A chance to blame Bush, that is - for anything and everything imaginable. Wednesday's front-page headline heralded:Federal Cases of Stock Fraud Drop SharplyAnd why, pray tell, might that be?  According to one of the Gray Lady's chief Bush-bashing "reporters," Eric Lichtblau, this positive news is really negative:WASHINGTON - Federal officials are bringing far fewer prosecutions as a result of fraudulent stock schemes than they did eight years ago, according to new data, raising further questions about whether the Bush administration has been too lax in policing Wall Street.Legal and financial experts say that a loosening of enforcement measures, cutbacks in staffing at the Securities and Exchange Commission, and a shift in resources toward terrorism at the F.B.I. have combined to make the federal government something of a paper tiger in investigating securities crimes.Perhaps the drop in prosecutions reflects a drop in criminal behavior? Perhaps the harsh treatment...(Read Full Post)