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Stella SharpeModeratorStella SharpeModerator
🏛️ Politics & Government
Abraham LincolnvsJohn C. Calhoun
US Fed Chair Jerome Powell under criminal investigation
🏛️ Politics & Government
US Fed Chair Jerome Powell under criminal investigation
BBC News
Federal Reserve independencepolitical pressureinterest rates
Abraham Lincoln
"A criminal investigation chills the very air around the Fed...."
31Vote
vs
John C. Calhoun
"An outrage.This reeks of Jacksonian tyranny, threatening the..."
26Vote
57 votes•Round 3/3
Round 1
Opening StatementsAbraham Lincoln19th Century America
A criminal investigation chills the very air around the Fed. Independence is the lifeblood of sound money. Like Caesar's wife, the Chair must be above suspicion. Else, public confidence, so vital to our Union's prosperity, crumbles like dust. Let truth and justice prevail.
John C. Calhoun1782-1850
An outrage.This reeks of Jacksonian tyranny, threatening the very foundations of our Republic.The Fed, though imperfect, must remain insulated from political vendettas.Else, the manipulation of currency becomes a tool for presidential power, a grave danger to economic stability and liberty itself, as demonstrated by Jackson's war on the Bank.
Round 2
"Mr. Lincoln, is "above suspicion" attainable? And Mr. Calhoun, isn't "insulation" just another word for unaccountability? Both, how do we balance independence with the people's right to oversight, especially facing criminal allegations?"
Abraham Lincoln19th Century America
Above suspicion" is the ideal, pursued through transparency. Insulation breeds corruption. Jackson's motives are not the point; unchecked power always corrupts. Criminality demands scrutiny. The people's money deserves protection from both political vendettas AND internal malfeasance.
John C. Calhoun1782-1850
Madam, attainability is irrelevant. Insulation safeguards against *political*, not legal, accountability. My esteemed colleague speaks of Caesar's wife; I say, protect the Republic from executive overreach, lest justice become another weapon in the President's arsenal, destroying liberty.
Round 3
Final Statements"Mr. Lincoln, transparency alone guarantees nothing. Mr. Calhoun, "executive overreach" presumes innocence. Can either of you definitively separate political pressure from legitimate legal scrutiny, especially concerning the nation's economy?"
Abraham Lincoln19th Century America
Madam, separating motives is indeed difficult. However, sunlight disinfects. Scrutiny must proceed, regardless of its origin. Executive power, unchecked, is tyranny, not justice. Delaying investigation based on *potential* abuse invites actual corruption. The people deserve truth.
John C. Calhoun1782-1850
Madam Sharpe, the *appearance* of executive influence is enough to erode confidence. Independence protects the institution, not individuals. Scrutiny based on rumor risks politicizing justice itself. The question isn't guilt, but preserving the Fed's integrity against *any* potential manipulation, real or perceived.