Peter Ferrara, or recovering our faith in human nature
See, this is more like it. When we start to realize that the world and our government are just too unrelievedly depressing to be funny about, we find a case of someone being corrupt in such a petty, amusing way that our satirical flame is rekindled.
Such is the case of Peter Ferrara, a frequent writer of economically conservative op-ed pieces and mastermind of the movement to privatize social security (excuse me -- personalize). To quote from the article in the Washington Post, "Peter Ferrara of the Institute for Policy Innovation has acknowledged taking payments years ago from a half-dozen lobbyists, including [Jack] Abramoff. Two of his papers, the Washington Times and Manchester (N.H.) Union Leader, have now dropped him. But Ferrara is unapologetic, saying: "There is nothing unethical about taking money from someone and writing an article."
The think tank where he currently works, the Institute for Policy Innovation (motto: "Why not rob from the poor and give to the rich for a change?") has done a delightful job of strenuously distancing themselves from Ferrara while praising his work with them, in the mode of loving the sinner and hating the sin (the link is in the upper right-hand corner of their home page at the moment).
Ferrara also deserves an award for Shortest Attention Span in the Blogosphere; his blog consisted of nine whole posts. Perhaps he figured out that no one was paying him.
Without further ado:
Peter Ferrara sure Innovates Policy --
Innovates ethics completely away.
His journalist's pose is the "anti-Mike-Wallace"; he
Writes what you like if you offer to pay.
When someone's opinions come wrapped in a bank's note,
They'll want more than taking them "under advisement".
A journalist ought to just write a "no-thanks" note,
Or else start the column with "Paid Advertisement".
Peter Ferrara, the Times would've sued ya,
For staining their rep., if, in fact, they had had one.
Perhaps you could write for some rag in Fallujah;
Your briber would then be the Feds -- not a bad one!
Such is the case of Peter Ferrara, a frequent writer of economically conservative op-ed pieces and mastermind of the movement to privatize social security (excuse me -- personalize). To quote from the article in the Washington Post, "Peter Ferrara of the Institute for Policy Innovation has acknowledged taking payments years ago from a half-dozen lobbyists, including [Jack] Abramoff. Two of his papers, the Washington Times and Manchester (N.H.) Union Leader, have now dropped him. But Ferrara is unapologetic, saying: "There is nothing unethical about taking money from someone and writing an article."
The think tank where he currently works, the Institute for Policy Innovation (motto: "Why not rob from the poor and give to the rich for a change?") has done a delightful job of strenuously distancing themselves from Ferrara while praising his work with them, in the mode of loving the sinner and hating the sin (the link is in the upper right-hand corner of their home page at the moment).
Ferrara also deserves an award for Shortest Attention Span in the Blogosphere; his blog consisted of nine whole posts. Perhaps he figured out that no one was paying him.
Without further ado:
Peter Ferrara sure Innovates Policy --
Innovates ethics completely away.
His journalist's pose is the "anti-Mike-Wallace"; he
Writes what you like if you offer to pay.
When someone's opinions come wrapped in a bank's note,
They'll want more than taking them "under advisement".
A journalist ought to just write a "no-thanks" note,
Or else start the column with "Paid Advertisement".
Peter Ferrara, the Times would've sued ya,
For staining their rep., if, in fact, they had had one.
Perhaps you could write for some rag in Fallujah;
Your briber would then be the Feds -- not a bad one!
posted by nightquill | 12:58 AM
1 Comments:
Nice poem.
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