The Obama Administration Issued Today Anti-Inversion Restrictions; Where is the Outrage Over Pabst, TRW Automotive, Dresser Rand, Sigma Aldrich, and Even GE Appliances?

My earlier blog on August 11, 2008 focused on the economic folly of the demagoguery against “inversion” corporate mergers to lower United States corporate taxes. (“The Insidious Inversion Perversion: An Exercise in Economic Ignorance”). The anti-inversion campaign is a continuation of the Obama Administration’s fairly successful 7 year class warfare campaign. They continue to wage it because it resonates with a significant segment of voters. I pointed out that U.S. corporations could simply sell out to foreign corporations, causing long term damage to the economy. The real corporate headquarters will now be overseas, with a substantial loss of high paying executive jobs. Corporate tax payments to the Treasury will fall substantially since the survivor corporation will only pay corporate income taxes on the United States earnings. The previous headquarters city will suffer a loss in taxes, employment, and civic involvement in the community. The new corporation will not have the same interest in contributing to the cultural and academic institutions of its former home. The Obama Administration issued today through the Department of the Treasury regulations designed to limit inversion mergers. The proposed inversion merger of Burger King with Canada’s Tim Hortons was too much for the Obama Administration to swallow. As with past attempts to limit inversion mergers, the corporate attorneys will find ways around these new regs, which might not even be legal. The solution to inversion is to lower the corporate tax rates to a competitive level with countries, such as Canada or Ireland. No outcry has been raised against the recently announced takeovers of large American companies by foreign concerns. Germany’s Merck (not the American Merck) announced today the acquisition of St. Louis based Sigma-Aldrich Corp. for $17 billion. The $97 billion Siemens Company of Germany announced yesterday the acquisition of Houston Based Dresser-Rand Corporation and its $3 billion in sales for $7.6 billion. It was announced last week that Pabst Brewing Company, along with it brands of Old Milwaukee, Colt 45, Schlitz, Lone Star, Rainier, and Old Style, was being sold to a Russian company, Oasis Beverages. Pabst now joins the three larger beer companies, Anheuser Busch (Belgium), Millers (South Africa) and Coors (Canada) in being foreign owned. Germany’s ZF Friedrichshafen, AG agreed on September 15 to acquire TRW Automobile Holding Corporation of Livonia, Michigan. TRW is one of the largest American auto parts company. Michigan can hardly afford to lose another pillar of the auto industry. Finally, it’s not a merger, but GE agreed to sell its appliance business to Electrolux, a Swedish company. Electrolux already owns the previously American brands of Frigidaire, Gibson, Kelvinator, Philco, Tappan, and White Westinghouse. American jobs will be cut as Electrolux consolidates its United States appliance operations. Not an outcry; Not even a peep from the Obama Administration which professes to be concerned about saving American jobs and preventing the loss of tax revenues through tax maneuvers. Cheap politics; bad economics!

The Last Hurrah: Edwin Edwards is Back

The Last Hurrah was a best selling political novel published in 1956 and an outstanding movie in 1958. The 72 year old Mayor Frank Skeffington was running for a fifth term.Time had past the old New Deal, machine politician. The plot is playing out in Louisiana. Edwin Edwards, the former Congressman, the former Governor, the ex-con is back. Edwin Edwards, the incorrigible, irascible, irrepressible gambler, philanderer, and raconteur is seeking redemption. Edwin Edwards, the fertile octogenarian, wishes to prove he still has it. Edwin Edwards, the non-Creole Creole, is ineligible to vote as a convicted felon, but he can run for Congress. He is seeking election to the open Sixth Congressional District in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The District is heavily Republican, but he just might do it as a liberal, licentious Democrat under Louisiana’s election system where all candidates run on a single ballot. He simply explains: “I am the only hope the Democrats have.” If no candidate receives at least a majority of the votes cast, then the top two will run off in a special election. If it comes down to the reformer or a Republican, mano-a-mano, Edwin Edwards could find redemption. He is seeking election against a score of Republicans, who will probably split the Republican vote, allowing him a clear path to the runoff. One-on-one anything goes. His traditional coalition of Creoles, African Americans and labor could turn out for his last hurrah. He told the Life Baptist Church congregation in Baton Rouge that “My God is not finished with me yet.” Praise be to God. Edwin Edwards was often the most popular politician in Louisiana. He only lost one election in his career. He uttered these famous words during his 1983 campaign: ”The only way I can lose this election is if I’m caught in bed with a dead girl or live boy.” Voters overlooked his reputation for ethical imperfection. He was one of the first established Democratic politicians in the South to embrace civil rights for African Americans. The politician was born in 1927. He served in Congress from 1965 – 1972. He was elected to four terms as Governor, from 1972-1980, 1984-1988, and 1992-1996. Edwin Edwards was sometimes lucky in his opponents. His 1991 Republican candidate was David Duke, a former Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan and a neo-Nazi. A popular campaign bumper sticker was “Vote for the crook. It’s important.” Federal prosecutors unsuccessfully pursued him for years, but finally convicted him in 2001 of multiple counts of racketeering and corruption. The gist of the charges was that he sought kickbacks for licensing riverboat casinos in Louisiana. Among the accused bribers was Edward G. DeBartolo, Jr., then owner of the champion San Francisco 49ers. The former governor served time in the federal pen from October 2002 to January 2011. 2013 was a significant year for the 86 year old reprobate. He was released from parole in February 2013, and wasted no time in running for Congress. He had previously married his third wife, Trina, a few years earlier. Trina, a Republican, was only 51 years younger than him, being born in August 1978. She delivered their child, Eli Wallace Edwards, on August 1, 2013. The Edwards started a reality show on October 27, 2013, “The Governor’s Wife.” He responded, when asked about electing crooked politicians: “People say, well, they’re all crooks anyway. You might as well send an experienced one.” What a Final Hurrah it would be! Edwin Edwards cannot vote in Louisiana, but he may vote in Congress.

Dear President Obama; Don't Look Back. Noone Follows When You Lead From the Rear

When did “Hope and Change” and “Yes, we can” become “Lead from Behind?” Leading from the rear is not a strategy for no one is following. The President is still looking for a strategy, much less a coalition. President George H. W. Bush marshaled an army of half a million from a host of countries to drive Saddam Hussein from Kuwait. His coalition included Arab and non-Arab countries with boots on the ground. President George H. W. Bush went through the United Nations, the Arab League, and Congress. President George W. Bush assembled a “Coalition of the Willing” of 39 countries with 25,000 boots on the ground. He twice received Congressional approval for the Second Gulf War. President Obama has assembled a “Coalition of the Unwilling” with no boots on the grounds, refusals to campaign in Syria, and little air support, but “40” countries with facile support. England, our special relationship with England, ended with the return of the Churchill Bust, the cheap gift to Queen Elizabeth, and repudiation of the special relationship. Great Britain, which has stood with us for a century, will not bomb Syria and will put no boots on the ground. Turkey, which has stood with NATO and the West for seven decades, will not let us use Turkish airbases for an air campaign against ISIS. President Erdogan of Turkey will not even talk to President Obama. Turkey has a 560 mile frontier with Syria. It is indefensible for much of its distance and smugglers travel easily through the mountains. 1,000 young Turks have joined ISIS. France, which has been supporting its allies in Africa, will not release bombs in Syria. Germany has said no. Poland remembers President Obama pulled the ABM defense out of Poland. Saudi Arabia and other Mideast countries are deathly afraid of ISIS, but they are also scared that their soldiers will not fight the Islamicists, but could well defect to them. The Saudis and others will not risk an armed confrontation unless they are convinced the United States will carry the war through to victory. President Obama and his Administration cannot even agree if it is a war. They will not follow someone who leads from the rear, assuming he is leading at all. Who will be in the lead? Sunnis? Shia? The world looks at President Obama’s proclaimed strategy of 1) no boots on the ground, 2) a unilateral pullout from Iraq and soon Afghanistan, 3) targeted air strikes, which Andrew J. Bacevich in a Los Angeles Times op-ed referred to as “Whack-a-Mole,” and 4) now his command that he must approve each air strike. Even the military brass foresees a failed strategy. The world sees a failed strategy. The American public sees a failed strategy. We remember that President Johnson’s White House had to approve the air strikes in Vietnam. We know how badly that worked out. The proclaimed “Most Brilliant man” in America, who has succeeded so well in economics, history, and religion, (“ISIL is not Islamic”) will now test his expertise in military science. This Administration is even reaching out to Iran for assistance, compounding one failed strategy on another failed strategy. The world knows President Obama provides MRE's and blankets to the Ukrainians fighting Russian aggression, but not the heavy arms they need. No "Shock and Awe," Just "Ah Shucks." The President orates and pontificates while IS, ISIS, ISIL seizes more towns and territory. Following from the rear with no confidence is not a strategy! President Barack Hussein Obama still lacks a plan, and the World knows it.

Scotland Pulls a Quebec, but "What If"?

It appears as I blog at 9:00pm Pacific Time that Scotland has voted to remain in the United Kingdom by roughly 54-46%. Thus it is following the lead of Quebec over the past 50 years. Quebec is the successful outlier in Canada, a predominately French province in an Anglo country. An independence movement arose in the early 1960’s to the extent that the FLQ mounted a ten year campaign of terrorism beginning in 1963. Quebec felt isolated by the Ottawa government, but political accommodations were reached. Wiser heads prevailed and the people of Quebec in 1980 and again in 1995 (albeit by a narrow margin) rejected independence. Scotland has been formally part of the United Kingdom since 1707 following the 1706 Treaty of Union. The Scots often feel abused and isolated by London, but the reality is that they are fully assimilated in the UK while proudly holding on to their Scottish identity, heritage and culture. Two of the three most recent Prime Ministers, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, are Scots. They have retained their separate legal system, religion, and education system under the Treaty of Union. Their Scottish Health System is also separate from the British Health System. The pro-independence Scots had the enthusiasm, the fervor, the boisterous rallies, but the NO voters represented the traditional conservatism of the Scots. They are the Silent Majority of Scotland. Let’s play though the “What If” Game. “What if” excites fervent imaginations. I remember a classic Saturday Night Live when the question was “What if Napoleon had the Bomb?” The skit showed the half-French Canadian Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi flying over Waterloo in a B 52. So what if Scotland voted to secede? The small country of 5.2 million would be initially isolated, but could quickly merge with their fellow Scots, the Ulstermen, of Northern Ireland to form the new country of Nor Scot or Ire Scot. Wales votes for independence, but has nowhere to go. The Parti Quebecois is reenergized with secession following. Quebec quickly joins France as an overseas territory. The French Foreign Legion replaces the Mounties in Quebec. Montreal is Frenchified. British Columbia and the Maritime Provinces join the United States to offset The Secession of the Republic of Texas with Louisiana also becoming a French Overseas Territory. The Shetland Islands, Orkneys, and Outer Hebrides secede from Scotland and remain in the United Kingdom, such that Great Britain will not change its official name and flag as it effectively becomes Lesser Britain. Sean Connery returns to his homeland while J. K. Rowling seeks asylum in England. The new country seizes the British nuclear fleet at Faslane and scuttles it. It reclaims its historic regiments to build a Scottish Army: The Black Watch, Gordon Highlanders, Camerorians, Scots Guards, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, and Royal Scots, but Lesser Britain will boycott the world famous Edinburgh Tattoo. Oil is cut off to Lesser Britain. Mel Gibson receives Scottish Passport #1. Scotland’s new symbol is the Unicorn. Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster, replaces the Pound Sterling. Gaelic is the national language. Alex Salmond proclaims himself the Laird of Scots. His picture is on all Nessies. Scotland continues to recognize the half-Scottish Queen Elizabeth II as its nominal head of state, but will have no part of Prince Charles, who is no Bonnie Prince Charles. Scotland Yard is renamed Scotless Yard. The Scottish Broadcasting Company (SBC) blocks the BBC. The SBC begins each night with readings from Sir Walter Scot, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, J. M. Barrie, and Robert Louis Stevenson. Auld Lang Syne, played by Bagpipes, becomes the Scottish National Anthem and Burns’ Night a national holiday. (By way of full disclosure, my wife, Kathryne Anne Burns, is a descendant of Gilbert Burns, the brother of Robert Burns)

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Has a Major Problem: Professor Steven G. Salaita Will Not Go Away

Professor Steven G. Salaita was a tenured professor of English at Virginia Tech. He taught American literature. He signed a contract in October 2013 to become a tenured professor in American Indian Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). The contract's fine print provided the appointment was contingent upon approval by the Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois. Professor Salaita resigned his appointment at Virginia Tech, sold his home, moved his family to Urbana-Champaign, and prepared to teach his new classes beginning August 16 at a salary of $85,000. He was sufficiently agitated by the Israeli attack on Hamas and the Gaza population that he posted over 80 tweets in July and August. They were mostly anti-Israel, verging on anti-Semitic. Let’s start with his tweet on the three kidnapped, murdered Jewish teenagers: “You may be too refined to say it, but I’m not. … I wish all the fucking west bank settlers will go missing.” Here is a sample of the other tweets: “Israel justice: Kill Palestinians, become a hero. Investigate war crimes, get arrested. #Gaza#GazaUnderAttack.” “When will the attack on Gaza end? Who is left for Israelis to kill? This is the logic of genocide.” “Too much of the Israeli society is cheering the bloodletting in Gaza for me to make a firm distinction between the government and the people.” “Only Israel can murder around 300 children in the span of a few weeks and insist that it is the victim.” “Zionists take responsibility: If your dream of an ethnocratic Israel is worth the murder of children, just fucking own it already.” “Rednecks need a new slogan. Instead of ‘Kick their ass and take their gas,’ how about ‘#Gaza is a disaster, but Netanyahu is my master.”? “Zionist uplift in America; every little Jewish boy and girl can grow up to be the leader of a murderous colonial regime. #Gaza” “Dear outraged Right Wingers You should know that in addition to opposing Zionism, I fully support the decolonization of North America.” “Let’s cut to the chase: if you’re defending #Israel right now, you’re an awful human being.” “Jeffrey Goldberg’s column should have ended at the point end of a shiv.” They continue ad naseum. UIUC Chancellor Phyliss Wise wrote Professor Salaita on August 1 informing him the contract had not been submitted to the Board of Regents. Therefore, he no longer had an appointment at UIUC. Professor Salaita thereby became a professor between two universities, with an appointment at neither. She wrote that she was concerned by the “abusive” nature of his tweets and the need for civility in the classroom. Professor Salaita committed a critical error in judgment. He resigned his existing professorship before getting a final contract on the new position. His second mistake was posting dozens of highly offensive tweets before securing his new appointment. Chancellor Wise made a critical error in judgment. She did not closely vet Professor Salaiti’s publications before tendering the contract letter. He published a commentary in Saloon Magazine in 2013, “No thanks: Stop Saying ‘”Support the Troops.’” Virginia Tech received great blowback from his article. The University defended his right to write those words, but disassociated the University from them. He has published six books, mostly dealing with Mideast problems. His 2011 book is entitled “Israel’s Dead Soul.” He publicly supports the boycott of Israel. He believes America is an imperial power. UIUC received dozens of letters and emails protesting his appointment. Some donors threatened to take their largesse elsewhere. The Chancellor has denied her decision was based on economic factors. Professor Salaita’s vitriolic words speak for themselves. He was spewing venom rather than engaged in a reasoned debate. Her fear is the effect he would have on students, especially Jewish students. Professor Salaita’s views are outside the mainstream of American public opinion. Americans support Israel. However, his views fall within today’s academic mainstream, especially in the humanities. Our professors are increasingly emulating the anti-Semitism of the European professors. Thus, he has received large support, both within UIUC and the greater Academy. Five UIUC academic departments have voted no confidence in the Chancellor. Thousands of professors have vowed to boycott UIUC. The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) has issued a statement in support of the Professor. Both Professor Salaita and Professor Ward Churchill stand condemned by their words. They probably would have been academically safe if they had kept their words within the academy, but they didn’t. Professor Salaita’s case is different from Ward Churchill, who was academically unqualified for his job and falsely passed himself off as Indian. Professor Salaita has a Ph.D. in Native American Studies from the University of Oklahoma. His published scholarship may be weak, but he has not engaged in academic misconduct. Both have the freedom to publish what they wish, but that does not guarantee a job. If I were to seek a position elsewhere, my blog would be fair game in the appointments process. Free speech does not guarantee a job you don’t have yet. Professor Salaita has apparently turned down a settlement offer from the University. He wants the professorship or a trial. Legal arguments can be made for the unemployed Professor Salaita. The first is one of estoppel. He relied to his detriment on the reasonable belief he had an appointment at UIUC because the practice of trustee approval after starting the position is normal in the profession. The second would be that Chancellor Wise had a good faith duty to forward the contract to the Board of Trustees for approval or denial, before deciding to cancel it without submission to the Board. She finally sent it forward to the Board, which then rejected his appointment on September 10. He might also claim academic freedom and First Amendment rights, but he hadn’t formally become an employee of the public university. He’s condemned by his words - not his thoughts.

Francis Scott Key and the Star Spangled Banner: The Rest of the Story

Tonight’s the night! The British shelling of Fort McHenry began at 7:00am two hundred years ago. Tonight's the night Baltimore celebrates the bicentennial of the American victory. Fireworks will be exploding in the sky. Francis Scott Key, a Washington and Maryland lawyer, was on a British warship watching the shelling through the night. He saw the large American flag, 30’ by 42’, flying over the Fort the next morning. The British fleet retreated in defeat. Key proceeded to pen a poem, the “Defense of Fort McHenry,” which became known as the Star Spangled banner. The poem was set to the music of “To Anacreon in Heaven,” a popular song. The Star Spangled Banner soared in popularity, and became the National Anthem on March 3, 1931. There’s much more to the story, “The Rest of the Story,” as Paul Harvey would say. The War of 1812 is rarely taught in American history. It’s viewed as a tie or draw with the status quo prevailing when the war ended. It was viewed as an unnecessary, unwanted war, especially in New England. That view is a gross mischaracterization. In spite of the individual victories of America’s frigates over their British counterparts, the British Navy controlled Chesapeake Bay for two years, mounting periodic raids against American towns and cities. The defeat of Napoleon provided the British the opportunity to dispatch their seasoned veterans to the American conflict. They routed an American force on August 24, 1814 in the Battle of Bladensburg, allowing the British to seize Washington, D. C. The British razed the public buildings, including the White House, purportedly in retaliation for the American’s torching of York (Toronto). The Redcoats then set their sights on Baltimore, which they despised because it was the center of the privateers preying on British merchant ships. The goal was to torch the city, all the city – both public and private. The city was protected by Fort McHenry, a five star shaped fortress situated on a spit, or point, sticking into the harbor. The Fort’s cannons had an effective range of 1½ miles. The Americans also chained 22 sunken ships into the passageway, further blocking the British fleet’s approach into the harbor. The British drew up a two pronged attack plan. The army, that defeated the Americans at Bladensburg, would approach by land under Major General Robert Ross, while the fleet under Vice Admiral Alexander Cochran would attack by sea. Major General Samuel Smith of the Maryland Militia was in charge of the Americans. He devised a defense in depth, establishing two defensive lines. 3,000 soldiers were sent to the outer line at North Point with orders to hold back the British as long as possible, and then orderly withdraw to the inner line. There would be no panicked retreat, unlike Bladensburg. The plan worked. The 4,500 exhausted British troops finally attacked the inner line, where over 10,000 Americans mowed them down. General Ross was killed at North Point. His successor lacked leadership ability. The defense of Baltimore was a precursor to General Andrew Jackson’s rout of the British at New Orleans four months later in January 1815. The British Navy’s attack similarly failed. Major George Armistead commanded about 1,000 soldiers and sailors at the Fort. The British sent thousands of bombs and rockets at Fort McHenry from 2 miles out. They were highly inaccurate, although one landed on a munitions bunker, but failed to explode. The names of General Smith and Major Armistead have been lost to popular history, whereas Francis Scott Key, a non-combatant, is known to all. Betsy Ross of The Revolutionary War is known to all for her flag, but Mary Pickersgill, who sewed the Fort McHenry flag, is known only in Baltimore. Francis Scott Key is an enigma. He was a highly successful, esteemed lawyer, but a lousy poet. He wrote doggerel all his life. Indeed, as we learnt as students at Francis Scott Key Elementary School in San Francisco, the Star Spangled banner has 4 stanzas. Only the first stanza is sung, for good reason. The fifth and sixth lines of the third stanza read: “No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave.” His uncle and mentor was an officer in the British Army. Francis Scott key was a slave owner who, as United States Attorney in Washington, D.C. from 1833-1841, prosecuted abolitionists. Yet he represented slaves and free blacks in his private practice, often for free. He frequently sought judgments to free the clients. He was also one of the strongest advocates of letting freed slaves immigrate to “Liberia” in Africa. His grandson was interred in Fort McHenry during the Civil War as a southern sympathizer. His brother-in-law and close friend was Roger Taney, appointed Chief Justice by President Jackson. Chief Justice Roger Taney is immortalized in history as the author of the Dred Scott decision. Francis Scott Key’s second cousin, three generations removed, was Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, better known as F. Scott Fitzgerald. The War of 1812 should be viewed as a major victory for America. No land changed hands, but it was not a draw. The fragile American Republic proved itself to the world. No longer would the British, French, or Spanish covet the lands of the United States. The American people needed the help of the French to win the Revolutionary War. The American people beat the British Navy, and especially the British Army, on their own in the War of 1812. The Americans defeated the greatest military in the world. British intervention might have helped the South during the Civil War, but the British remained neutral despite their sympathy with the South. Great Britain focused its empire building on India. Canada and the United States have maintained a peaceful border for 200 years. The American people began their 3,000 mile, manifest destiny expansion to the Pacific. They began by opening up the Midwest. They soon acquired Florida. The American people won the War of 1812.

From Lawrence Phillips to Ray Rice:The Times, They Are A'Changing

Lawrence Phillips was an outstanding running back for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He was arrested during his junior year for assaulting Kate McEwen, his ex-girlfriend. “Assault” is an understatement. She was at a teammate’s apartment around 4:00am, when he pushed her into the bathroom, knocked her down, dragged her by her hair our of the apartment, and down three flights of stairs into the foyer. Her screams for help resulted in others pulling Phillips off her. (Thanks to Sport Illustrated Vault). Coach Tom Osborne initially kicked him off the team, but quickly changed it to an indefinite suspension. He sat out 6 games before reinstatement. Lawrence Phillips was one of the stars on the team. He gained 1,722 rushing yards during his sophomore season as Nebraska won the national title. He gained 165 yards on 25 carries in the Fiesta Bowl where #1 Nebraska trounced #2 Florida 62-24 to win a consecutive national title. Lawrence Phillips came from a troubled background, growing up in foster homes in Los Angeles. He had anger management issues. Coach Osborne, in what was a decision and statement of shame for The Coach and the University of Nebraska, said: “It’s not as though Lawrence is an angry young man all the time and a threat to society. But there are occasions every four to five months where he becomes a little explosive.” (Again, thanks to the Sports Illustrated Vault). Tom Osborne won a total of four national championships at Nebraska, was elected to Congress, and then became Nebraska’s Athletic Director. Kate McEwen was a 5’8’ forward on the Nebraska team. She had suffered a series of beatings by Phillips. Her basketball coach initially cancelled her scholarship in April, but subsequently reinstated it after a public outcry. Ms. McEwen received death threats. She decided not to play the next year. Lawrence Phillips turned pro after the Fiesta Bowl. He normally would have been the top pick in the draft, but five teams passed on him until the St. Louis Rams selected him as the sixth pick in the draft. His NFL and CFL career was highlighted by criminal problems. Lawrence Phillips was sentenced to 31 years in prison in California in 2009 for two incidents. In one he drove his car into three teenagers and in the other he attacked a former girlfriend. I used the Lawrence Phillips violence against Kate McEwen for several years in my Torts class as an example of tortious conduct, that was not always fully addressed by society. Both college and major league sports tolerated a culture of violence off the field and out of the arena, but law enforcement agencies began to rigorously enforce the law. Sexual assaults were prosecuted, as were batteries, robberies, DWI’s, and drug incidents. The mores of society were changing. Athletes were not as “privileged” or “entitled” as they were into the 1970’s. Yet the leagues did not react to domestic violence. Major League Baseball was probably the most oblivious. Commissioner Bud Selig, who could not see a steroid when it was waved in front of his face, also could not see a wife beater. Brett Miller pitched at Fenway Park 36 hours after being arrested for domestic violence. After a night of boozing, he dragged his wife by the hair and hit her. Bobby Cox was a long-time MLB manager, mostly with the Atlanta Braves. His wife, Pamela Cox, phone the police on May 9, 1995. She said he called her a “bitch,” hit her in the face, and pulled her by the hair. He was arrested for battery. It was apparently far from the first time. They subsequently held a press conference wherein she said everything was a misunderstanding. Bobby Cox was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York on July 27, 2014. Julio Lugo shoved his wife into a car in 2008 and played another 8 years in MLB. MLB took no action against any player or coach accused of domestic violence over 25 years. Let me add though that whether we call it “domestic violence,” “spousal abuse,” “violence against women,” or wife beating,” the problem is pervasive throughout society. Even police chiefs have been involved. Nor is it exclusively a matter of male violence against women, although that constitutes a majority of the incidents. Lawyers started using decades ago what was then called “the battered wife syndrome” as a form of self-defense. Governors often commuted prison sentences for women who showed they were the victims of domestic violence. Public mores have been changing. Domestic violence cases, once a low priority for law enforcement are now a high priority. My law school, Chapman Law School, offers a Domestic Violence Clinic in cooperation with the Anaheim Police Department. Sports though have been slow to respond. Winning is the priority, although many colleges in recent years have been quick to toss miscreants off their teams. Professional team owners recognize the fan base will tolerate off-field problems as long as the players win on the field. Ray Rice played for the Baltimore Ravens, as did Ray Lewis, who dodged a murder rap. Owners, as we learn from Donald Sterling, may also have issues of their own. Ray Rice, or more accurately, the Ray Rice videos have changed the picture. Social media may have an instant impact on public perception. Football is a game of violence, which explains much of its popularity. Whatever drives players, such as Ray Rice, Lawrence Phillips, Aaron Hernandez, or O.J. Simpson to excel on the field, may also drive their off-field behavior. Their fame served as a shield. The NFL is currently paying the price for its past inaction. Let’s see what MLB will do.