Centerfield

Damn, that Spitzer guy won't given anyone a break!!

Actually, I think this would be entirely reasonable if they were up front with it to their donors. It could be treated as an experiment to find out what's out there. They could mail their donors a report about "what's known about you" That would be a useful service, in fact. Kind of like getting your credit report.

As a card carrying member of the ACLU (and yes, I am a Republican) I have personally thought that their fundraising efforts have gotten a bit ridiculous as of late. I am always getting calls for money although I do not make the income to warrant such attention... It is a little obnoxious. That been said I don't personally feel my right to privacy has been violated. I think the ACLU clearly has some organizational issues that has causes some bad decisions to be made, and I hope it gets worked out.

I have passed Eliot Spitzer off as camera hog way too easily.... This guy seems to be for real. He is left me with the impression that he believes justice knows no boundaries, even if it is your friends who are breaking the law. Good for him. He will make an excellent Governor of New York.

Spritzer is a media hound. He promised to go after our corrupt political system when he was elected. I can't recall any cases that made headlines involving him.

However, he sure is out there when he takes down a Wall Street firm.

BTW, that one insurance company he got to pay a fine to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars ended up laying off hundreds of people mainly because of the cost of the fine.

Donald,

By your standard, there should never be any regulatory enforcement because it could cost jobs. The Enron employees ended up losing their jobs too. Your argument would simply be a license to break the law with impunity.

If you think that fine was a job-killer, just wait for genuine health-care reform (though it might be a long wait.) One in five healthcare-related workers minimum are in the primary business of sorting, classifying, dodging, and denying payment responsibility. The ripples of any true single-payer and/or comprehensive coverage system would put hundreds of thousands of people out of work in the HC and insurance industries. And think of all the poor unemployed pharmaceutical reps if we ever adopted a national drug formulary!

I enjoy seeing the sanctimonious ACLU get a little comeuppance. While the organization does some good, they have been entirely too willing to get involved in litigation to validate silly rights, e.g., people who wanted to withhold taxes from the Pentagon.