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August 8, 2023

Good old Tucker Carlson. He’s really giving us a look behind the curtain in his conversation with Hunter Biden pal Devon Archer. And he really gave us a look at how the world works Way Up High.

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See, Devon Archer, after a year working at a Big Bank, got started in private equity: first as “fundless sponsor,” then “strategic buyer,” then “multi-asset class boutique firm.”

Which is?

Well, let’s say it’s just the whole world of investing after you’ve graduated from Fidelity/Vanguard/Schwab. Billions rather than millions.

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But when you are trying to put together a private equity deal — whether it’s real estate or the notorious Burisma — you need access into the corridors of power: “lobbying,” or “strategic advisory.” That’s what the well-connected Hunter Bidens are for. What’s the difference between lobbying and strategic advising? It’s a question of registering, or not. And you need contacts says Devon: “Hunter and his strategic team know… tons of folks, and it’s a whole new world of high net-worth individuals… access or regulatory understanding of D.C.”

Hunter Biden: “relationship manager,” “signals,” “regulatory body,” “not going to be shut down.” Solving problems, such as “not being able to get a visa, money tied up in London.”

Do you see the point here? What with all the governments and the money, and the regulations, and the influence, any business needs help in getting its projects done. Some environmental NGO ties things up; some prosecutor is nosing around, looking for trouble. Sometimes you need the Big Guy to cut through the noise and say who’s boss.

Victor Davis Hanson has a piece out about “Two Sets of Laws for Two Americas.”  But I think that misses the point. In America we have one gigantic pyramid of laws, regulations, and administrative bureaucracies. You and I, we have to obey the laws, follow the regulations, and obey the bureaucrats. But our liberal friends do not.

If you are the ruling class, then you are above all that — law, regulations, obedience. Otherwise, what’s the point of a ruling class? If you are the “oppressed peoples” then you are exempt from following the law, because activists and Soros prosecutors.

If you are a big corporation, you can usually get things done, because “regulatory capture.” But if you are trying to make things happen in, oh, private equity, you need a bit of help — maybe from a “strategic advisor,” or maybe from a “relationship manager.” Hey, cost of doing business, know-what-I-mean? Otherwise, you are never going to get your project off the ground.