Weekend At Bernies

Most poor people today are angry at all the news coming out of Washington and Wall Street and Detroit. Fancy retreats, private jets and million dollar bonuses don't go over well with people wondering if they're going to make the rent this month. I've looked at all these instances and mostly just shake my head and say "these people don't get it." People like the heads of Citigroup, Lehman, AIG or General Motors have never had to scrimp and save and scrounge. Same thing with many in Congress with their chorus of "let the market run it's cost." These same people have no idea what it's like to have a loved one in Iraq or Afghanistan.

What it boils down to is that the people who cause these problems usually don't have to experience the consequences. They deal in economic and political theory and in the meantime still get to have breakfast with their families every morning and live their lush lives.

Which is why I, a bona fide poor person wish for the worst for Bernie Madoff.

He is working out a plea deal and thus has remained out of prison and in the luxury of his penthouse apartment. His wife went to the judge and asked if she could keep what she feels is "hers" in their relationship. Neither of them seem to grasp the fact that he did an enormous amount of damage to a lot of people who lost their life savings. All they seem to care about is saving themselves.

As most people know by now the most heinous thing he did was swindle the funds out of the Elie Weisel Foundation. Weisel, a well-known Holocaust survivor heads a foundation to fight intolerance and injustice throughout the world. Almost all of their assets valued at over 15 million dollars was lost to Madoff's greed.

It is beyond my comprehension that someone would do that in the first place and even more dumbounded that he is being given such preferential treatment. The fact that he will be given 150 years in prison even after the plea deal is little comfort every day he goes back to his penthouse.

So Mr. Madoff, don't be surprise that 99% of the world bears ill will toward you. Maybe something really terrible will happen to you this weekend. Maybe the cable will go out or you'll run out of Grey Poupon.