[Vision2020] Cleaning Up After Enron (Molly Ivins)

[lfalen]

There is definitely a problem with campaign financing. In addition to Ken Lay, there is George Soros on the other side. Special interest groups like these are a problem. I am not sure public fiancing is the answer either. Maybe a right wing and a left wing think tank can get together and come up with a workable solution. Maybe the Heritage foundation and the Brookings institute.

Roger
-----Original message-----
From: "Tom Hansen" thansen at moscow.com
Date: Wed, 31 May 2006 06:52:43 -0700
To: "Joan Opyr" joanopyr at moscow.com
Subject: [Vision2020] Cleaning Up After Enron (Molly Ivins)

> >From today's (May 30, 2006) Spokesman Review -
> 
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Cleaning up after Enron 
> Molly Ivins 
> May 31, 2006
> 
> HOUSTON, Texas - A Houston jury convicted both Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling,
> despite the fact that Kenny Boy packed his Bible to the courtroom every day.
> 
> 
> Since it is a noble Texas tradition for the accused to fight all allegations
> by finding Jesus, this indicates a major degree of guilt. 
> 
> Many a thoughtful analyst has given us to understand that Lay and Skilling
> are guilty of arrogance and hubris. Actually, they were convicted of fraud -
> massive, overwhelming and monstrous fraud. They also stole money and looted
> pension funds. They rigged energy markets and almost drove California
> (seventh-largest economy in the world) into bankruptcy.
> 
> And all along the way, this monstrous fraud was connected to government.
> Enron bought the politicians who bent the rules that let them steal, con and
> gyp. Lay and Skilling talked state after state into following the California
> model and deregulating electricity. Happy summer, everyone. 
> 
> And then, of course, there was the thumbing-the-nose thievery, the offshore
> partnerships tricked out with the clever names so insiders would know how
> slick they were. 
> 
> As the late Rep. Wright Patman Sr. observed: "Many of our wealthiest and
> most powerful citizens are very greedy. This fact has many times been
> demonstrated." 
> 
> The interesting thing about Lay and Skilling is they weren't trying to evade
> the rules, they were rigging the rules in their favor. The fix was in - much
> of it law passed by former Sen. Phil Gramm of Texas, whose wife served on
> the board of Enron. 
> 
> What makes a Ken Lay think he can call the governor of Texas and ask him to
> soften up Gov. Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania on electricity deregulation? Not
> that being governor of Texas has ever been an office of much majesty, but a
> corporate robber wouldn't think of doing that if it were Brian Schweitzer of
> Montana or Bill Richardson of New Mexico. 
> 
> The extent to which not just state legislatures but the Congress of the
> United States are now run by large corporate special interests is beyond
> mere recognition as fact. The takeover is complete. Newt Gingrich and Tom
> DeLay put in place a system in which it's not a question of letting the head
> of the camel into the tent - the camels run the place. 
> 
> It has all happened quite quickly - in less than 20 years. Laws were changed
> and regulations repealed until an Enron can set sail without responsibility,
> supervision or accountability. The business pages are fond of trumpeting the
> merits of "transparency" and "accountability," but you will notice whenever
> there is a chance to roll back any of New Deal regs, the corporations go for
> broke trying to get rid of them entirely. 
> 
> I'm not attempting to make this a partisan deal - only 73 percent of Enron's
> political donations went to Republicans. But I'll be damned if Enron's No. 1
> show pony politician, George W. Bush, should be allowed to walk away from
> this. Ken Lay gave $139,500 to Bush over the years. He chipped in $100,000
> to the Bush-Cheney Inaugural Fund in 2000 and $10K to the Bush-Cheney
> Recount Fund. 
> 
> Plus, Enron's PAC gave Bush $113,800 for his '94 and '98 political races and
> another $312,500 from its executives. Bush got 14 free rides on Enron's
> corporate jets during the 2000 campaign, including at least two during the
> recount. Until January 2004, Enron was Bush's top contributor. 
> 
> And what did it get for its money? Ken Lay was on Bush's short list to be
> energy secretary. He not only almost certainly served on Cheney's energy
> task force, there is every indication that the task force's energy plan, the
> one we have been on for five years, is in fact the Enron plan. Lay used Bush
> as an errand boy, calling the governor of Texas and having him phone Tom
> Ridge of Pennsylvania to vouch for what swell energy deregulation bills
> Enron was sponsoring in states all over the country. 
> 
> It seems to me we all understand this is a systemic problem.
> 
> We need to reform the political system, or we'll lose the democracy. I don't
> think it's that hard. It doesn't take rocket science. We've done it before
> successfully at the presidential level and tried it several places at the
> state level. Public campaign financing isn't perfect and can doubtlessly be
> improved upon as we go. Let us begin.
> 
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Seeya round town, Moscow.
> 
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
> 
> ***********************************************************************
> 
> "Until I started reading blogs, I thought only pilots figured they knew
> everything. Now I know better." 
> 
> - Dave Glasebrook (April 4, 2006)
> 
> ***********************************************************************
> 
> 
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