Saving us from corporate criminals
AUSTIN, Texas -- Naturally, when I heard President Bush is now claiming to be in the forefront of the fight against corporate crime, I thought it was an April Fools' joke. But no, there it is in print -- he made a big speech about it in Houston, of all places, not far from he Enron building.
"We had to confront corporate crimes that cost people their jobs and their savings," he said. "So we passed strong corporate reforms and made it very clear, we will not tolerate dishonesty in the boardrooms of America."
We did; we won't? Oh, he was talking about the Sarbanes bill, that set of inadequate corporate reform measures that he (SET ITAL) opposed (END ITAL) until it passed the House of Representatives with just a handful of dissenting votes and he couldn't face the political heat any longer. That bill.
"We had to confront corporate crimes that cost people their jobs and their savings," he said. "So we passed strong corporate reforms and made it very clear, we will not tolerate dishonesty in the boardrooms of America."
We did; we won't? Oh, he was talking about the Sarbanes bill, that set of inadequate corporate reform measures that he (SET ITAL) opposed (END ITAL) until it passed the House of Representatives with just a handful of dissenting votes and he couldn't face the political heat any longer. That bill.
Lying liars . . .
AUSTIN, Texas -- My, we are off to an elegant start here, aren't we?
First, we have John Kerry in a classic open-mike gaffe referring to his Republican opponents as "crooked" and "lying." While this was not a high point in the history of political rhetoric, Kerry's refusal to apologize for the overhead remark promptly solidified his base.
"Hey, he's got more guts than I thought," said many a pleased Democrat, convinced the Bushies (SET ITAL) are (END ITAL) all liars and crooks. So he is now free to go forth and talk of health care.
First, we have John Kerry in a classic open-mike gaffe referring to his Republican opponents as "crooked" and "lying." While this was not a high point in the history of political rhetoric, Kerry's refusal to apologize for the overhead remark promptly solidified his base.
"Hey, he's got more guts than I thought," said many a pleased Democrat, convinced the Bushies (SET ITAL) are (END ITAL) all liars and crooks. So he is now free to go forth and talk of health care.
Good, high-payin' jobs
AUSTIN, Texas -- How much fun can one administration have? More dead GIs. New record trade deficit. Stock market plunges. Ally in Spain goes down to defeat. The new Spanish prime minister says the occupation in Iraq is a "continuing disaster" and he's pulling his troops out. Still no jobs. And then they guy who was supposed to be the new jobs czar turns out to have laid off 75 of his own workers and then built a $3 million factory in China to employ 165 Chinese people. Whoever has the aspirin concession at the White House must be making a fortune.
The unfortunate matter of the would-be jobs czar came at a particularly awkward moment. More than six months ago, President Bush promised to appoint a "manufacturing czar" at the Commerce Department. As the Center for American Progress points out, since then we've lost another 250,000 manufacturing jobs. Bush was on his way to Ohio last week, where the economy has just been hemorrhaging jobs, to "focus on jobs." He actually claimed, "We're creating jobs -- good, high-paying jobs for the American citizen."
The unfortunate matter of the would-be jobs czar came at a particularly awkward moment. More than six months ago, President Bush promised to appoint a "manufacturing czar" at the Commerce Department. As the Center for American Progress points out, since then we've lost another 250,000 manufacturing jobs. Bush was on his way to Ohio last week, where the economy has just been hemorrhaging jobs, to "focus on jobs." He actually claimed, "We're creating jobs -- good, high-paying jobs for the American citizen."
Freep Heroes
Freep Heroes – Kevin Phillips and Paul O’Neill
American Dynasty: Aristocracy, Fortune And The Politics Of Deceit In The House Of Bush by Phillips and The Price of Loyalty by O’Neill verify and document in detail everything the Free Press has been telling you about the Bush family since the first Gulf War. When those with well-established Republican credentials come forward to blow the whistle on the true “Axis of Evil” – Prescott Bush, George Herbert Walker Bush and George W. Bush – the Freep sees their actions as heroic. Even more heroic and necessary would be George W.’s impeachment for war crimes and lying to the American people to make his big oil buddies rich.
The Free Press Salutes
Staughton and Alice Lynd
This couple from Niles, Ohio are saluted for their efforts to uncover what really happened during the Lucasville prison uprising of April 1993. Staughton’s new book, which is excerpted in this issue of the Free Press, painstaking reveals the horror at the heart of Ohio’s prison industrial complex. The couple’s long commitment to social justice is an inspiration to us all.
Enemies of the People
American Dynasty: Aristocracy, Fortune And The Politics Of Deceit In The House Of Bush by Phillips and The Price of Loyalty by O’Neill verify and document in detail everything the Free Press has been telling you about the Bush family since the first Gulf War. When those with well-established Republican credentials come forward to blow the whistle on the true “Axis of Evil” – Prescott Bush, George Herbert Walker Bush and George W. Bush – the Freep sees their actions as heroic. Even more heroic and necessary would be George W.’s impeachment for war crimes and lying to the American people to make his big oil buddies rich.
The Free Press Salutes
Staughton and Alice Lynd
This couple from Niles, Ohio are saluted for their efforts to uncover what really happened during the Lucasville prison uprising of April 1993. Staughton’s new book, which is excerpted in this issue of the Free Press, painstaking reveals the horror at the heart of Ohio’s prison industrial complex. The couple’s long commitment to social justice is an inspiration to us all.
Enemies of the People
They Shoot Journalists, Don’t They?
To encourage restraint in war coverage, governments don’t need to
shoot journalists -- though sometimes that’s helpful.
Thirteen journalists were killed while covering the war and occupation in Iraq last year, says a new report by the Committee to Protect Journalists. The deaths were a subset of 36 on-the-job fatalities related to journalistic work across the globe in 2003.
CPJ’s annual worldwide survey “Attacks on the Press,” released on March 11, indicates that some of those deaths in Iraq were not just random events in a hazardous war zone.
Journalists who were “embedded” with the American military tended to be safer. But as a practical matter, the tradeoffs shortchanged news readers, listeners and viewers. “The close quarters shared by journalists and troops inevitably blunted reporters’ critical edge,” CPJ reports. “There were also limits on what types of stories reporters could cover, since the ground rules barred journalists from leaving their unit.”
Thirteen journalists were killed while covering the war and occupation in Iraq last year, says a new report by the Committee to Protect Journalists. The deaths were a subset of 36 on-the-job fatalities related to journalistic work across the globe in 2003.
CPJ’s annual worldwide survey “Attacks on the Press,” released on March 11, indicates that some of those deaths in Iraq were not just random events in a hazardous war zone.
Journalists who were “embedded” with the American military tended to be safer. But as a practical matter, the tradeoffs shortchanged news readers, listeners and viewers. “The close quarters shared by journalists and troops inevitably blunted reporters’ critical edge,” CPJ reports. “There were also limits on what types of stories reporters could cover, since the ground rules barred journalists from leaving their unit.”
Sailing on the Voucher Boat
AUSTIN, Texas -- Gosh, we are having such a swell time here in Texas. For starters, once again the speaker of the Texas House is under investigation by a grand jury. We're so proud. We have nothing against this guy personally, we're just rooting for an indictment as a matter of Texas tradition. This would make five out of the last six House speakers indicted for one thing or another, and you must admit, that's some record.
(As a matter of strict accuracy, I should note that there was one speaker in there who was not indicted, but rather was shot to death by his wife. However, she was indicted -- although not convicted, because in Texas we recognize public service when we see it.)
(As a matter of strict accuracy, I should note that there was one speaker in there who was not indicted, but rather was shot to death by his wife. However, she was indicted -- although not convicted, because in Texas we recognize public service when we see it.)
Not any smarter
AUSTIN, Texas -- Living proof that the Democrats haven't gotten any smarter since the last time they ran a candidate for president. Much huffing (and a huffy Democrat is a terrifying sight) over the fact that George W. Bush used images of 9-11 and of the firefighters at Ground Zero to tout his candidacy in his first campaign ad. How crass, said the D's. Exploiting a national tragedy for political purposes -- oh, how tacky.
Dammit, the problem is not that the ad is in bad taste, the problem is that Bush screwed the firefighters in a famous case of his favorite bait-and-switch tactic, and now he has the chutzpah to exploit them anyway and that, my friends, is gall. Bait, switch and then claim credit anyway.
Dammit, the problem is not that the ad is in bad taste, the problem is that Bush screwed the firefighters in a famous case of his favorite bait-and-switch tactic, and now he has the chutzpah to exploit them anyway and that, my friends, is gall. Bait, switch and then claim credit anyway.
A candidate
AUSTIN, Texas -- So the Democrats have a candidate at last, and he is about bent over double with gravitas. I think that means he doesn't a have humorous bone in his body. It's a good thing there's at least one serious person in this race -- the Bushies are getting sillier and sillier.
Just when you thought no one could top Rod Paige calling the teacher's union "a terrorist organization," along comes Veep Cheney with this gem, "If Democratic policies had been pursued over the last two-to-three years, the kind of tax increases both Kerry and Edwards are talking about, we would not have had the kind of job growth that we've had."
Uh, in the first place, Kerry and Edwards are not talking about tax increases at all, but about repealing part of Bush's tax cuts -- so we would have had no tax cuts, not tax increases. And in the second place, if losing 2.3 million jobs is "job growth," Dick Cheney is a laugh riot.
Just when you thought no one could top Rod Paige calling the teacher's union "a terrorist organization," along comes Veep Cheney with this gem, "If Democratic policies had been pursued over the last two-to-three years, the kind of tax increases both Kerry and Edwards are talking about, we would not have had the kind of job growth that we've had."
Uh, in the first place, Kerry and Edwards are not talking about tax increases at all, but about repealing part of Bush's tax cuts -- so we would have had no tax cuts, not tax increases. And in the second place, if losing 2.3 million jobs is "job growth," Dick Cheney is a laugh riot.
Don't hit the hornets' nest
AUSTIN, Texas -- Anyone see any reason to think Haiti will be better off without Jean-Bertrand Aristide? Just another little gift from the Bush foreign policy team, straight out of the whacko-right playbook.
Jesse Helms always did think Aristide was another Fidel, not being able to distinguish between a Catholic and a communist. We know the main armed opposition group is a bunch of thugs and that they have been joined by old Duvalierists, including members of the Tonton Macoutes, the infamous torturers.
The Bush administration wanted this to happen -- it held up $500 million worth of humanitarian aid from the United States, World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank and International Monetary Fund. Without U.S. or multilateral help, the country spiraled downward.
So here we are, reduced to hoping for the best again.
Jesse Helms always did think Aristide was another Fidel, not being able to distinguish between a Catholic and a communist. We know the main armed opposition group is a bunch of thugs and that they have been joined by old Duvalierists, including members of the Tonton Macoutes, the infamous torturers.
The Bush administration wanted this to happen -- it held up $500 million worth of humanitarian aid from the United States, World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank and International Monetary Fund. Without U.S. or multilateral help, the country spiraled downward.
So here we are, reduced to hoping for the best again.
U.N. Spying and Evasions of American Journalism
Tony Blair and George W. Bush want the issue of spying at the United
Nations to go away. That’s one of the reasons the Blair government ended
its prosecution of whistleblower Katharine Gun on Wednesday (Feb. 25).
But within 24 hours, the scandal of U.N. spying exploded further when one
of Blair’s former cabinet ministers said that British spies closely
monitored conversations of U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan during the
lead-up to the invasion of Iraq last year.
The new allegations, which have the ring of truth, are now coming from ex-secretary of international development Clare Short. “I have seen transcripts of Kofi Annan’s conversations,” she said in an interview with BBC Radio. “In fact I have had conversations with Kofi in the run-up to war thinking ‘Oh dear, there will be a transcript of this and people will see what he and I are saying.’” Short added that British intelligence had been explicitly directed to spy on Annan and other top U.N. officials.
The new allegations, which have the ring of truth, are now coming from ex-secretary of international development Clare Short. “I have seen transcripts of Kofi Annan’s conversations,” she said in an interview with BBC Radio. “In fact I have had conversations with Kofi in the run-up to war thinking ‘Oh dear, there will be a transcript of this and people will see what he and I are saying.’” Short added that British intelligence had been explicitly directed to spy on Annan and other top U.N. officials.