Atlas is getting ready to shrug.

[HowardRoark]

To All My Valued Employees,

There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: The economy doesn’t pose a threat to your job.

What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country. Of course, as your employer, I am forbidden to tell you whom to vote for — it is against the law to discriminate based on political affiliation, Race, creed, religion, etc.

Please vote who you think will serve your Interests the best. However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in your best interest. First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a back story.

This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and hear. Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You’ve seen my big home at last years Christmas party. I’m sure all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life. However, what you don’t see is the back story.

I started this company 12 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot studio apartment for 3 years. My entire living space was converted into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company, which by the way, would eventually employ you.

My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective transmission. I didn’t have time to date. Often times, I stayed home on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business — hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting the Nordstrom’s for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the Goodwill store extracting any clothing item that didn’t look like it was birthed in the 70’s.

My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.

So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9am, mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5pm, I don’t. There is no “off” button For me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, ****, and breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to me like a 1 day old baby.

You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden — the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations… You never realize the back story and the sacrifices I’ve made. Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the right decisions and saved his money, have to bail-out all the people who didn’t.

The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for. Yes, business ownership has is benefits but the price I’ve paid is steep and not without wounds. Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, and employing you, is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell you why:

I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don’t pay enough. I have state taxes. Federal taxes. Property taxes. Sales and use taxes. Payroll taxes. Workers compensation taxes. Unemployment taxes. Taxes on taxes. I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time. On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 for quarterly taxes. You know what my “stimulus” check was? Zero. Nada. Zilch.

The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the guy who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check?

Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country. The fact is, if I deducted (Read: Stole) 50% of your paycheck you’d quit and you wouldn’t work here. I mean, why should you? That’s nuts. Who wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is in jeopardy. Here is what many of you don’t understand; to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn’t need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that $288,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries. But you can forget it now.

When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don’t defibrillate and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do you? Or, do you defibrillate his heart? Business is at the heart of America and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it. Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the mud of America are the essential drivers of the American economic engine.

Nothing could be further from the truth and this is the type of change you can keep. So where am I going with all this? It’s quite simple. If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift and simple. I fire you. I fire your co-workers. You can then plead with the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child’s future. Frankly, it isn’t my problem any more. Then, I will close this company down, move to another country, and retire.

You see, I’m done. I’m done with a country that penalizes the productive and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be destroyed, and with it, will be my citizenship.

While tax cuts to 95% of America sounds great on paper, don’t forget the backstory: If there is no job, there is no income to tax. A tax cut on zero dollars is zero. So, when you make decision to vote, ask yourself, who understands the economics of business ownership and who doesn’t? Whose policies will endanger your job? Answer those questions and you should know who might be the one capable of saving your job. While the media wants to tell you “It’s the economy Stupid” I’m telling you it isn’t.

If you lose your job, it won’t be at the hands of the economy; it will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country, steamrolled the Constitution, and will have changed its landscape forever. If that happens, you can find me in South Caribbean sitting on a beach, retired, and with no employees to worry about.

Signed, Your boss,

[Partial]

I have sent this to like twenty of my friends. Great letter. Thanks for posting!!

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Hook, line, and sinker.

[Freak Out]

Atlas is getting ready to shrug? Atlas shrugged long ago.

[Freak Out]

Hook, line, and sinker.

:lol:

[gex]

What a whiny little bitch, does he think he is entitled to something.

Leave the country that made you a millionaire you little punk ass, I'm sure one of your employees will start up their own business from the void you leave.

Somebody call the Waambulance, what a Dumbass :roll:

[Harlan Huckleby]

Partial has 20 friends!?

[Harlan Huckleby]

In fact, I was married to my business — hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year

There are no $50K jobs where you only work 40 hours/week. This douche bag doesn't realize how hard and long lowly employees are typically working in most decent-paying jobs.

What a nausiating individual.

[texaspackerbacker]

Did he actually call the American people "mud"? Is that like "mud people"?

There are points of truth in the article, but the overall tone is much too negative, and the prescription for the patient--stimulating business because it is the "heart" of America? No. Business is the servant of America, the paid provider that if it is an honest and dedicated servant, should be patronized and encouraged. However, if parts of that production and service sector show loyalty to others--businesses going international in their loyalty, then the true heart of America--the people--need to disown them. I do not mean to imply that doing business internationally is automatically bad--just that it should be done from an exploiting pro-American point of view--And when a business ceases to operate that way, it ceases to be deserving of American loyalty and all that implies.

If the "shrug" is supposed to mean the current economic situation, I say again, that was contrived by the media and is perpetuated by the fact that so many believed the propaganda and shutdown consumer spending--the "heart" falling prey to a "virus" called the mainstream media.

[HowardRoark]

Hook, line, and sinker.

The warning label on a 5-inch fishing lure with a three-pronged hook says, “Harmful if swallowed.” Thank God for lawyers.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Hook, line, and sinker.

The warning label on a 5-inch fishing lure with a three-pronged hook says, “Harmful if swallowed.” Thank God for lawyers.

I thought you were a bit brighter than this Howard. You disappoint me.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

In fact, I was married to my business — hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year

There are no $50K jobs where you only work 40 hours/week. This douche bag doesn't realize how hard and long lowly employees are typically working in most decent-paying jobs.

What a nausiating individual.

Come HH. This is clearly a spam email. Mr. Crowley didn't write it.

[mraynrand]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123146363567166677.html

'Atlas Shrugged': From Fiction to Fact in 52 Years

[Harlan Huckleby]

The warning label on a 5-inch fishing lure with a three-pronged hook says, “Harmful if swallowed.”

Good thing that fish can't read!
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
:knll:

[Freak Out]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123146363567166677.html

'Atlas Shrugged': From Fiction to Fact in 52 Years


Wow...imagine that coming out of the wall street journal.

How are we going to pay the Marines that will have to go save that guy's ass when Castro invades the beach he has been kicking back on?

[HowardRoark]

Hook, line, and sinker.

The warning label on a 5-inch fishing lure with a three-pronged hook says, “Harmful if swallowed.” Thank God for lawyers.

I thought you were a bit brighter than this Howard. You disappoint me.

Just throwing a little chum in the water and seeing what happens......
http://www.catchbillfish.com/cabo/12_99/images/squid_web.jpg

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Hook, line, and sinker.

The warning label on a 5-inch fishing lure with a three-pronged hook says, “Harmful if swallowed.” Thank God for lawyers.

I thought you were a bit brighter than this Howard. You disappoint me.

Just throwing a little chum in the water and seeing what happens......
http://www.catchbillfish.com/cabo/12_99/images/squid_web.jpg

Right. You now expect us to believe you knew it was fake. :roll:

[mraynrand]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123146363567166677.html

'Atlas Shrugged': From Fiction to Fact in 52 Years


Wow...imagine that coming out of the wall street journal.

How are we going to pay the Marines that will have to go save that guy's ass when Castro invades the beach he has been kicking back on?

Another brilliant response that addresses the issues.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123146363567166677.html

'Atlas Shrugged': From Fiction to Fact in 52 Years


Wow...imagine that coming out of the wall street journal.

How are we going to pay the Marines that will have to go save that guy's ass when Castro invades the beach he has been kicking back on?

Another brilliant response that addresses the issues.

Why do we need to address the issue. Clearly the Cato Institute has all the answers. Just relay on to us what we should think and how we should react.

[bobblehead]

What a whiny little bitch, does he think he is entitled to something.

Leave the country that made you a millionaire you little punk ass, I'm sure one of your employees will start up their own business from the void you leave.

Somebody call the Waambulance, what a Dumbass :roll:

Yes, I'm sure its just that easy. Someone will just up and replace him like he never was.

Are you really so naive as to think anyone can/will just start a profitable economy building business??

And no, I don't believe this letter is real. When people actually do this, and I know 2 who have, they don't write letters, they simply quit.

[bobblehead]

In fact, I was married to my business — hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year

There are no $50K jobs where you only work 40 hours/week. This douche bag doesn't realize how hard and long lowly employees are typically working in most decent-paying jobs.

What a nausiating individual.

In evil Las Vegas, the land of low taxes and limited regulation, 50k jobs are considered mediocre. The best Valet, waitering, bartending, and dealing jobs ALL pay well over 50k for a 40 hour week.

[Freak Out]

In fact, I was married to my business — hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year

There are no $50K jobs where you only work 40 hours/week. This douche bag doesn't realize how hard and long lowly employees are typically working in most decent-paying jobs.

What a nausiating individual.

In evil Las Vegas, the land of low taxes and limited regulation, 50k jobs are considered mediocre. The best Valet, waitering, bartending, and dealing jobs ALL pay well over 50k for a 40 hour week.

:lol: :lol: Live there? Been there lately?

[mraynrand]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123146363567166677.html

'Atlas Shrugged': From Fiction to Fact in 52 Years


Wow...imagine that coming out of the wall street journal.

How are we going to pay the Marines that will have to go save that guy's ass when Castro invades the beach he has been kicking back on?

Another brilliant response that addresses the issues.

Why do we need to address the issue. Clearly the Cato Institute has all the answers. Just relay on to us what we should think and how we should react.


Another brilliant response that addresses the issues.

[gex]

What a whiny little bitch, does he think he is entitled to something.

Leave the country that made you a millionaire you little punk ass, I'm sure one of your employees will start up their own business from the void you leave.

Somebody call the Waambulance, what a Dumbass :roll:

Yes, I'm sure its just that easy. Someone will just up and replace him like he never was.

Are you really so naive as to think anyone can/will just start a profitable economy building business??

And no, I don't believe this letter is real. When people actually do this, and I know 2 who have, they don't write letters, they simply quit.

Yes I do, Bubble, I'm sure 1 or 2 of them already had all the clients names and #'s copied down and were thinking of starting their own business anyway.Your kind seem to think nobody else has the drive and want to succeed.

[bobblehead]

In fact, I was married to my business — hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year

There are no $50K jobs where you only work 40 hours/week. This douche bag doesn't realize how hard and long lowly employees are typically working in most decent-paying jobs.

What a nausiating individual.

In evil Las Vegas, the land of low taxes and limited regulation, 50k jobs are considered mediocre. The best Valet, waitering, bartending, and dealing jobs ALL pay well over 50k for a 40 hour week.

:lol: :lol: Live there? Been there lately?

I live here, none of what I said has changed. Business is slightly down, and unemployment is up (due to contruction halting). Bottom line is that 50k is still not that hard to acheive.

Oh, if you look at the local economy in a 3-4 month window you might find some fault...but I'll take the 15 year track record I have in Las Vegas over your insight.

[bobblehead]

What a whiny little bitch, does he think he is entitled to something.

Leave the country that made you a millionaire you little punk ass, I'm sure one of your employees will start up their own business from the void you leave.

Somebody call the Waambulance, what a Dumbass :roll:

Yes, I'm sure its just that easy. Someone will just up and replace him like he never was.

Are you really so naive as to think anyone can/will just start a profitable economy building business??

And no, I don't believe this letter is real. When people actually do this, and I know 2 who have, they don't write letters, they simply quit.

Yes I do, Bubble, I'm sure 1 or 2 of them already had all the clients names and #'s copied down and were thinking of starting their own business anyway.Your kind seem to think nobody else has the drive and want to succeed.

What exactly is "my kind"? And I think a lot of people have the drive and want to succeed...most of them do/have. As far as having clients name and #'s copied...nice. No law breaking there or anything huh?

Anyway I'm all for his employees opening shop and competing, it brings down prices and raises efficiency. Good for them. Oh but wait. What if he hires a few lobbyists to craftily have some friends in gov't put some roadblocks in their way. Some regulation that adds a few million to start up costs. Thats the way of your party.

While we are at it lets make sure that if some of them do risk their entire life savings opening shop to better serve customers we tax the FUCK out of them too. Can't have them make a nice profit for risking everything and bettering society can we??

See the reason this letter was "written" is because gov't is making it not worth the risk to run said business. So no, if this individual does up and retire, I don't expect anyone to move in and replace him.

[Freak Out]

In fact, I was married to my business — hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year

There are no $50K jobs where you only work 40 hours/week. This douche bag doesn't realize how hard and long lowly employees are typically working in most decent-paying jobs.

What a nausiating individual.

In evil Las Vegas, the land of low taxes and limited regulation, 50k jobs are considered mediocre. The best Valet, waitering, bartending, and dealing jobs ALL pay well over 50k for a 40 hour week.

:lol: :lol: Live there? Been there lately?

I live here, none of what I said has changed. Business is slightly down, and unemployment is up (due to contruction halting). Bottom line is that 50k is still not that hard to acheive.

Oh, if you look at the local economy in a 3-4 month window you might find some fault...but I'll take the 15 year track record I have in Las Vegas over your insight.

So did the developers overbuild just a tad? I saw lots of unfinished homes when I drove around on the way to the river. Loads of deals to be had if you were so inclined. If you wanted to sell your home today could you do it and not lose your ass?

[bobblehead]

In fact, I was married to my business — hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year

There are no $50K jobs where you only work 40 hours/week. This douche bag doesn't realize how hard and long lowly employees are typically working in most decent-paying jobs.

What a nausiating individual.

In evil Las Vegas, the land of low taxes and limited regulation, 50k jobs are considered mediocre. The best Valet, waitering, bartending, and dealing jobs ALL pay well over 50k for a 40 hour week.

:lol: :lol: Live there? Been there lately?

I live here, none of what I said has changed. Business is slightly down, and unemployment is up (due to contruction halting). Bottom line is that 50k is still not that hard to acheive.

Oh, if you look at the local economy in a 3-4 month window you might find some fault...but I'll take the 15 year track record I have in Las Vegas over your insight.

So did the developers overbuild just a tad? I saw lots of unfinished homes when I drove around on the way to the river. Loads of deals to be had if you were so inclined. If you wanted to sell your home today could you do it and not lose your ass?

Anyone who bought from 2004 til now would lose their ass. Did they overbuild?? Hard to say, at the time there was demand...false demand propped up by false loans, but demand none the less. Personally I STILL don't think there are a lot of deals out there, just percieved deals based on 2006 prices. I sold at the peak, and am living in one of my condos, but I am still not buying. In the next year I probably will.

We are a tourism based city and peoples lack of confidence in the economy is hurting us, but most people are doing fine. The part time workers are losing hours and hurting a bit, but we are doing better than most the nation.

[mraynrand]

In fact, I was married to my business — hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year

There are no $50K jobs where you only work 40 hours/week. This douche bag doesn't realize how hard and long lowly employees are typically working in most decent-paying jobs.

What a nausiating individual.

In evil Las Vegas, the land of low taxes and limited regulation, 50k jobs are considered mediocre. The best Valet, waitering, bartending, and dealing jobs ALL pay well over 50k for a 40 hour week.

:lol: :lol: Live there? Been there lately?

I live here, none of what I said has changed. Business is slightly down, and unemployment is up (due to contruction halting). Bottom line is that 50k is still not that hard to acheive.

Oh, if you look at the local economy in a 3-4 month window you might find some fault...but I'll take the 15 year track record I have in Las Vegas over your insight.

So did the developers overbuild just a tad? I saw lots of unfinished homes when I drove around on the way to the river. Loads of deals to be had if you were so inclined. If you wanted to sell your home today could you do it and not lose your ass?

Anyone who bought from 2004 til now would lose their ass. Did they overbuild?? Hard to say, at the time there was demand...false demand propped up by false loans, but demand none the less. Personally I STILL don't think there are a lot of deals out there, just percieved deals based on 2006 prices. I sold at the peak, and am living in one of my condos, but I am still not buying. In the next year I probably will.

We are a tourism based city and peoples lack of confidence in the economy is hurting us, but most people are doing fine. The part time workers are losing hours and hurting a bit, but we are doing better than most the nation.

round these parts, we don't use the phrase 'false demand,' we use 'glorious multiplier effect.'

[Tyrone Bigguns]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123146363567166677.html

'Atlas Shrugged': From Fiction to Fact in 52 Years


Wow...imagine that coming out of the wall street journal.

How are we going to pay the Marines that will have to go save that guy's ass when Castro invades the beach he has been kicking back on?

Another brilliant response that addresses the issues.

Why do we need to address the issue. Clearly the Cato Institute has all the answers. Just relay on to us what we should think and how we should react.


Another brilliant response that addresses the issues.

Your response doesn't seem like the usual well crafted Cato Institute responses.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

In fact, I was married to my business — hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year

There are no $50K jobs where you only work 40 hours/week. This douche bag doesn't realize how hard and long lowly employees are typically working in most decent-paying jobs.

What a nausiating individual.

In evil Las Vegas, the land of low taxes and limited regulation, 50k jobs are considered mediocre. The best Valet, waitering, bartending, and dealing jobs ALL pay well over 50k for a 40 hour week.

:lol: :lol: Live there? Been there lately?

I live here, none of what I said has changed. Business is slightly down, and unemployment is up (due to contruction halting). Bottom line is that 50k is still not that hard to acheive.

Oh, if you look at the local economy in a 3-4 month window you might find some fault...but I'll take the 15 year track record I have in Las Vegas over your insight.

So did the developers overbuild just a tad? I saw lots of unfinished homes when I drove around on the way to the river. Loads of deals to be had if you were so inclined. If you wanted to sell your home today could you do it and not lose your ass?

Anyone who bought from 2004 til now would lose their ass. Did they overbuild?? Hard to say, at the time there was demand...false demand propped up by false loans, but demand none the less. Personally I STILL don't think there are a lot of deals out there, just percieved deals based on 2006 prices. I sold at the peak, and am living in one of my condos, but I am still not buying. In the next year I probably will.

We are a tourism based city and peoples lack of confidence in the economy is hurting us, but most people are doing fine. The part time workers are losing hours and hurting a bit, but we are doing better than most the nation.

round these parts, we don't use the phrase 'false demand,' we use 'glorious multiplier effect.'

Well played.

[mraynrand]

Cass Sunstein is to head up the "Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs." He will be the 'Regulatory Czar' in the Obama administration. You can't write fiction or chain e-mails that match this reality. Oh wait, perhaps you can Sunstein is perhaps....Bertram Scudder, editorial writer and advocate of the Equalization of Opportunity Bill.

(actually, Sunstein is quite brilliant, and a strong advocate of FDR's positive bill of rights AKA socialism/communism/critical theory. A worrisome combination)

Chicago professor Cass Sunstein to join his administration
Law scholar will handle regulation issues, transition official says

By Christi Parsons | Washington Bureau
January 8, 2009

WASHINGTON — Cass Sunstein, a longtime University of Chicago legal scholar and prominent author, is set to take up a key cause in the Barack Obama administration: regulation.

The president-elect is expected to name Sunstein—his friend and informal adviser—to head the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, a transition official said late Wednesday.

A low-profile position in the current administration, the job is likely to be a higher-wattage one after Obama takes office this month.

Obama has promised an overhaul to federal regulation, specifically of the U.S. financial markets, and Sunstein's job description suggests a sweeping agenda.

"This office is in charge of coordinating and overseeing government regulations," a transition official said Wednesday, "and a smarter approach to regulation is key to making government work better and getting better results in terms of protecting health, the environment, etc."

Besides that, Sunstein brings a measure of star power to the post, as a leading constitutional scholar and the Felix Frankfurter professor of law at Harvard. He joined the Harvard faculty this year after many years at the University of Chicago, where he is still a visiting professor. He and Obama taught there.

Along with economist Richard Thaler, Sunstein is co-author of "Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness." It examines how setting up thoughtful "choice architecture" can encourage people to make beneficial choices without restricting their freedom to choose.

Sunstein is the author of many other books and articles, and much of his recent work is devoted to exploring the relationship between law and human behavior.

He is a graduate of the Harvard Law School and a former clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. He also served as an attorney and adviser in the Office of the Legal Counsel of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Sunstein married Harvard professor and Pulitzer Prize winner Samantha Power after the two met on the Obama campaign.

[MJZiggy]

Maybe he'll be the czar of eliminating red tape. If they're wanting smarter regulations, that might a good end result. They didn't put him in charge of economic policy or anything...

[sheepshead]

Cass Sunstein is to head up the "Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs." He will be the 'Regulatory Czar' in the Obama administration. You can't write fiction or chain e-mails that match this reality. Oh wait, perhaps you can Sunstein is perhaps....Bertram Scudder, editorial writer and advocate of the Equalization of Opportunity Bill.

(actually, Sunstein is quite brilliant, and a strong advocate of FDR's positive bill of rights AKA socialism/communism/critical theory. A worrisome combination)

Chicago professor Cass Sunstein to join his administration
Law scholar will handle regulation issues, transition official says

By Christi Parsons | Washington Bureau
January 8, 2009

WASHINGTON — Cass Sunstein, a longtime University of Chicago legal scholar and prominent author, is set to take up a key cause in the Barack Obama administration: regulation.

The president-elect is expected to name Sunstein—his friend and informal adviser—to head the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, a transition official said late Wednesday.

A low-profile position in the current administration, the job is likely to be a higher-wattage one after Obama takes office this month.

Obama has promised an overhaul to federal regulation, specifically of the U.S. financial markets, and Sunstein's job description suggests a sweeping agenda.

"This office is in charge of coordinating and overseeing government regulations," a transition official said Wednesday, "and a smarter approach to regulation is key to making government work better and getting better results in terms of protecting health, the environment, etc."

Besides that, Sunstein brings a measure of star power to the post, as a leading constitutional scholar and the Felix Frankfurter professor of law at Harvard. He joined the Harvard faculty this year after many years at the University of Chicago, where he is still a visiting professor. He and Obama taught there.

Along with economist Richard Thaler, Sunstein is co-author of "Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness." It examines how setting up thoughtful "choice architecture" can encourage people to make beneficial choices without restricting their freedom to choose.

Sunstein is the author of many other books and articles, and much of his recent work is devoted to exploring the relationship between law and human behavior.

He is a graduate of the Harvard Law School and a former clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. He also served as an attorney and adviser in the Office of the Legal Counsel of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Sunstein married Harvard professor and Pulitzer Prize winner Samantha Power after the two met on the Obama campaign.

I actually thought his whole cabinet was going to look like this.

[mraynrand]

Maybe he'll be the czar of eliminating red tape. If they're wanting smarter regulations, that might a good end result. They didn't put him in charge of economic policy or anything...

It sounds really good, doesn't it? One really smart guy, with only the best intentions, to oversee everything and fix it all. Like a philosopher-king.

[MJZiggy]

Uhhh...where did you get that out of my hope that the regulatory czar might be inclined to cut red tape?

[mraynrand]

Uhhh...where did you get that out of my hope that the regulatory czar might be inclined to cut red tape?

Well, they might be able to just about anything. (I didn't get it out of what you wrote - it came from my own brain).

I just hope we get benevolent Czars to rule us.

[MJZiggy]

It's just a colloquialism. Yeesh.