At least, that's how her publicist has spun it.

Or how her bank accounts have spun it. Or is everyone lying and Martha is actually this emotionally broken, penniless woman, getting out of jail thinner because they starved her and with a free book deal because her lawyers can't get her out of a terrible contract and a television show on the FOX network actually entitled "America's Lousiest Home Furnishings"?

I'm not sure it's spin, honestly. The woman might not be as hunky-dory as her publicist would have her belive but she's doing better than anyone I know.

Let's see... Martha blatantly broke the law, she got busted for it and we're supposed to ignore? The only way she is being "made an example of" is by the media. Many people who commit crimes large and small get busted for it every day. The only reason we hear so much about it that she is a big name.

If you want to be mad at someone, be mad at the media.

Okay... I'll play! ;)

I think the point GC and I were trying to make is that the law is *not* enforced uniformly. You have someone like Martha, who in the grand scheme of things, did something that tons of people like her do daily. But those others are not prosecuted. And then the really big fish, who've ruined thousands of lives with their financial scams, get off scott free leaving a trail of victims in their wakes.

Thinking about it, it's my opinion that Americans are really into the concept of "playing fair". It's drummed into us all during childhood. If Kevy can go, Sheila can go. If Kevy gets punished for it, Sheila gets punished for it.

Then we find out when we grow up that the American bureaucracy doesn't play fair -- it's all about who has the power and the interests protected by those in power.

To use a very poor analogy, it's like the LAPD pulling over black drivers because they're breaking the law. The LAPD mostly likely tickets/arrests black drivers at a far *higher* rate than white people. Are white folks better drivers? Hardly not, I see them every day on the San Diego freeway!! :D I won't even go into the number of minorites on death row because I'll be really careening off the subject of Martha.

But the LAPD will tell us that they're just protecting the public, they've making an example out of the "bad drivers", but all of us know better. It's not fair and I think it really annoys those (like me) who have bought into the whole "fair play" concept.

If a politician or a prosecutor or a police officer want to tell me they're making an example of someone, I want to see them uniformly apply this concept to everyone; not just those they see as "easy pickins'."

My goodness, that response turned into quite a long-winded screed. Sorry! ;) :)

And I strongly disagree with the premise that poor Martha was targeted unfairly. She's not the only one to go down in the Imclone case, you just don't hear about the other defendants who also did time (like Imclone's CEO, Sam Waksal, or the stockbroker, Peter Bacanovic). You also don't hear about the other insider trading busts. You just hear about this one because a big name was involved and the media swarms all over a fallen star.

I will not say that the government is perfect. However, I will say that law enforcement (be it at a national, state, or local level) is, overall, good, fair and effective with what they have to work with. No, it is not perfect (otherwise OJ would not be free). Yes, there are some PEOPLE who are ineffective, dishonest, racist, and just plain corrupt. (And I would love to respond to the DWB charge mentioned, but I don't want to go OT too much). But I believe the system, overall, is good.

I have yet to see or hear ANY evidence that Martha was "unfairly" targeted.