There are No Second Acts in American Lives, Aber in Deutschland Gibt Es? (Teil 2)

 

Governor

Presidential Candidate 

Danced with the Stars

Secretary of Energy

Und jetzt ein C&W Saenger in Deutschland

And perhaps no second acts for some American lives, even in Germany.

Wall Street Titan "Baffled" by Government Form

Steven T. Mnuchin, Nominee for Secretary US Treasury

When asked to explain how he left $100 million in assets and some "other" information off a required government disclosure form, Steven T. Mnuchin, President Trump's nominee for US Treasury Secretary, stated: “I think as you all can appreciate, filling out these government forms is quite complicated.” 

Once again it's the fault of "Big Government" overreach burdening a self-reliant and hard-working job creator.

Now some or you out there might think that a guy who was a partner at Goldman Sachs and a supremo at several hedge funds would have little problem with the mechanics (note that limitation) of filling out a Federal ethics disclosure form.  But apparently you would be wrong.    

Luckily, the position of Secretary of the Treasury doesn't require a sharp mind or attention to detail --at least in the incoming Administration. 

On a positive note, continued lack of such characteristics could result in a dramatic reduction in the Federal Debt if ten trillion or so was "left out" of the complicated Federal form for reporting national debt.

Danced With the Stars, Still Struggling as an "Apprentice"

The Apprentice appeared to have higher standards, but then all TV is not "reality" TV.

Paging John Kenney Toole.

What is A Lepo?

One Toke Over the Line

All Hat No Cattle

There's been a lot of unwarranted piling on Candidate Gary Johnson over his honest but simple question in an interview with MSNBC "What is Aleppo?"  Video here.

Many have assumed this reflects a lack of knowledge about geography.  Johnson has explained that "he was thinking of an acronym and not the Syrian war."

Does this explanation hold water?

First, the interview was verbal.  We really don't know what Candidate Johnson said, "What is Aleppo?"  Or "What is a LEPO"?  Or "What is a lepo?"

Second are there any terms that he might have been thinking about that could relate to Syria?  Drawing on his vast knowledge of matters financial and linguistic, AA offers the following possibilities.

1. LEPO Low Exercise Price Option - A financial innovation credited to the Land of Oz.  Perhaps, Johnson was trying to clarify if  MSNBC was asking for him to provide a low cost option to resolve Syria.
2. Lepo - A Basque word for "neck" - a common expression for a kill or choke point.  Hence, a request for him to identify the one action that would end the conflict. Why would he be thinking about Basque expressions?   Those with some knowledge of US history know that immigrating Basques settled primarily in California and the Southwest of the US. While New Mexico (where Johnson was governor) was not a major destination, Basques did settle there.
3. Lepo - A Finnish word for "at rest" used by the Finnish military to mean "at ease". Think of it as a way of conveying "Mission Accomplished" but without using those specific words.  Or perhaps a criticism of the current Administration's policy.

On the other hand, perhaps he didn't know.  Or in the glare of the spotlight froze.

A worthy nominee for the Rick Perry "statesman" award.