Would you give Steven Purcell a job?

[Rolfe]

Depending on the role being an ex-politician may be a considerable plus - for example if you were in an industry that had a lot of contact with local authorities having someone who knows the ropes is a big plus, even more so if they have good contacts.

That's an interesting point. I think the contacts part is the deal-breaker. It may well depend whether the Labour party decides to support him in future, so he keeps these contancs and they can ease him into a nice position, or whether they are so outraged about what happened last week that they in effect declare him persona non grata. In that case, the contacts bit could be a bit of a problem.

Rolfe.

 

[geni]

That's an interesting point. I think the contacts part is the deal-breaker. It may well depend whether the Labour party decides to support him in future, so he keeps these contancs and they can ease him into a nice position, or whether they are so outraged about what happened last week that they in effect declare him persona non grata. In that case, the contacts bit could be a bit of a problem.

Rolfe.

There will still be civil servants who likely owe him for a promotion and he still knows how the system works. You also don't get as far as he did in politics without getting good at rebuilding bridges.

 

[geni]

Not necessarily, at least not here in the States. Perhaps things are truly that different between us, but in some instances, when a politician is honest about what's going on, he's managed to reap some substantial rewards in both the political arena, as well as the personal.

If your local city mayor (a position that in the US I understand generly hold some power) admitted they were an alcoholic and were unable to cope with this how long do you think they would be able to continue before being forced to resign?

 

[Roadtoad]

If your local city mayor (a position that in the US I understand generly hold some power) admitted they were an alcoholic and were unable to cope with this how long do you think they would be able to continue before being forced to resign?

I would hope that if Sacramento's mayor -- Kevin Johnson at this writing, formerly of the Phoenix Suns basketball team -- were having a problem of any sort that impaired his ability to serve, that Sacramento would be willing to allow him the time away from City Hall to get treatment and get back in gear. I would only have a problem if he were to decide he could treat himself or choose to ignore the condition.

 

[Rolfe]

It wasn't just alcohol though, it was cocaine. He was interviewed by the Drug Squad, actually in the City Chambers. (They didn't seem to want to nick him, but they warned him he was exposing himself to possible blackmail.) It appeared from the newspaper articles that the cocaine was affecting his mental health.

This seems to have been at least part of the reason he blew hot and cold about whether or not he was prepared to resign. One minute he was going to do that, but then he'd change his mind, convinced everyone was plotting against him. "Raging paranoia" was the phrase.

Alcoholism is one thing, but using illegal drugs is something else - or it ought to be, I think

Rolfe.

 

[Roadtoad]

It wasn't just alcohol though, it was cocaine. He was interviewed by the Drug Squad, actually in the City Chambers. (They didn't seem to want to nick him, but they warned him he was exposing himself to possible blackmail.) It appeared from the newspaper articles that the cocaine was affecting his mental health.

This seems to have been at least part of the reason he blew hot and cold about whether or not he was prepared to resign. One minute he was going to do that, but then he'd change his mind, convinced everyone was plotting against him. "Raging paranoia" was the phrase.

Alcoholism is one thing, but using illegal drugs is something else - or it ought to be, I think

Rolfe.

I don't think I'd have been so hard on him about cocaine, regardless of its legal status, simply because so many people have gotten hooked on it, and rehab is still a problem for so many. As long as he was making a genuine effort to beat it, I think I'd have given him the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Rolfe]

What, to stay on as Mayor, or as regards giving him a new job once he'd resigned?

Would you be happy to have him driving a truck, for example?

Rolfe.

 

[Guybrush Threepwood]

I don't think I'd have been so hard on him about cocaine, regardless of its legal status, simply because so many people have gotten hooked on it, and rehab is still a problem for so many. As long as he was making a genuine effort to beat it, I think I'd have given him the benefit of the doubt.

I agree with this, from the Herald articles, there seems to be a lot of innuendo about cocaine, but precious little hard evidence. All we know for sure is he had some kind of breakdown, and has admitted to past use of coke. If I was looking for an employee I would want to be very sure that he had recovered from whatever he had, but I think it's a bit harsh to chuck him on the scrap heap at 37 because of this.

 

[Rolfe]

You're right. They weren't prepared to commit themselves about the cocaine as a current problem, though the implication was certainly there. Either they made it up, or they knew, but didn't have enough evidence to keep the lawyers happy.

It's gone beyond his retaining any current position as an employee though, and into finding a new job. I'm not sure what he might have to offer that would offset last week's events. There's the point about connections, but then this was such a scandal I'm not sure whether having his name associated with my company would be my greatest wish.

On the other hand, Fred the Shred got a job, so anything's possible.

Rolfe.

 

[Roadtoad]

What, to stay on as Mayor, or as regards giving him a new job once he'd resigned?

Would you be happy to have him driving a truck, for example?

Rolfe.

Touche, Madam of the Killer Shoes.

Actually, I know a lot of guys who went through rehab and wound up back behind the wheel. They get tested more frequently at first to keep them honest, but after a while, if they've managed to mind their Ps and Qs, it becomes a non-issue. This is generally after three years or so.

Sometimes it works out. A good driver winds up keeping himself straight, and can become a great asset. At other times, (and I've told the tale of one driver like this before), he lapses, and the damage can be catastrophic.

I don't know anything about "Fred the Shred," but the little bit I've been reading about Steve Purcell suggests sidelining the man for a time until he's had a chance to make an appropriate collection of his fecal matter might work. On the other hand, it might just be a matter of time before the feces hits the oscillator...

 

[Rolfe]

Fred the Shred is Fred Goodwin, public enemy #1 not long ago. Finally forced out of the Royal Bank of Scotland in the middle of part-nationalisation and obscene losses. He managed to negotiate an even more obscene pension payoff, and resisted giving up a part of it against a lot of public pressure. He had to take his kid out of school and flee to the South of France at one point. Bricks through his windows and so on.

I'd have thought association with him would be pure poison for any company, but he secured a very fat salary with another company very quickly. Though why he needed it with that pension is anybody's guess. So I reckon, if Fred the Shred could land another cushy number, anybody can do it.

Rolfe.

 

[Roadtoad]

Fred the Shred is Fred Goodwin, public enemy #1 not long ago. Finally forced out of the Royal Bank of Scotland in the middle of part-nationalisation and obscene losses. He managed to negotiate an even more obscene pension payoff, and resisted giving up a part of it against a lot of public pressure. He had to take his kid out of school and flee to the South of France at one point. Bricks through his windows and so on.

I'd have thought association with him would be pure poison for any company, but he secured a very fat salary with another company very quickly. Though why he needed it with that pension is anybody's guess. So I reckon, if Fred the Shred could land another cushy number, anybody can do it.

Rolfe.

Sounds like he took a page from Chainsaw Al Dunlap, probably the one person who might qualify as an economic Antichrist.

 

[geni]

It's gone beyond his retaining any current position as an employee though, and into finding a new job. I'm not sure what he might have to offer that would offset last week's events. There's the point about connections, but then this was such a scandal I'm not sure whether having his name associated with my company would be my greatest wish.

So you pick him up as a consultant. Odds of anyone noticing or caring are limited.

 

[Rolfe]

Oh, I reckon I could name several journalists who will notice. Whether anyone cares might be another question.

That's assuming he can actually provide some value for the salary you're paying him. Which is the point I was primarily interested in. I suppose if he can get himself together, the answer is probably yes.

Rolfe.

 

[Darat]

This story continues to rumble along.... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/10234591.stm

 

[Rolfe]

It doesn't say what he's doing now, or even if he's employed at all. I suspect the drugs enquiries will go nowhere in the end, but they have to be seen to be taking some action.

Rolfe.

 

[richardm]

It wasn't just alcohol though, it was cocaine.

Thing is though that a lot of the people who might be in the position of firing him are quite possibly cocaine users themselves, and won't see much wrong with it so long as he can keep his act together and doesn't get a criminal record.

 

[Rolfe]

Well, he's fired, of course. It's a question of, would you employ him now, and if so, in what capacity? It's still possible he might get that criminal record, of course.

Rolfe.

 

[Jekyll's Guest]

Failed politicians, disgraced politicians, bent politicians - they all seem to manage to land a cushy, well-paid job somewhere in the private sector. Personally, I wouldn't give this character a job sweeping the lab floor. Would you employ him? In what capacity? Do you think he's going to fall on his feet regardless, after last week?

A cynic might say that politicians do favors for powerful people, in exchange for a cushy job after they retire.

Luckily, no cynics here.

 

[Rolfe]

According to today's newspaper he's been living in Australia and Ireland since the scandal broke. No mention of a cushy job, or what he's living on.

Rolfe.