goering knew what he was talking about.

[Ksec]

7. Oh sure , hell my freinds extort money all the time.