Birds of a Feather...

Well, how about this? President Obama invited all the mainstream media press “giants” to lunch today. Here’s the “Who’s Who” who attended:

NBC News: Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor, NBC Nightly News; David Gregory, moderator, Meet the Press.
ABC News: Charles Gibson, anchor, World News; George Stephanopoulos, chief Washington correspondent.
CBS News: Katie Couric, anchor and managing editor, CBS Evening News; Bob Schieffer, anchor, Face the Nation.
PBS: Jim Lehrer, executive editor and anchor, NewsHour.
FOX NEWS: Bret Baier: anchor of Special Report with Bret Baier; Chris Wallace, host Host, Fox News Sunday.
CNN: Wolf Blitzer, anchor, The Situation Room; John King, anchor, State of the Union.

So what’s the purpose of the lunch?

It gives the White House an opportunity to help shape the television coverage before and after the speech, which will be seen by millions of Americans. Along with the president, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs and senior adviser David Axelrod also were on hand.

So...where is “Democracy Now!” host Amy Goodman? Not on your life would she be invited. And if by some miracle she was, I bet she would demurely decline the offer. Or maybe she wouldn’t, if the administration granted her free reign on questioning the President. But I don’t see that happening in this lifetime.

This is so typical. The mainstream news media cozying up to the President and his administration. How can they possibly assume an adversarial position (which is what the fourth estate is all about) with an administration's policies if they're getting in bed with it?

I’m really, really sure that hard, penetrating questions were asked of the President during lunch. You betcha! Now just watch how these "journalists" rave about the speech tonight.

These TV "actors" are the stenographers of the policy spins that the administration spews, and God forbid that they lose access to the inside power if they were to criticize anything that's said.

Wimps...

The "Common Sense" Right to Take a DNA Test

Now this to me is outrageous:

The solicitor general's office has turned down a request by the Innocence Project to disavow a Bush Administration stance on prisoners' access to DNA evidence in postconviction proceedings. As a result, on March 2, Neal Katyal will make his debut as deputy solicitor general by arguing before the Supreme Court in support of the state of Alaska's view that prisoners have no constitutional right to obtain DNA evidence that might help them prove their innocence -- even if the prisoners pay for the DNA testing themselves. The case is District Attorney's Office for the Third Judicial District v. Osborne.

The quote above is from “The Blog of Legal Times,” February 20, 2009.

Excuse me? What on earth is going on in our justice system? Glenn Greenwald has posted previously on his blog about the “two-tiered justice system” whereupon the rich have one form of justice and the rest of the country a draconian one. For me, this is a prime example of what he's saying.

DNA testing should not be a "constitutional right." It should be an unequivocal basic right for all people. It's just common sense fairness to do everything we can to make sure that the right people, not the innocent ones, are locked up. If DNA can be used to determine the guilt or innocence of a person, it should be utilized immediately. Without question. No matter when the opportunity to obtain the DNA arises.

Now President Obama's solicitor general’s office is trying to deny those convicted of utilizing DNA to help prove their innocence, picking up where the Bush administration left off.

How can we as a society possibly reject outright the opportunity for a convicted felon to prove his innocence via a DNA test, especially if he’s willing to pay for it. What kind of down side is there? What kind of people are we?

With so many men on death row being proven innocent via DNA, imagine how many convicts not facing the death penalty are innocent.

There is absolutely no reason not to give these men and women the test. Absolutely none.

I posted an earlier blog right after the election that I was reserving judgment on Barack Obama. I believe both the Democratic and Republican parties are cut from the same cloth. Money greases the wheel of both; unfortunately at the expense of the citizenry.

Those who hailed Barack Obama as a messiah should take note of this and other issues he’s siding with the last administration. Like I said, the same cloth…

We definitely need a third, maybe even a fourth party.

What, Again? (Surprise, Surprise)

This truly amazes me. After the brouhaha about Citigroup going ahead with the purchase of a corporate jet subsequent to receiving taxpayer bailout money, then having to back off the buy when it received a somewhat less than cordial phone call from the White House, we discover Wells Fargo & Co. is going ahead with a 12-night Las Vegas junket at two expensive hotels. Despite the fact that their handling of a $25 billion taxpayer bailout is being heavily criticized.

As I pointed out in my last post, this is nothing but pure, unadulterated Arrogance. Another excellent example of my postulation that the corporate bigwigs think they are “The World” and anything they do should not be scrutinized. Of course, the corporate heads were aware of the Citigroup fiasco. Yet, they still plan on this expensive junket as if nothing is amiss.

Now that the Vegas plans are out in the open, the corporate bozos are “reconsidering” the expensive junket. One of my pet peeves about the press is that we never get specific names of these clowns who are treating the country like we’re interfering with their lavish lifestyles. I believe that every one of these stories comes with the name of the CEO and the top execs so we can identify those who believe they are above the “unwashed.” We need to hammer their names into the public conscience. A pox on all of them.

As I wrote last time, who knows how many of these unseen massive expenditures are being incurred at this moment? We must keep uncovering these corporate shenanigans every time. If they even think of spending frivolously, we should be on their butts hounding them to no end.

We need to pass a law (if that’s what it takes) that the U.S. can inspect every penny of any corporation that feeds at the trough of taxpayer money. To the last detail. The accounting expenditures and profits should be in the public domain for every citizen to peruse. No exceptions. They want our money, they pay that price.

One day, there will be a corporate straw breaking the back of U.S. citizens whereupon they will finally say “Enough!” Perhaps then we can totally rewrite the way corporations do business. The Washington political circle is absolutely in bed with these corporations, thus it will take a major protest of the people to enact changes. I hope it’s not too late.

Update: Wells Fargo has canceled its foray into Las Vegas. But as I wrote, no names of the deciders were given. Who made the original decision for the junket? Who exactly decided not to go forward with the trip? These executives cannot continue to be faceless. Let's get those names out in the open. We need to know who to target to get terminated from these positions.

Another thing I want to mention. I realize that these peccadilloes (junkets, salary bonuses, etc.) are not the meat of the problems the financial institutions are in the middle of. However, they are symptomatic of the institutions' overall egregious behavior. By keeping tabs on these smaller issues we are sending a message that I hope they will understand. Of course, with their "We are the world" mentality, I seriously doubt it. We need to oust these guys and bring in new blood.

We Are the World

I’m borrowing my topic header from Noam Chomsky. He uses it to refer to the United States and its allies (Britain, Israel and a few smattering countries) exclaiming such nonsense as “The World condemns country 'X' for its current policy regarding ‘Y.’” Of course, they aren’t speaking for the “World.” They are condemning country “X” for policies running counter to the interests of the U.S and its minority allies. Most of the “world” could either care less about “Y” or might be inclined to the opposite of the U.S. and its remarkably few allies’ opinion.

As far as I’m concerned, the financial institutions also view themselves as “The World” and nothing (or nobody) else matters. Take a look at the eighteen or so billion dollar “bonuses” that the financial institutions gave themselves last year in spite of the disaster the executives led this country into. President Obama called the bonuses “irresponsible.” I beg to differ. I call it arrogance. They don’t even think or care that it should matter what they did. Of course, once there is a major outcry, the Public Relations Departments (and various Spinners in favor of the corporations) start to do damage control.

I love this spin, as an example: Something to the effect that salaries are more tied in with bonuses in the financial sector than the industrial side of the work force. Give me a break. For my entire life, I’ve been under the impression that a “bonus” given at the end of the year represented a job well done. Not for running a company into the ground and needing taxpayer bailout money.

How about Citigroup signing off for a fifty million dollar corporate jet? Even after its multi-billion dollar bailout. It took a phone call from the White House (“We are not amused”) for Citigroup to “decide” to pass on the jet. One more time, this is not “irresponsibility.” It’s arrogance, plain and simple.

Finally, John Thain, former CEO of Merrill Lynch, spent over a million dollars for office “redecoration” and to hand out millions of dollars of bonuses a month earlier than usual in order to get the money out before Bank of America took over the corporation. He knew exactly what he was doing. He was gaming the system so his fellow corporate executives could get their millions before he relinquished control to BofA. Arrogance. Not irresponsibility.

What really scares me is what we are not seeing. I bet there are many such instances of arrogance and frivolous spending that is unseen. Recall that AIG tried to cover their "retreat" (spending hundreds of thousands of dollars) in Arizona after they got their bailout. What other corporations are hiding egregious spending such as this? It will be interesting to see what else these execs are doing behind our backs. Hopefully, we will be able to find out, though I believe most of the shenanigans will slip by.

These guys don’t give a frak about the U.S. or its people, many of whom are leading desperate lives. It’s about greed and the conception that they are “The World.” Until we can oust every one of these money-grubbing egoists and bring in those who think in terms that all of us are a part of this great country and all citizens should benefit from the resources that this great country has, we will have an ever widening (arrogant) upper and (exploited) lower class system.

A New Legal "Process"?

OK. I’ve really refrained from saying anything about the upcoming Obama administration since the man hasn’t even been sworn in. However, upon reading Glen Greenwald’s Sunday post about Obama’s position on closing Guantanamo, I have to say something.

Here is what Obama stated (per Mr. Greenwald):

“It (the closing of Guantanamo) is more difficult than I think a lot of people realize and we are going to get it done but part of the challenge that you have is that you have a bunch of folks that have been detained, many of whom who may be very dangerous who have not been put on trial or have not gone through some adjudication. And some of the evidence against them may be tainted even though it's true. And so how to balance creating a process that adheres to rule of law, habeas corpus, basic principles of Anglo American legal system, by doing it in a way that doesn't result in releasing people who are intent on blowing us up.”

You mean to tell me that he is considering creating a whole new set of rules to use evidence that is not admissible in our current legal system? And somehow allowing confessions under torture under this "process" is "adhering to the basic principles of Anglo American legal system"? What the heck is that? Maybe we should set up a new set of court proceedings for anything that can’t be used in our present court system. Hey, I’ve got it! If a person is found not guilty in our legal system, we’ll just create a system where he can be found guilty. To hell with double jeopardy, that only pertains to the current legal system…not if there were two different ones. Cool!

I totally agree with Glen Greenwald and his take on Obama’s scary statement. We must not find any kind of “process” which will allow evidence obtained during torture to be used against anyone. Obama’s posture is not what defines us as “civilized,” “decent” and “fair,” and does not conform to our Constitution’s intent.

Our laws have unfortunately enabled individuals guilty of crimes to be set free because due process was not followed. This is obviously a disagreeable outcome of adhering to our constitutional rights that were established by our forefathers in order to protect the innocent. We must, however, never deviate from these inalienable rights.

Letting one person be convicted by evading these rights can lead to the total obliteration of our fundamental laws by those who wish to have absolute power. A crack in the dike leads to the inevitable flood.

Barack Obama’s position is unacceptable. I hope that’s clear enough.

Breathe Easier...The Economy WILL Be Fixed

This morning on “This Week with George Stephanopoulos,” George mentioned that the producers had given the public an opportunity to send in questions for their sole guest President-elect Barack Obama. According to George (easier to type than his last name), the overwhelming question was (I’m paraphrasing all this since I don’t have a transcript – feel free to correct me if I say anything incorrectly) if the economy can be fixed.

Now let’s think about this. Does anyone REALLY think that Obama is going to say “Gee, George, not gonna happen. This economy has been too corrupted in the last thirty-five years and there’s just no way in Hell I can fix the darned thing! I sure hope it can right itself. I’m really crossing my fingers! But thanks for electing me anyway.”

Be real, George. Is that the best you can do? That was a hanging softball question. Does George really think that his audience is that stupid? That when Obama says (I’m paraphrasing again) it can be fixed though it’s going to take a long time, the viewing audience is going to at last sit back and say “Whew! Now I can relax because our Guy says it can be fixed”? I can see the headline now in tomorrow’s papers: “President-elect Barack Obama Says the Economy Can Be Fixed!” That ought to make everyone breathe a HUGE sigh of relief. Time to go back to business as usual…the economy will be fixed…Obama says so…

As far as I’m concerned this is just scripted political theatre by both asker and asked to alleviate the anxiety of the not-so-bright. Both know that they’re catering to an audience that cannot handle the complexities of economics so good old platitudes will keep those poor people from wringing their hands.

On “Democracy Now!” Amy Goodman aired a clip with FDR explaining to the public how the Social Security System that he implemented would work. In the clip, FDR used the word “vicissitudes.” I wonder how many politicians even know what that word means, let alone use it to inform anything to the public. They wouldn’t dare. They are scared it would make them sound “elitist.” Keep it to two syllable words only. Yet 70 some-odd years ago, our President used it as a matter of course when explaining to the public his policies. My, how times have changed.

It always gets me when a politician says on TV that “The people are smart!” Hogwash. That politician is playing to the stupid. Can’t you just see it? Some “smart” person watching the aforesaid pol exclaiming, “Yup! He’s dadgum right! I shur am one smart sumbitch, ain’t I maw? He’s the feller for me! I’ma votin’ fer him!” And THAT’s exactly why the pol says “The people are smart.”

Of course, as I wrote in an earlier post, for me the real number one issue is the Iraq/Afghanistan Wars. The economy will one day recover and people will get better quality of lives. Sadly, once dead, always dead. No recovery for that one.

Gaming the System

So Security Exchange Commission head Christopher Cox is now spouting out a mea culpa for not checking into serious allegations about Bernard Madoff’s decades-long Ponzi scheme. I love the headline from the Huffingpost: “Christopher Cox Blasts Own Department for Missing Madoff Scheme.” WTF? This is so much bull, I can’t believe it.

This whole debacle which, in some circles say is greater than Enron, is emblematic of our entire current governmental and financial states. Here’s how it goes:

An institution comes up with an illegal or mighty rule bending procedure to make huge profits, continue to do so for years, then when the house of cards falls, we get people in charge like Chairman Cox fecklessly admit that they dropped the ball. These wheeler dealers are repulsive. The God Almighty dollar is the driving force, those in charge turn a blind eye (most likely because they are getting a piece of the action) and the rest of the world be damned.

Of course, when everything starts to crumble, it’s the people that suffer…from personal lost monies and property to the using of their taxes to bail out these greedy bastards.

Let’s start a partial list. We’ll start with Enron. They sucked billions of dollars out of California utilizing a fake “power shortfall.” Then they juggle the books until the entire corporation crumbles, destroying the lives of thousands of their employees. According to the documentary “Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room” the thinking at the higher echelon was that if an idea sounded good, they tacked a huge profit on the next corporation’s statements just for the thought! Now I’m not by any means an economics expert, but even I know that this is absolutely ridiculous. Puhleeze! Meanwhile, warnings were given but ignored.

How about GM? Their mismanagement is pathetic. All the executives were making their millions, catering to the oil companies and destroying perfectly good electric cars that Americans wanted (You’ve got to love that Chrysler has now announced that they are going to produce electric cars). Of course, they want these same Americans to bail them out. Warnings were given but were ignored.

Now comes Madoff and his vicious game. Thousands of investors are suddenly without their money and charities are folding immediately because they’ve been wiped out by this criminal. Warnings were given but were ignored.

See, this is how it works. Everybody in play knows the game is rigged to make huge profits, but since everybody in play is making money they will politely ignore it. When the shit hits the fan, THEN everybody in play starts hand wringing…moaning a “woe is me, how could we have MISSED this? We’ll do better next time.” Yeah, right. “Better” meaning not getting caught.

The end result is that everybody in play walks away with millions from the scheme, vows to clean up this den of iniquity, then moves on to the next “game” that gives them billions (yes, with a “b”) of dollars, only to hand-wring again once the house of cards collapses.

And let’s not forget that the “Public Servants” in Washington, D.C. who allowed this to happen (read “winked” at the transgressions before the collapse) will move into that very financial sector after leaving the government, whereupon they will start making their millions. This will be in gratitude for their allowing the gaming of the system while they were in government.

Meanwhile, we, the public, will be ignored (i.e., no entitlements capital available), and have our money waiting in the wings as bailout for future gaming of the system so the new generation of economic “experts” from Ivy League colleges can get their millions from us. It’s a tragic Circle Game, ad infinitum.