The Guilt of Madoff

It appears that Madoff is going to jail, and we can practically hear the shouts of joy from the rooftops of Manhattan. Madoff, with his silvery coiffure and elegant suits, looks like a man who has enjoyed exquisite pleasures and lived a life of unimaginable indulgence. He is the poster child of greed, the very portrait of the monster who smiles suavely while wreaking havoc.

The country may experience catharsis while witnessing his demise and ultimate incarceration, and that is an important thing. We may need a symbol on which to focus our profound disgust at the excesses that have been so ruinous to our economy…