The Dick Cheney and Colin Powell Saga

The country and the American people have recently witnessed the verbal exchange by Cheney and Powell concerning each ones position on certain issues.  Their comments need not be repeated here because that is not the real story although you would never think that by the reporting of the news media, especially television.

 

The real story is how two grown men both with political experience, one with actual military experience, both who held high government positions who could affect government policies failed their country and its people at critical times.  That is the sad story the news media has failed to inform the people. 

 

Dick Cheney has served in congress, was chief of staff to President Gerald Ford, Secretary of Defense under Bush 41 and held that position during the 1991 Gulf War.  He was Vice President under Bush 43 for 8 years, yet with all that experience, his lack of character and judgement concerning the war on terror, the war in Iraq, his obsession with secrecy, his lies on his position of torture, his lack of respect for our men and women in uniform and his attitude of using fear to scare the American people is a betrayal of everything America stands for.

 

Colin Powell, a career military man and general, was chairman of the joint chiefs of staff during the Bush 41 administration, ran the Gulf War of 1991, secretary of state for 4 years under Bush 43.  Yet Powell not only supported the unnecessary invasion of Iraq and the war, he gave false testimony to the American people and the world before the United Nations concerning Iraq's WMD and Iraq's military capabilities.  He used the cover of the director of the CIA who was sitting behind him during his testimony as justification for his false statements.  U.S. senator, Carl Levine put it bluntly when he said Powell was the one person in the Bush administration who could have stopped the war in Iraq and failed to speak up.

 

Now Cheney and Powell are both at each other.  That is a non story compared to the real story of their failure to serve the country and its people at a time of danger.  How could two people with such vast experience and background betray their allegiance to the people and the country.  Going with the flow is a prescription for disaster and the country and its people have the scars to prove it.

 

This petty side show of Cheney and Powell and the news media's handling of the situation is indeed a very sad chapter of how experienced people have failed the test to truly recognize what really matters and makes a difference for our country and its people.  That is the real story, their tirade against each other is an attempt to dodge the real issue of their failures.

Torture: Another Attempt To Rewrite History By The Republicans

The Bush administration tried to rewrite the history of why we went to war in Iraq when no WMD were found and now former V.P. Dick Cheney is in the forefront of trying to rewrite the history of torture that occurred on his and Bush's watch in connection with the war on terror.  Republicans Mitch McConnell and John Boehner in congress along with former representative Newt Gingrich are joining the battle.  They introduced a new twist.  It is ok to torture as long as useful information is gathered from torture.  It does not matter to them that the U.S. is party to the Geneva Convention and other treaties that forbid torture, period.

 

Fox news and other cable news have also joined the battle and are trying to change the nature of the torture debate by accusing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as being involved because she was briefed by the CIA on the interrogation being used.  She denied she was told waterboarding and torture were used.  It should be noted that the republican party controlled congress when congress was briefed.

 

I wrote in a post here when Karl Rove left the White House and went to work for Fox news he would be trying to rewrite the history of the Bush administration and the damage done to the country.  He has been doing just that on Fox news and will soon publish a book to do the same thing.  The torture flap is a continuation of how republicans operate.

 

Why are they trying to rewrite the torture problem now.  Well simply because information has been recently made public by the White House and the Justice Department.  Also former administration officials who were connected with the torture memos are singing like birds on national T.V.  The people who are responsible for torture and the use of torture are those who authorized the practice and those who knew it was torture and still carried it out.  Republicans in Bush's administration have a history of lying to conceal the administrations illegal activities and their operating in secret.

 

Nancy Pelosi is being used as a distraction from the real problem concerning torture.  Republicans will be in the mode to rewrite the history that happened on their watch for a long time because more and more is being revealed little by little as time goes by of just how the Bush administration operated and the damage done to our country.

 

Only cowards try to rewrite history and a lot of them are coming out of the wood work.  They are really a sorry bunch.

Louisiana's Budget Woes

Governor Bobby Jindal and his administration are trying to address a $1.3 billion short fall in the budget.  Major cuts in spending has been proposed by Jindal to make up for the revenue shortage he and the legislature failed to anticipate.  Governor Jindal inherited a $2 billion surplus from the previous administration.  The reader will remember how Bush inherited budget surpluses from the Clinton administration and then failed to balance one budget in his 8 years in office.  However, the state of Louisiana  is required to balance its budget.

 

Republicans seem to have a problem balancing budgets especially after they inherit surpluses from the previous administration.  If one listens to what Jindal says, the fault lies in fallen oil and gas prices and the condition of the national economy.  Not so says former Republican Governor Buddy Roemer.  As reported in the Times Picayune of May 17, Roemer in a sit down with representative Dan Claitor said, Jindal can not separate himself from the budget shortfall.  Roemer said Jindal was part of the problem and is a result of Jindal's miscalculation in the last budget.  Jindal's spokesman, Kyle Platkin blamed it on the national economy and a decrease in oil and gas revenue.  The usual disclaimer by republicans.  Always passing the buck.

 

The big problem is how and where Jindal wants to cut the budget and spending.  Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu in a letter to the editors dated 5/19 to the Times Picayune pointed out how the $2 billion surplus Jindal and the legislature inherited from the previous administration and then decided to increase spending over $1.3 billion.  Those decisions Landrieu said forced them into a position this year of cutting 87 academic programs at our colleges and universities.  Plus budgets cuts to health care funding across the state.

 

Landrieu also pointed out we should invest our money in education, health care, critical infrastructure and other programs that offer substantial return on taxpayers dollars.  In other words every situation has a priority.  You do not cut the budget programs that produce revenue. 

 

I recall what Bob Woodward, the Washington Post journalist wrote in one of his many books.  He said that in Bill Clinton's first year in office he knew more about the federal budget than the members of congress did even though most of them had been in congress for many years and had to deal with the budget every year.  The republicans were especially astonished by Clinton's knowledge about the federal budget.  That explains why Clinton's fiscal and economical policies reversed the 12 years of deficit spending by the Reagan-Bush years.  It also explains what is going on with the Louisiana budget.  Jindal and the legislature are all over the place because they really don not understand how budgeting works and managing the peoples money. 

 

Mitch Landrieu's letter to the editors was right on target.

The Homestead Exemption, Corporate Incentives and Louisiana Budget Cuts

All of the above are being played out now in the Louisiana legislature and when all is said and done the average tax payer and middle class will be the ones who get screwed by our elected officials.  Businesses will once again come out a winner and why not, that is where political campaign contributions come from.

 

Jefferson Parish Assessor Lawrence Chehardy noted the homestead exemption of $75,000 has not been changed since 1982 and that 20 years ago 81% of homeowners was covered by the exemption.  Today that amount is 46%.  That is a great revelation but you do not hear the voices of LABI acknowledging that more home owners have been paying more taxes on their property.

 

LABI and the business community they represent are opposed to raising the exemption on the grounds that business would have to be taxed to make up for the short fall.  Of course to start with, most businesses do not pay their fair share in taxes, state or federal because of the tax loopholes that are created for them and the corporate welfare and other incentives they receive from the state or federal government.

 

Lets take the Shaw Group who's headquarters are in Baton Rouge, La.  They announced May 6, the company will decline $172.5 million in incentive payments from the state for a major manufacturing project or for the company's commitment to keep its headquarters in Baton Rouge as reported in the Times Picayune.  Shaw's chairman was quoted in the article as saying the Shaw Group will continue with its plans but would rather see the government incentive money spent on higher education or other state needs.  That was a noble decision by the Shaw Group.  Evidently the project was needed since Shaw will continue with its plans.  The article also pointed out Shaw was a global provider with $7 billion in revenue last year.  Does a $7 billion company need incentives to stay in Louisiana and expand their business?

 

Now for Tom Benson and the New Orleans Saints.  The state has paid Mr. Benson more than $300 million in cash and improvements since 1985.  Governor Jindal has recently agreed to commit $85 million of state money to upgrade the Superdome for the saints and would also require up to $6 million in payments a year to the saints if stated targets are not met.  This new proposed contract which has to be approved by the legislature would replace the present on which expires in 2010.  According to reports Mr. Benson paid approximately $75 million for the franchise and the NFL said the franchise is now worth approximately $800 million.  That is a pretty good return on equity for Mr. Benson at the expense of the people of Louisiana.

 

Under the new contract Mr. Benson's company would buy Dominion Tower and lease space back to the state of Louisiana.  The New Orleans Center and parking garage is included.  In the Times Picayune of May 10 this is what one local real estate expert said.  "Benson and his various companies can apply for new market tax credits and that they might make enough money that they can take the credits themselves to offset their federal tax burden."  That is a real sweet deal for a multimillionaire and his companies in any ones book.  Where are the loopholes in the tax code for the average payer?

 

Those who oppose the increase in the homestead exemption should tell the average citizen just how much money the state gives out yearly in corporate welfare and so called incentives to Louisiana businesses.  The number would be staggering.  Yet the budget before the legislature contains reductions in the millions of dollars for higher education, health care and other projects.  As a result, the legislature has approved a proposal for public colleges and universities to raise tuition 5% for the 2009/2010 school year.  The people get screwed again while the millionaires and their companies continue to make out like bandits.  I have written many times how politicians try to gain favor with the voters by promising no new taxes or increase in taxes and then get into the pockets of ordinary citizens 100 different ways. 

 

State and federal taxes are written to help those that have the most and those that can afford to pay.  It is special interest politics at its worse.  There was a time when a company would locate to a certain state because of the normal advantages that state had to offer such as, transportation, (La. has water transportation, the cheapest way to move goods.), rail, truck, natural resources, location and a reasonable labor force.  But then greed got in the way and companies started to use blackmail on the states for monetary concessions to locate their facilities.  And Politicians jumped at the chance using taxpayer money to subsidize company operation when there was no need.

 

The present economic conditions in the U.S. is a reminder just how greedy corporations have been and how eager politicians are willing to go along.  By the way, unemployment in Louisiana in March of 2008 was 3.4%.  In March of 2009 it was 5.3%.  Where are all the new jobs that are supposed to be created by La. businesses that receive millions of dollars in incentives from the state to do so.  Tax fairness, you will not find it in Louisiana.

Can The Health Care Industry Be Trusted?

President Obama praised the health care industry's promise to cut $2 trillion in cost over 10 years in connection with Obama's health care reform proposed legislation.  Representatives of the insurance industry, doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and labor groups appeared at the White House and made the pledge.

 

According to a report by the Associated Press the industry group said they would slow the growth of health care costs by 1.5% a year by coordinating care, reducing administrative costs and focusing on quality, efficiency and standardization.  However, initial reports said congress was not impressed by the industry's lack of specifics. 

 

If the health care industry really wanted to do something to reduce the cost of health care they should (1) immediately stop their T.V. adds that tell the people "to check with your doctor if such and such a prescription is right for you."  (2)  Stop all advertising of drugs, especially the most costly ones.  Let the consumer get this information from the doctor.  (3)  Start a nationwide program of prevention, that is the key to a lasting lower health cost.  (4)  Incorporate alternative treatments and medication.  (5)  There are many more that the health care industry is aware of that can dramatically reduce their cost and the cost to consumers. 

 

Congress should not be impressed until the industry spells out the definitive way that cost will be reduced and sustained over many years.  It should also be tied to an ongoing preventative program.  The industry is one of the most wealthiest among corporate America and should step up to the plate and tell the people exactly how they plan to reduce health care cost for the consumer and sustain that savings.  Until they do that congress and the President should remain skeptical.

Journalist David Brooks About Face

New York Times conservative writer David Brooks is the latest to see the light why the republican party in general and conservatives in particular are out of favor with the American people and also out of touch.  He recently wrote a column titled, "Order vs. Freedom" to explain how and where the republican party lost its way.  Keep in mind this is the same David Brooks who has supported the conservative republican agenda in the past and backed George Bush's policies all the way for the last 8 years.

 

Brooks speaks about Obama running up the debt and intervenes rashly in sector after sector.  Yet he fails to mention the record debt run up by George Bush, his father and Ronald Reagan and was silent the years they did so.  Their record debt is one of the major causes of what the country and its people are dealing with today.

 

In his article, Brooks uses John Wayne and director John Ford in his fairytale.  He speaks about two theories of civic order and that shows he is out of touch with reality by explaining a "liberal theory" vs. a "conservative theory."  Brooks is still caught up in brand names and can not bring himself to the conclusion that what is needed and what was provided the American people in November was a choice for an American solution and theory.

 

The democratic party can rightly be called the American party because it represents American ideals while the republican party represents the elite.  The democratic party has its own built in checks and balances because they don't unite behind a single leader and rubber stamp their own party's proposals.  You don't see the party issuing talking points and then repeat them over and over again.  Mr. Brooks and the conservatives now find themselves in a flip-flop mode.

 

America needs a good two party system and maybe a good independent system.  The best thing the republican party can do is drop the word conservatism from its vocabulary.  Their leaders don't even understand what the word conservatism means.  The liberal label conservatives like to pin on democrats don't stick because the people can see the democratic party does not govern by ideology.  There are those that will never get it, David Brooks for one. 

United States Antitrust Policies

The Obama administration announced on May 11 that the U.S. Government is tightening its policies and will move against big firms that hurt smaller firms and competitors.  A lax of enforcement by the Bush administration was cited as a contributor to the current economic troubles.

 

Assistant Attorney General Christine Varney said the Justice Department is abandoning legal guidelines established by the Bush administration that made it difficult to pursue antitrust cases against big firms.  Varney said there was a high cost to standing aside and the government has to change course with a new tack.  The new rules will return to the antitrust policies of the Clinton administration.

 

The lack of antitrust enforcement has once again proved that corporate America can not be trusted to do the right thing on their own.  That has been talked about in politidose for a long time,  Giant firms buying up their competitors have never resulted in lower prices or better products for the consumers.  In fact just the opposite takes place.

 

A fair enforcement of the antitrust laws and using that avenue to protect the consumer and smaller businesses is long overdue.  We know because of the present economic meltdown what big business power can do when in the hands of the most wealthy.  They have a free hand to do as they wish with out checks and balances.

 

This antitrust decision is good news for the consumer.  Now the government has to follow through on its promise. 

What Is Next For The Republican Party

That is a question the party is asking itself at this very moment but so far the answer has been elusive.  
Michael Steele, the newest Chairman of the Republican National Committee has had a problem bringing the various factions of the party together and his rhetoric has been acid laced towards democrats while at the same time apologizing to Rush Limbaugh.

 

Republican leaders in congress Mitch McConnell and John Boehner are a part of the failed republican policy and ideology of the past and offer only criticism of democrats and nothing new in the way of policytomove the country or their party forward.  The same can be said for Newt Gingrich and Dick Armey.  Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Rielly their likes and the Christian right have been able to bully the leaders of the republican party using divisive issues.  I remember a motion picture when I was a youngster that had the title "Tall in the saddle."  What the republican party needs is some one who is "tall in courage" to stand up to the phonies in their party and those mentioned above.

 

The Washington Post carried a story, "Ailing GOP Vows To Start Conversation with voter."  Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, republican Mitt Romney and congressman Eric Cantor unveiled the "National Council for a New America" at a town hall meeting in Washington, D.C.  This was to be a first in a national series about "rebranding" the GOP said Cantor.  In other words, the re packaging of the GOP.

 

Congressman Cantor has been in the news a lot and has been critical of President Obama's policies and the legislation he has sent to congress.  However, like his party, has no proposals of his own.  Romney had his chance to represent change when he ran for his party's Presidential nomination last year and lost.  During the debates he not only offered nothing new he kept talking about how Ronald Reagan cut spending.  Even though Reagan had no record of cutting spending and in fact ended up being the biggest deficit spender of his time.  Former gov. Jeb Bush represents the same school of thought as his brother, George Bush.  Ideology is his platform and has no credentials that would separate him from the republican party we know today.

 

The republican party will not change as long as the same leaders are running the show no matter how much window dressing they put on their actions.  New leadership is needed that change the debate on issues such as abortion, gay marriage and other social and moral issues that the American people are able to sort through on their own.  Forget about conservatism being some kind of elite status when it comes to family values and fiscal and social responsibility and other badges of honor conservatives claims to wear.  In other words, come down off the high pedestal and try to just be an American.  Conservatives destroyed their so called elite status long ago. 

 

The republican party needs to enter the debate on the real issues facing the people and shed their do nothing attitude and their talking points of blame.  All is not lost for the GOP if they recognize how they wrecked their own train.  The status quo with the same leaders and the same ideology is a burden the republican party has to change.  A real change, not the same phony games they have been playing.

Another First For Politidose

It was pointed out here in politidose long ago how representatives from the oil and gas industry, President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney lied to the American people when they said no new oil refineries have been built in the last 30 years in the U.S. because of environmental reasons and the cost thereof. 

 

No new refineries have been built because there has been no demand because there was no shortage of stockpiles, ethanol was added to the mix and most existing refineries have been expanded.  The CEO's of Chevron and other major oil companies testified to that before congress under oath.  In fact they stated why should we build a new refinery when ethanol is being pushed to reduce the use of gasoline.  Republicans and representatives of the oil and gas industry have long made the environmental problem the whipping boy and out right lied to the people and used that every time the price of oil and gasoline spiked.

 

Now we read in an article in the New Orleans Times Picayune of 5/2/09 how Marathon Petroleum is increasing its oil refinery capacity at its Garyville, Louisiana refinery which now ranks as the 18th largest in the country and will move up to number 4 in 2010 when the expansion is complete.  The refinery now processes 256,000 barrels of oil a day and when completed, will process 436,000 barrels of oil a day, an increase of 70%.  The reader will remember it was said in politidose long ago that almost every refinery in Louisiana has increased its capacity in the last several years.  The fact is oil refineries have not stood still but you don't hear that from the liars.

 

There are more kickers in the Marathon Oil story.  Alfonse Mannato, an analyst with the American Petroleum Institute said oil companies have enlarged existing facilities during the past decade creating the equivalent of one new refinery every year.  The fact that it is an expansion and not a new refinery does not diminish its importance.  That is a powerful statement devastating to the liars.  Rich Bedell the facility manager described the expansion as a long held plan by Marathon that did not take into account the high prices of last summer or the subsequent downturn.  That is another powerful statement that is at odds with those who say the price of gasoline should be $4.00 gallon.

 

Marathon's investment in the project expansion is $3.4 billion.  Louisiana allowed the company to use $1 billion in Gulf Opportunity Zone bonds, a tax free financing device authorized by Congress to help the state recover economically after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  The plant now has 920 jobs that will go to 1200 jobs when complete.  Mr. Bedell called the refinery one of the most efficient in the nation.

 

The American people deserve to be told the facts concerning what is taking place in the oil and gas industry and the prices the people have to pay.  That has not been the case.  If any one still has any doubts about the manipulation of prices in this industry I guess the lies will continue.  An electorate who wants to really understand what is happening can make change for the better. 

 

The bottom line to the Marathon story is that existing refineries have enlarged and up graded their refinery capacity to keep up with demand and that there has be no major shortage of refinery capacity to cause the run up in prices the country has seen in the last 5 years.  Liars will always be liars.