I found out there was this meeting of the minds about healthcare on CNBC and I went out of my way to watch it. Amazingly to me, sitting right there at the table of experts was our old friend Michael Milken. That’s right, the junk bond king that wiped out countless people’s life savings. The man who nearly destroyed the entire financial system of The United States. Oh yea, that brought back some memories of him and his old buddy Ivan Boesky.  All the havoc those two rained down on America in the junk bond and saving and loans days.

Now I’m sitting here wondering why this convicted felon is a healthcare expert. I know he had cancer and beat it, but I didn’t know why that got him a seat in Maria Bartiromo’s panel. He’s always been a strange man to me. I watched some time ago with his Barbara Walters’ special, where he oddly just kept saying Barbara’s name over and over. I figured it was some tool he used back in his Boiler Room days, where he keeps saying the first name of the person to try to disarm them. I remember when he actually paid taxes in one year on five-hundred and fifty million dollars of ill gotten gains.

So I guess society has allowed Michael Milken to redeem himself. Now I can’t help but wonder, after Michael Vick has paid his debt to society, whether or not redemption is in the cards for him? Is it the fact that a person could steal hundreds of millions of dollars and be forgiven, however, if you killed dogs, redemption is not allowed? It is interesting to see the two Michaels and the difference we are dealing with here.

Could race play a role anywhere in this? Michael Vick did his time as Milken did but will America forgive? It is too early to know the answer to this yet. However, the tale of the two Michaels should be looked at here. I would like to hear why Vick is not allowed another chance when a former thief like Milken is. Even before the dog thing with Vick, I never liked him in the first place. As an NFL fan I get to pick which player I like or dislike. Vick in my opinion was a jerk with the press and fans. However, now I see what is going on here and I wonder about right and wrong.

I ponder hypocrisy and racism as I gaze my eyes upon the tale of the two Michaels. I am a Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan and the owners of my beloved team the Glazier family, have completely decimated my favorite team. We definitely could use a good quarterback. How about Vick redeeming himself in the city of Tampa? Maybe Michael Milken could buy the football franchise and the two of them could earn their way back into some of our hearts?

C. Rich

Popularity: 1%