A couple of weeks ago I bemoaned the fact that tax policy in the Bush administration is in the hands of extremist groups.

Today I received a friendly note from an old friend who reminded me that actually, Bush tax policy is his job.

He's Greg Jenner, assistant deputy secretary of the Treasury for tax policy. Greg's a Portland boy -- summa cum laude graduate of Portland State -- and he and I labored together for a few years in the tax library of a large Portland law firm two decades ago. Then he ran off to the power world in D.C. while I ran off to academe.

Greg's bounced around a few times since then, holding important posts at lobbying firms and accounting firms, but now he's got a major, major gig as the No. 2 person in the Bush administration for tax policy.

I think that policy is simply horrible, of course, but I wish my friend Greg the best on a personal level.

And an even better, new job 16 months from now.