And there is no contradiction. Trichet is a policymaker, and his actions in that role are fair game for the courts of public opinion. Not because the courts of public opinion are well equipped to handle the misdeeds (or not) of policymakers in the line of duty, but because they are the only courts that are equipped to handle them at all. You can't use the courts of law to police the people who write the laws.

If Trichet had been accused of cruelty to fluffy bunnies, or of sleeping around on his wife, I would defend his right to not be hung out to dry in the press just as ardently as I defend Ardin's and Assange's right to the same thing. But he's being accused of misusing his power as a policymaker, and that's a different sort of ball game.

- Jake

If you only spend 20 minutes of the rest of your life on economics, go spend them here.