Now that we know that Enron got millions in tax rebates; ripped off
employees and investors and buried hundreds of millions in off shore
shelters.. the real question remains open for all Americans to consider:
are the rich and the corporations getting their moneys worth from the
Bush corporation-, excuse me, administration?
We also know that Enron prevented its shareholders from dumping their
stock, while its leaders dumped theirs and made millions.
The firm also caused a crisis in California and helped destroy that
states energy policy, and then turned around and blamed Federal
regulatory polices for the catastrophe which cost the states taxpayers
billions. Remember the Bush Administration refused to help in California
thereby protecting corporate interests profiting from the debacle.
But here's your checklist-- a way of charting whether or not corporate
interests are being served. Are corporations getting the biggest bang
for their buck?
You decide.
1. Enron contributed well over five million dollars to both Dems and
Republicans in the past year. They have been heavy contributors to both
parties over the years. Result: no taxes paid over the last four years
and over 350 million in Federal tax rebates. There is another 254
million waiting for them in the Republican economic stimulus package,
should it pass.
2. Bush campaign for tax breaks benefits the wealthy (that means
corporate affiliated types) and means chump change for those at the
bottom. Wealthy people will average 53 thousand annually from the tax
cuts, while the tens of millions in the lowest sixty percent will
average 347 dollars a year. Fifty percent of the tax cut goes to the
richest one percent of Americans. Ask former Enron exec, Ken Lay what
that adds up to in his portfolio.
3. Then Enron exec Ken Lay and wife contributed eight hundred thousand
dollars to the Republican party since 1988. During his campaign which
was funded by corporations at a rate previously unknown-Bush had use of
Enrons fleet of jets.
4. Cheney's meetings with Enron execs crafting Federal Energy Policy- are
still the subject of some dispute. Were Enron and corporate interests
well served in making the polices that regulated their corporations? Is
the Pope Catholic, and do Bears make doo doo in the woods? Watch your
corporate media for more on those questions. Only time will tell: as
the General Accounting Office sews Cheney on behalf of the U.S. tax
payer.
5. Arthur Andersen, up to its neck in Enron cover-ups, did what it could
spending more than five million in campaign funding to both Dems and
Republicans since 1989. Result: a law rejected that would have banned
auditing firms from consulting fees. Andersen got 27 million from Enron
in consultancy fees-which have been called "another form of corporate
pay off, disguised as business transaction. You know, like the business
lunch that includes a trip to Miami." The big auditing outfits got 2.65
billion in "consulting" and only 909 million for auditing- making
them
really consultancy businesses not auditing firms.
6. Can auditors be honest and forthright when they are getting two
thirds of their money in consultancy fees? Again, watch your corporate
media for more on whether the Pope is Catholic, do bears make woodland
doo doo etc.
7. There is still no substantive tax reform. Estimated corporate
lobbyist bill for keeping that kind of legislation out of the pipeline
runs anywhere from three to five hundred million, and thats just for
this year. It costs a great deal to keep the taxpayer paying and
corporations n profiteering.
8. Check the 25,000 dollar a plate dinners that both Dems and
Republicans have made a fund raising fixture. You won't see any middle
income or lower income Americans attending. You will see corporations
and the very rich who run them. 80 percent of party contributions come
from the richest quarter of one percent of Americans.
9. Pharmaceutical firms lobbied last year to the tune of 180 million.
Result: Americans pay the highest drug prices in the world.
10. GE, IBM and Chevron will get 25 billion in corporate welfare from
the Republican "stimulus" package. That's not a bad return on the 45
million they have spent in campaign funding in the last ten years.
11. We have no health care program for 44 million Americans who have no
health insurance. That's in part thanks to the 20 million in campaign
funds spent by HMO's and "health service" companies in the 99-2000
election.
12. House Republicans will provide 33 billion in tax breaks to energy
companies. That's a good return for the 65 million these same companies
spent in campaign funding.
Congress is still stalled on the Shays-Meehan Campaign Reform Act. Bets
are it will remain stalled: the Republicans don't want it. Some even
call the Republicans the party of the Rich. Again do bears make doo doo
etc. etc.
If you feel that corporations are not getting their fare share of the
pie. Write your senator or congress person today. They are doing all
that they can, but keep the cards and letters coming.
Warren Leming