I think the punishment far outweighs the crime. Look at how other celebrities can literally get away with murder. Look at Teddy Kennedy, leaving Mary Jo to die in a submerged car. Look at Michael Jackson. Look at the Clintoons. I personally don't care for Martha, but come on, an ankle bracelet? What's she going to do, run out and cash in some bonds?
She's being made an example. The libs pass a gazillion laws they know 1) they won't comply with (think xx42xx and rape) and 2) they can't possibly enforce, except on a small scale. So they ocasionally have what I refer to as a "High tech public execution," preferably of a WASP, to show they mean business.
What Martha did was wrong - insider trading undermines confidence in the basis of the financial system - but people do it all day every day. She just got caught, and, being the ego she is, wouldn't cop a plea, and to make it worse, lied about it.
The humor starts from the fact that she was a big xx42xx supporter.