I don't know what 'refactor' means, but since this has grown frustrating and confusing, I'm replacing the entire thread with a straightforward summary that does not resort to referencing Wikipedia, historical analogy, Poland in the 50s, Robspierre, or any other pretensions. I never meant to write anything complicated or argumentative.

1) I am not writing about what Arnold thought. I am writing about what he made me think of.

2) From Tuesday's class I took away the following: according to EM, the libertarian argument that TG and LS gave for not saving Lehman (government cannot or should not interfere) was a myth covering their corrupt efforts to save AIG and benefit their own interests.

3) We should be and will be encouraged to a state of outrage when confronted with situations like #2 (and any number of similar miserable human events).

4) But, if we make choices about how to live our lives solely based on our outrage, we risk replacing one intolerable human failure with another. If we are to be happy, we will need positive energy and positive goals, instead of simply being against things. (We want to know what is just and create what is just, rather than tearing down what is unjust, because we can replace it with something equally unjust).

5) Knowing injustice when we see it is easy. Identifying and implementing positive justice is very very hard.

6) But after all, that's what we have two more years to think about.

-- AndrewCase - 13 Feb 2009