My Hair; His Energy Policy
copyright © 2008 Betsy L. Angert. BeThink.org
"Drill baby, drill," is the now ever-present and popular battle-cry for many Americans. From Presidential candidates to everyday people, those who wish to consume sweet light crude as they have for a more than a century remind me of my hair, and the current President's energy policy. I ponder the parallels and invite you to consider . . .
During a recent press conference, as I gazed upon the President of the United States, noticeably aged after years in the Oval Office, I thought of my hair and my history. His wavy gray locks are not as the strands that fall from my head. Nor did the diminutive curl that danced on his brow remind me of my own tresses. The style the Chief Executive donned did not resemble the permanent waves, pompadours, or ponytails I once wore. As George W. Bush spoke of his energy policy, I pondered. His approach to petroleum and power were as the methodology I embraced when I colored my hair.
For years, I addressed the truth of my tresses just as the President assesses the paradox of propulsion. In speech after speech, George W. Bush proposes, as he did on this occasion; America needs to end its addiction to oil. In the past, I proclaimed, I need to bring to a halt the habit of dying my hair. I, as President Bush, postured and yet, I did next to nothing to truly take me closer to my stated objective.
My progression towards a chemical free treatment of my hair was, as it seems Mister Bush's advancement is. I avoided more authentic change than I approached. My evolution was perhaps slowed by love. The tale of transformation began oh, so long ago.
Decades ago, I met a man who felt like family. Indeed, emotionally Eugene was part of my intimate circle. Gene did much with my Mom, Dad, brother, and I. As a pair, Eugene and I often ventured off together. We chatted on the telephone, spent time in each other's home. We were close. This fine fellow was influential in many aspects of my life. I respected his opinion. I valued his friendship. His wisdom often wowed me.
Thus, when my good friend Gene, who was also my hairdresser, told me the tint would brighten my face, I thought he must have reason to think this sage advice. At first, I protested. As insecure as I was about my appearance, I was confident that my natural hair color was perfect. Still, I considered the source. Therefore, I trusted the recommendation.
Possibly, George W. Bush could share a similar story. A loved one might have said, "Your future will be bright if you dabble in petroleum. extraction" "Build an oil well, my boy, and become a billionaire, or at least a multi-millionaire with substantial influence." "Taste the Texas Tea, and your life will be wondrous," could have been the claim Papa George Herbert or Momma Barbara uttered.
"Oil," family or friends may have opined, will improve the quality of the your existence. Perchance George felt as I did. He had no cause to distrust those he was close to. Indeed, relatives of the heir apparent could avow, with knowledge, to refine sweet crude would put money in a person's pocket. Black gold had helped to grow profits for the Bush brood for generations. As evidence, any of those related to George W. might have offered the family history.
Oil:. The Bushes’ ties to John D. Rockefeller and Standard Oil go back 100 years, when Rockefeller made Buckeye Steel Castings wildly successful by convincing railroads that carried their oil to buy heavy equipment from Buckeye. George H. Walker helped refurbish the Soviet oil industry in the 1920s, and Prescott Bush acquired experience in the international oil business as a 22-year director of Dresser Industries. George H.W. Bush, in turn, worked for Dresser and ran his own offshore oil-drilling business, Zapata Offshore.
Frequently a boy child will follow a father's path. Fondness can fashion a future. On land and in the seas sweet light crude secured the Bush family's future. Young George W. Bush looked at evidence. His ancestral past, and his present circumstances even at an early age, helped establish a proven record. Investments in petroleum equate to prosperity. After a scant assessment, the youthful Bush likely decided, drill, drill, drill. That would be the life for him. Silver platters can be persuasive. The opinions of friends and family can also be extremely influential.
Through our personal acquaintance, Gene taught me to trust him and to have faith in his beliefs. Eugene had experience with hair dye. He felt the practice was safe, sane, and offered a sensational opportunity to liven up a face and an existence. Although initially hesitant, I concluded I would at least "try" what quickly became my habit. However, what I did not realize was once you begin on a path, it is a challenge to change course. Dark roots appeared in no time, as did my demand for more hair-dye.
George too may have approached his novel exploration cautiously. Many offspring resolve, they do not wish to be in the family business. The son of the senior Bush might have thought to play at this prospect until he found something better. However, George W. may have quickly discovered just as I did; it is easy to become hooked on a habit, newly acquired or tried and true.
When a career choice yields great wealth and greater opportunity, it is difficult to resist the temptation to continue on a prosperous path. Once the journey begins, an oilman such as George W. Bush realized, empty gas tanks require more fuel. Electrical equipment must be charged. The demand is endless. The people, such as the Bush band, who earn income from the supply, are happy to serve. Thus, the dissonance thrives.
The provider of power or the person caught in a mad pursuit for peroxide journeys deeper into an endless downward spiral. However, neither is aware of the consequences. Gene might not have considered that his chosen career shaded his truth. Nor did I ponder that a professional hair-styler has a singular perspective.
When first introduced to the idea of hair-dye, I pondered; who was the person who presented the proposition. However, I did not think of the veracity, or what later was so clear. Eugene was trained to trust in toxic dyes. When a person sees tinted hair all day, and into the evening, shades of stain on strands of hair seem sensible. The individual that takes the time to apply the colors, surely must think the work wise.
Perhaps, a young George W. Bush also concerned himself with the credibility of those who counseled him. He too found reason to have faith. The future President of the United States might not have pondered further. He may not have investigated the possible hazards associated with oil production or petroleum use. Often, when presented with a choice, we cannot imagine the infinite unknown possibilities, probabilities, or the perils.
My friend not only shaded my hair; his beliefs tainted my own. The hair on my head, and the thoughts in my gray matter were tinted. The Bush family may have colored the consciousness of the youthful George and persuaded a future President to forget what he could have known. Petroleum pollutes. Refined crude contaminates the air and seas. The fumes from Texas Tea in an engine cause temperatures on the terrain and in the troposphere to rise.
Granted, I understood how chemical treatments harmed my tresses and dulled the tint. Aware of the damage done beneath the surface of a follicle, I persuaded myself it was slight and worth the sacrifice. Possibly, the Bush family thought the same of their endeavors. Certainly, George W. Bush still does. He offers plans for renewable energy as he continues to pursue petroleum. Ah, the dynamics of a decision are vast and deep.
Only now, as the globe warms, the climate changes, and the weather whips people and their property into oblivion, does Mister Bush face the true cost of his earlier decision. Only recently did the President recognize the harmful influence of fossil fuels on the environment. Today, he finally acknowledges the immediate need for a commitment to cleaner energy. Just as I slowly understood, the damage chemicals did to my hair, George W. now touts his mindfulness. There is a problem. The planet is in peril.
As death and destruction beckon for attention, George sees as I did when I looked into the mirror. Life, or the look, was out of balance. The natural beauty was gone. The breaks were bad. Chemicals had stripped the surface . . . of the land or my locks.
However, while Mister Bush sees a need for transformation, it seems he is, as I was, reluctant to recognize the seriousness of the situation. His does not act decisively to change what has become his [and our nations'] practice.
President Bush advised Americans to ponder alterative renewable sources for power. This country's Commander touted; viable resolutions for our energy crisis are easily accessible. "Biodiesel refineries can produce fuel from soybeans, and vegetable oils, and recycled cooking grease, from waste materials." The President proposed Americans could invest in clean energy. Indeed, he exclaimed; we must go green. However, for Mister Bush an emerald endeavor is black as oil or golden as bullion. This oilman has reaped many a reward from America's addiction, as have we all. Convenience is but one benefit cheap energy bestows upon the United States public. Profits have been more profound, more colorful for Chief Executive Bush.
Possibly, for the President charcoal is a fine hue. "George," if I might speak in the familiar, seems to think as I once did. One shade can be substituted for another. Only the more transparent tones cause George W. Bush much angst. Who will or how might moguls who have invested lifetimes of worth, as this oil magnate has, harness, the sun, the wind, and water. Mister Bush is unable to imagine a future so different from the life he and his family have long known. Thus, he avoids the option he says he appreciates, just as I eschewed the thought of using no tint at all on my mane. The untried did not ring true.
Attempts to transform what has been an American tradition are preferred by this President (and perhaps, the public.) George W. Bush speaks of clean coal, as though there is such a substance. Coal is a recognizable source of energy; yet, not a renewable or alternative choice. Coal generates 54% of the electricity used in the United States. Whilst he ran for President, candidate Bush pledged that he would commit $2 billion over 10 years to advance clean coal technology. Indeed, as promised, the National Energy Policy and budget requests to Congress demonstrated the President's dedication to this cause.
Few fear what they do not wish to accept. The Chief Executive favors an element that is essentially filthy. The President might muse clean coal is the change. Yet, he ignores that the hard black sedimentary rock is a health hazard to all it serves. This "plentiful" element pollutes when it is mined, transported to the power plant, stored, and burned. This combustible material destroys life throughout the global community. Many species cannot survive as well as man believes he might when nature is out of balance.
Equilibrium is the gracious essence that helps us to thrive. I too sought to sustain symmetry. I pondered the many ways in which my mane might maintain its sheen and still be enhanced. I hoped to find energy in color. When confronted with the notion that a tint could damage my tresses, I also contemplated other options. Clean dye; that was my criteria.
I assessed what I thought would be safe. With a similar pious conviction, I concluded henna could perhaps be a practical possibility . . . that is if I wanted to enhance the natural hue of my hair. At the time, this substitute seemed sensible to me. I thought only of what I believed true, just as George W. Bush does today. Plants are pure, plentiful, and will provide what I need . . . or want, perchance.
I had not authentically considered the possible predicament a product could cause. At first blush, I was content with what seemed an ideal and equal opportunity. Then, later, after I acknowledged my error, I was easily satisfied with what I trusted to be an indigenous replacement.
Now, cognizant of the connection between my hair and his history, I wonder; what concerns did George W. Bush weigh. Did he study the consequences of his choices? Did he hear or think to heed any of the cautions? Might President Bush have ruminated on the probable ruin of the land and lives? Could he have predicted what might happen if we raped the land to gratify our need for energy?
One never knows what is in the heart or mind of another. Nonetheless, as I reflect upon times gone by in my own life, I trust the President did not imagine, and perchance, still, he has no idea of what he reaped and sowed. I surely did not.
For me, awareness arrived slowly. As I processed my hair, I did not have the opportunity to notice the subtle changes. I was too close to the situation. I could not see what I did not wish to acknowledge. I suspect George W. Bush [and Americans absorbed in what feels, oh, so fine] do not realize what harm unhealthy dependence causes.
To dye or to die. To drive vehicles powered with fossil fuels or to authentically preserve the planet, which is now in peril. These might be the questions George and I avoided, or only addressed half-heartedly.
When I thought tinted hair was desirable, each alternative possibility required me to treat my hair with color. Upon reflection, I realize I had not known to think of how the texture or tone of my mane might change if I ingested a more nutritious diet. That is another story for another time. Today, I wonder. Was George open enough to evaluate horizons he had yet to explore?
As I gazed upon the President speaking of energy, I could not help but think of how Mister Bush said we must work to improve technology. He confidently confirmed, we can wean ourselves away from fossil fuels. In his own words the President espoused , "(A)t the same time" we must find "oil and gas here at home." The mantra is very familiar. It was mine. I believe this rationalization is reflected in the adage 'You can have your cake and eat it too.'
Indeed, for a very long time, I indulged in similar silly logic. As the blonde stain grew out, I said, I could refresh the look and limit my use of artificial satin all at the same time. Oh, if only that was possible. As long as dye is applied, the harmful effects of the treatment will not fade away. The problem was, and is, whether we speak of fossil fuels or human hair, the more you invest in the unhealthy habits you claim to condemn the less likely it is that change will come.
Much to our detriment, individuals such as George and I are, and mankind is, comfortable with the familiar. Humans are content to engage as they have for so long, regardless of whether a practice nourishes the body, soul, or the planet.
People may plan for or posit a change. George W. Bush emphatically pronounced, "(N)ow is the time to get it done." He or I might suggest a slow move towards purity. However, as my hair taught me, as long as I [or we] do as we have done, nothing will be different.
As long as I stained my mane, there was more reason to stain my mane. As long as America satisfies its addiction to oil, there is more reason to continue to gratify the love of gasoline. When manufacturers build more machines reliant on petroleum, they encourage a greater dependence on fossil fuels. An obsession for oil is as a mania for a colored mane. Each, initially, captivates an individual and then controls the person.
Most of us learn to love what we later determine may be detrimental.
George W. Bush, just as many Americans seem to be, is as I was. The President is caught in a horrific, harmful, spiral, and yet comfortable with what he knows and does. While the cost, to the environment, and to personal pocketbooks, may encourage a desire for change, convenience and expediency are enormously more persuasive. Oh, how well, I know this to be true.
I was once victim to a viability that made sense. The President and the American people are caught up in the same conundrum. If he, or we, fails to eliminate our physical and psychological, dependence on oil now there may not be a later.
To transform our reality we need to recognize the delicate dance for what it is. Just as less dye was an unwise compromise for me, limited selective, additional drilling is a concession with consequences. Partial progression will not alter our habituation. It is time to stop! To rethink, reinvent, to re-power our plants and public opinion is to truly care for our selves and for generations to come.
Resources or Reflections on Refinery . . .
Posted by Betsy L. Angert on October 12, 2008 at 11:00 AM in Americana, Bush 43 Administration, Bush Dynasty, Emotional Decisions, Energy Enigma, Environment, Global Warming, Nature, Oil, Oil Companies , Policy, Price of Petroleum, Short-term Solutions | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Theater of the Absurd. Cast of Characters; McCain Bush
Politics: A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles.
The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.
~ Ambrose Bierce (June 24, 1842 – 1914) American Editorialist, Journalist, Author, Satirist
copyright © 2008 Betsy L. Angert. BeThink.org
Two issues of national import flooded the airwaves on Wednesday, September 24, 2008. On every radio and television station, broadcasters spoke of the economy and the elections. Journalists reported, tonight, the current President of the United States will address the nation, One of the persons who hopes to occupy the Oval Office after George W. Bush departs will not speak directly to the people. For Senator John McCain, the fierce urgency of now is offered as the reason he will suspend his campaign. The Presidential aspirant requested his rival do as he decrees correct, and delay the debates. Whilst an audience estimated to be near one hundred (100) million anxiously awaits word from the self-proclaimed "reformer," John McCain muses his presence in Oxford, Mississippi would be unwise. As Americans have witnessed on the campaign trail, enter one Grand Old Party boy; exit the other. Some suggest the Republican President and the Party nominee are rapturous; they love theatre of the absurd.
In this play, the two performers tap dance. The Republican flit requires the partners to stay separate as much as possible. Solo recitals are routine in a production such as this.
Observers reflect; the duet, John Sidney McCain and George Walker Bush, tango in tandem. History might suggest the pair work hard to limit joint appearances. Neither prefers to be associated with the problems of the other. George W. Bush worries of his base, and John fears he might be linked to the President's follies, least of which is the current economic crisis. John Sidney McCain wishes to be associated with this President's decisions if he can be viewed as the one who swooped in to save the day, to deal with the dilemma as only he can.
As a rule, or in this script, the President and his presumed replacement will share a stage only if convenient. However, if the forces of nature can provide cause for a more remote union, no one will complain, least of all John McCain. In truth, many Republicans were relieved when recent circumstances caused a change in plans. Hurricane Gustav may have brought fear to those in its path. However, for delegates, the storm was reason for silent rejoice. The present fiscal tempest might not be as fortuitous.
When President Bush thought it prudent to remain in Washington during the recent Convention his role was acted out as written. The Commander stood behind the curtain. He was but a vision projected on the screen. For a second he was there. Then, he was quickly gone and forgotten.
That scene was just as advisers prefer. Wednesday night, as the fiscal catastrophe looms, John McCain and the Republican Party may not be as lucky.
In Minneapolis-Saint Paul, the presumed soon-to-be President, Senator John McCain, was on center stage, away from the current Commander-In-Chief, whose policies bring McCain's poll numbers down. Recent realities preclude such a distance. John McCain and his public relations person were forced to consider, what might the candidate do.
The play must go on. The pair need be as players in an Elizabethan comic tragedy. Appearances need be well-choreographed It is essential the actors avoid confusion, The duo is only dynamic if they are not thought of as identical. Each fears that if the public sees one with the other the unmistakable mirror imagine may boggle the mind. Yet, bailouts beckon. The Senator must meet with the present President if he is to be thought of as the solution, the change candidate.
Hence, on Wednesday, September 24, 2008, for a moment each emerged in the vanguard. As Americans tuned into the news, the drama of Presidential politics, past and present, played out. Word was, they would again the following day. The President appealed for a joint session. John McCain and George W. Bush each thought a meeting might work to the benefit of both. Of course, out of a deep respect for decorum, hopeful Barack Obama was also invited.
President Bush exclaims the Big-business Bailout is vital to the economy. Hence, he has pledged to meet With McCain and Obama. It is fascinating to consider, the conference will take place behind closed doors.
The partners in policy will not be photographed together for more than a moment. The façade of a cordial friendship will be maintained. However, the public will be reminded, between the two, there is nothing more than pleasantries. This matter is of massive significance. Main Street could crumble. Wall Street is already in dire straits. If this affair is not addressed immediately the nation could falter; the Capitalist system might fail as all other ventures the President engaged in have.
The people were also told, ten days after the economic emergency became known, George W. Bush would publicly discuss the calamity of currency concerns. Subsequently, within seconds of the first announcement, the potential Chief Executive, John McCain publicized, on Friday night, he, would forego his scheduled appearance at the first Presidential debate.
One mouth opened and another closed. Each action was prompted by a need to emerge as Presidential. Be it in an election or on economic policy, George W. Bush and John McCain share a goal. Each wishes to look at ease and not act as flustered.
The aspirant from Arizona proclaimed, talk of the eminent election, must not preclude the greater quandary; how might America field this fiscal folly. That discussion, Senator McCain reasoned must remain in Washington. The Senator concluded he would suspend his campaign, and fly off to the Hill.
The presumed soon-to-be President said he must speak to the financial alarm sounded well over a week ago. However, the conversation would not be with the American people. Exit, stage East, or is it West Wing
President Bush, on the other hand, "decided" he could no longer hide behind the walls of the White House. If George W. Bush was to preserve his legacy as a Commander in control of the country, must take to the podium once again.
As John McCain departs, George Walker Bush enters. The characters, interchangeable, periodically reverse roles. The desire for change among the electorate necessitates these moves. When President Bush is out of sight, John McCain seeks the limelight.
President Bush chose to be less prominent as the news of fiscal debacle was delivered. Then, the challenger, McCain was very visible. Senator McCain voiced his immense concern immediately. First, as a President might do, Mister McCain assured the public, the "fundamentals were still strong." Hours later, when he realized his evaluation was erroneous, Senator McCain offered a plan. Proudly, and promptly, the confident McCain said, fire the Securities and Exchange Commissioner, Christopher Cox. The distance between the incumbent President and John must be reintroduced to the dance.
John McCain chided his challenger Barack Obama for not being as decisive as he. The Arizona rebel need not compare himself to the secluded stalwart President. Impressed with his own rapid response to a catastrophe, the Senator McCain frequently flaunted; he had not hesitated. Instinctively he shot from the hip, or the lip. Hurriedly John S. McCain suggested what he might do were he in the Oval Office.
However, the impulsive riposte John McCain presented to a frightful financial condition did not calm conventional constituents who are deeply invested in the market and the maverick’s image. Indeed, some distinguished fellows such as conservative Columnist George Will trembled at the thought of what a man with the temperament of John McCain might do once secure in his seat on Pennsylvania Avenue.
While the collective consensus among Republicans, as well as Democrats is, it is time for a change, a change in command at the Securities and Exchange Commission did not seem a substantive solution to a problem so profound it affects world markets, Wall Street and Main Street.
Many agree; America can no longer stay the course. The path the Bush Administration took has destroyed our credit and credibility. Nonetheless, the people hoped for a more measured response than the one John McCain offered. This might be the reason the current President decided to step forward again. Perhaps, the previously elected Chief Executive could better explain the monetary menagerie than his protégé had.
Certainly, surrogates for George W. Bush had not clarified what seemed an incomprehensible mess, although they tried.
Days ago, the Bush appointees called for a seven hundred billion dollar ($700) bailout. This amount would be in addition to billions loaned to financial institutions weeks and months earlier. Congress heard the arguments. Anxious citizens also tuned in.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke testified before the Joint Economic Committee. He warned lawmakers of the "grave threat." Banks, businesses, and the American people might find it near impossible to secure a loan. Economic conditions have deteriorated. Soon the monetary system will be severely hampered. The future is grim. Chairman Bernanke claims Congress must act post haste.
More than a week ago, United States Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson called for the creation of a massive government "war chest." His proposal expressed an immediate need to take illiquid assets off the books of banks and other financial firms. Secretary Paulson, and hence, the Administration he represents, hoped that if Congress, and the American public adopted this strategy credit markets would again be open. For too long now, for increasingly large segments of the business world, the markets have been closed. Financially, mortgage-related debt strangled the free enterprise system.
While the words of those in charge of monetary affairs were audible, the people, even economists, and market experts did not comprehend the specifics. John McCain's statements had not reassured.
The people sought more. The public wanted solace from a situation, they were told, is dire. Yet, tonight countless citizens may have realized neither man could supply the answers the common folk crave.
The idea of bailout burgeoned. The audience became impatient. The viewers, American people, saw no vision. All the electorate became anxious. It had been ten days without a word from the presumed main character, George W. Bush. After word of the economic emergency first emerged, the President was near silent.
The script called for more action. Finally, the declared "lame duck" President would appear. He would publicly discuss the calamity of currency concerns. The persons who produce an image understood without the presence of Mister Bush spectators and speculators were left to wonder; what would be. Might the maverick McCain make a move and assert his decisiveness. The nominee tried to calm fears. He presented a plan. However, these were not enough to alter the downward fiscal spiral.
Therefore, it had to be announced. George W. Bush would again take center stage. President Bush, "decided" he could no longer hide behind the walls of the White House. If George W. Bush was to preserve his legacy as a Commander, in control of the country, he must take to the podium once again.
Subsequently, within seconds of the first announcement, the potential Chief Executive, John McCain publicized, on Friday night, he, would forego his scheduled appearance at the first Presidential debate.
One mouth opened and another closed. Each action was prompted by a need to appear as Presidential. Be it in an election or on economic policy, George W. Bush and John McCain share a goal. Each wishes to look at ease and not act as if they are flustered. Ultimately, they opted for a mere moment the two would stand together as one. It seemed applause would come only through a cooperative effort.
Here we are today, back where we started. The curtain opens. The aspirant from Arizona and the man who now resides in the White House stand together on stage. It is Wednesday, September 24th.
A person of quality who asks to be President, or one who has been selected to serve as our nation's Chief Executive, shows up, speaks to the people, and struggles to share his proposals, disappears, only to arise again. The resurrection, the renaissance, and the reality revealed.
The debate on Friday was to focus on Mr. McCain’s perceived strength, foreign policy. Mr. McCain had not planned to devote large blocks of time to debate practice as did Mr. Obama, who was holing up with a tight circle of advisers at a hotel in Clearwater, Fla., on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday to prepare. Mr. McCain had a preparatory session on Wednesday afternoon at the Morgan Library in Manhattan, but advisers said it had been interrupted by his decision, announced immediately afterward, to suspend his campaign.
Astounding. Fascinating. Each of McCain's action demonstrates he is no more ready to Command in a crisis than his stand-in, alter-ego, his counterpart, George W. Bush. The audience wonders will the curtain ever close.
The Program Bill . . .
Posted by Betsy L. Angert on September 24, 2008 at 09:00 PM in Bush Dynasty, Economics, Elections, Political Campaigns, Politics, Presidential Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Let the Bailouts Begin
copyright © 2008 Betsy L. Angert. BeThink.org
Tis true. For days, if not weeks, months, or years the country has been in a state of financial crisis. Americans experience what it means when the President of the United States says he will act boldly. Economically, he has been brazen. Our current Chief Executive unabashedly embraces businesses, just as he had in his private pursuits before he entered the Oval Office. Bush policies allow corporations to run free. If need be, he says, as he did early on in his Administration, Let the bailouts begin.
Today the need to extend financial relief to American corporations is far more dire than it had been in the past. Estimates place the figure at 1.8 Trillion dollars; that is trillion. with a "T."
Conservative calculations state the amount needed as $700 billion. However, several say that appraisal only refers to an aspect of the aid, the shaky assets now on the books of financial firms. As he reflected on the exact amount to be paid out and the delicate balancing act of bailouts, Thomas A. Renyi, former chairman of Bank of New York Mellon, said, "Psychologically, it's very, very important." What is said and done must be amenable to the people, big and small.
What George W. Bush and his Administration have done was in accord with the desires of the few; the millionaires and billionaires were pleased. Enterprise has always been the way of entrepreneurs. The others, the masses did not realize how the decisions might matter to them. As long as the plebs worked as economic slaves had for eons, no questions would be asked. Workers believed in the American dream. Doubt rose only when the size of bailouts grew. Now, in September 2008, what began as a bailout or two has emerged. Americans are faced with an enormous nightmare. However, this need not be a surprise. Citizens of this country might instead inquire, are they willing to compromise the future. Americans could also consider the question; can the United States economy continue to survive on credit.
As of last week, people pondered as they had not before. Countless considered American history and how each Administration altered financial stability.
It seemed the poor, the wage earners, and the salaried associates poured their hearts and souls into work. None realized substantive reward. Nonetheless, for the most part the populace was content. Everyday people paid taxes. Yet, the public received few services. Under the direction of President Bush, the blood sweat and tears of American labor went mostly to the levies that were and perhaps will be lent to those who earned billions in profits.
In recent years, rich business owners manufactured only liabilities. Still, their securities were preserved by a business friendly President Bush.
For decades, as deregulation flourished, more so since Bush, the American people lived on credit, as did the conglomerates. The difference being, with George Walker Bush in the Oval Office, businesses had a friend on Pennsylvania Avenue who would help them out. Those who reside on Main Street did not. There was no one to turn to if you were among the working people. Yet, a conversation has begun. Recent talk of greater bailouts for bankrupt businesses reminds Americans of what they hoped would pass without fanfare; recession, depression, financial despair.
Since George W. Bush and his corporate cronies came into power, average Americans have experienced one economic catastrophe after another. Budgetary surpluses realized in the 1990s were depleted. Monetary gains for the Middle Class are but a myth. Perchance, in the past an individual could realize an increased income. However, that was then, pre-President George W. Bush. Today, economically, the United States has failed. Earlier in the year, a Los Angeles Times poll concluded 75% blame Bush’s policies for an economy gone badly. The American Research Group, Incorporated states, at present, George W. Bush's Overall Job Approval is at an all time low. Eighty-two percent (82%) say the national economy is getting worse. Countless cannot imagine that is possible.
As President Bush and his appointees protect the nation from monetary doom, banks file for bankruptcy. Bear Sterns, one of the largest global investment banks and brokerage firms, finally buckled under pressure, after two brushes with near death. Billions of dollars in toxic mortgage-backed debt could no longer be erased from the books. Liabilities could not be hidden from view. Arrears ultimately appear, if not in ledgers, in the effect it has on an affluent culture gone wild with irrational exuberance. The corporate love of cash has created what America now experiences as a crash.
Businesses benefited from the Bush budget. Decrees of deregulation allowed for imbalance. Income inequity became common. The public struggled to save greenbacks. Most, in what was once the Middle Class had adequate access to the dollars they needed.
Currently, Americans can barely count on a regular paycheck. Permanent employment is thought to be a luxury of the past. Companies are strapped for cash as are employees. Some, in the richest nation on the planet, are barely able to survive. The common folk are fearful of what might happen if the economy sinks further into a doldrums. People run to banks only to withdraw their holdings. They sense the fiscal boom has gone bust.
In July 2008, there was little time to indulge. The lazy days of summer did not calm those with substantive concerns. Only George W. Bush, his family, and friends found solace in the statement, "The fundamentals are strong." Presidential candidate, John McCain's use of the words only hours ago did nothing to quell the concern citizens in this country have felt for too long. A Nobel laureate, Joseph E. Stiglitz, envisions a generation will be lost in the struggle to recover. He writes in the The Economic Consequences of Mr. Bush, The next president will have to deal with yet another crippling legacy of George W. Bush: the economy.
Average Americans understood this. They knew they could not rest. The poor and those far from prosperous realized they had reason to act. In droves, people ran to retrieve their assets. IndyMac, a large mortgage bank, was seized by Federal regulators. The second-largest bank failure in United States history occurred after anxious customers attempted to claim their deposits. A massive run on the bank left the financial institution short of reserves. George W. Bush sat tight, safe in the sanctuary of the Oval Office.
One business after another collapsed. Conglomerates crumbled. Corporations tumbled. The people in the middle were taxed. Most of the news coverage focused on the fiscal devastation companies felt. Men and women without jobs, people who were fearful of an eminent foreclosure read of the monster mortgage firms, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The Federal Reserve pledged to provide as much as $100 billion for each of these ill-fated establishments. Stunned, John and Jane Does said nothing. They only wondered why no one made funds available to them. Few thought the President would come to their aid. Visions of the victims of (name a recent calamity) raced through the heads of those hurt by an economic crisis.
Then, security firms stepped into the mix of mergers and mega-moneyed bailouts. Lehman Brothers, another global investment bank declared itself in a state of crisis. This firm also concluded they would file for bankruptcy. On this occasion, historians affirmed, this liquidation was the largest in United States history. The company founded in 1850 had flourished. Now, it was said to have perished. However, as death waited at the door, some associates did not feel they could rest in peace.
The staff in Britain was furious when they learned Lehman Brothers’ colleagues in the New York office were expected to share in a $2.5 billion bonus bonanza. Associates in the United Kingdom were told they would be paid just until the end of the month. Perhaps, wealth is not meant for everyday workers. A spokesman for the Trade Union Congress, the national trade union centre in the Great Britain, which represents the vast majority of organized workers surmised: "It looks like those that will suffer the most from the Lehman Brothers collapse are those at the bottom of the corporate chain while many of those at the top will be looked after."
The Union representative went on to reflect; junior staffers would suffer. "Few may have sympathy for the red braced bonus receivers but there will be many more lowly staff facing real hardship." A British employee of Lehman Brothers mused only those in the United States are saved from financial ruin; however, in truth, even in America, those without remain without.
Since eons, personnel do not prosper whether they live here in the States or abroad. Ordinary people feel the pain corporations complain of. If the cost of doing business climbs, the consumer is required to pay the price.
Health care premiums have increased by over 80 percent. . . . Premiums are rising twice as fast as wages and inflation. . . . The number of uninsured Americans has increased every year since President Bush took office, from 39.8 million in 2000 to a record high of 46.6 million in 2005. (1) . . .Gas prices have climbed over $3 a gallon. Prices at the gas pump have jumped 107 percent from $1.47 per gallon the week President Bush took office in January 2001 (3) to $ 3.05 in the latest week of energy price data. (4) . . .
Housing affordability has reached a 15-year low. In 2006, housing affordability reached its lowest level since 1991. (9) According to the Washington Post, “the scarcity of affordable housing is a deepening national crisis, and not just for inner-city families on welfare. The problem has climbed the income ladder and moved to the suburbs, where service workers cram their families into overcrowded apartments, college graduates have to crash with their parents, and firefighters, police officers and teachers can’t afford to live in the communities they serve.” (10)
The tragedies did not end. On September 15, 2008, Merrill Lynch, expressed a fear. Might this company suffer the same fate as Lehman. Merrill Lynch tycoons moved quickly. The company sold itself to Bank of America for $50 billion. Many mused; the transaction was quite a steal. However, few were relieved. Americans, now savvy soothsayers said, what would be next.
Less than twenty-four hours passed before there was news. September 16, 2008, was a typical day for Americans. However, that changed when The Federal Reserve agreed to rescue the American International Group. The United States government was slated to control an 80 percent stake in the insurer. Yes, even Insurers seek assurance from the Administration when they cannot pay their bills. Only citizens cannot come to the White House with claims.
The American people are the Insurer under George W. Bush. The people are expected to bailout every business, and they do. Yet, now, the load, the loans have become too great a burden to bear. Americans are angry. Most feel powerless. For too long they have stayed silent. No one seems to know what to say anymore. Perhaps it is too late to protest or proclaim. Yet, fortunately some one has.
Senator Bernie Sanders reflected upon the Hard Truths About the Bailouts, or the ultimate bailout. This week, the Bush Administration pledged to pay seven hundred billion to one trillion in taxpayer dollars to businesses that engaged in dubious credit practices, and the Vermont Senator voiced his trepidation.
Sanders Op-Ed: Billions for Bailouts! Who Pays?
By Senator Bernie Sanders
September 19, 2008The current financial crisis facing our country has been caused by the extreme right-wing economic policies pursued by the Bush administration. These policies, which include huge tax breaks for the rich, unfettered free trade and the wholesale deregulation of commerce, have resulted in a massive redistribution of wealth from the middle class to the very wealthy.
The middle class has really been under assault. Since President Bush has been in office, nearly 6 million Americans have slipped into poverty, median family income for working Americans has declined by more than $2,000, more than 7 million Americans have lost their health insurance, over 4 million have lost their pensions, foreclosures are at an all time high, total consumer debt has more than doubled, and we have a national debt of over $9.7 trillion dollars.
While the middle class collapses, the richest people in this country have made out like bandits and have not had it so good since the 1920s. The top 0.1 percent now earns more money than the bottom 50 percent of Americans, and the top 1 percent owns more wealth than the bottom 90 percent. The wealthiest 400 people in our country saw their wealth increase by $670 billion while Bush has been president. In the midst of all of this, Bush lowered taxes on the very rich so that they are paying lower income tax rates than teachers, police officers, or nurses.
Now, having mismanaged the economy for eight years as well as having lied about our situation by continually insisting, “The fundamentals of our economy are strong,” the Bush administration, six weeks before an election, wants the middle class of this country to spend many hundreds of billions on a bailout. The wealthiest people, who have benefited from Bush’s policies and are in the best position to pay, are being asked for no sacrifice at all. This is absurd. This is the most extreme example that I can recall of socialism for the rich and free enterprise for the poor.
In my view, we need to go forward in addressing this financial crisis by insisting on four basic principles:
(1) The people who can best afford to pay and the people who have benefited most from Bush’s economic policies are the people who should provide the funds for the bailout. It would be immoral to ask the middle class, the people whose standard of living has declined under Bush, to pay for this bailout while the rich, once again, avoid their responsibilities. Further, if the government is going to save companies from bankruptcy, the taxpayers of this country should be rewarded for assuming the risk by sharing in the gains that result from this government bailout.
Specifically, to pay for the bailout, which is estimated to cost up to $1 trillion, the government should:
a) Impose a five-year, 10 percent surtax on income over $1 million a year for couples and over $500,000 for single taxpayers. That would raise more than $300 billion in revenue;
b) Ensure that assets purchased from banks are realistically discounted so companies are not rewarded for their risky behavior and taxpayers can recover the amount they paid for them; and
c) Require that taxpayers receive equity stakes in the bailed-out companies so that the assumption of risk is rewarded when companies’ stock goes up.
(2) There must be a major economic recovery package which puts Americans to work at decent wages. Among many other areas, we can create millions of jobs rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure and moving our country from fossil fuels to energy efficiency and sustainable energy. Further, we must protect working families from the difficult times they are experiencing. We must ensure that every child has health insurance and that every American has access to quality health and dental care, that families can send their children to college, that seniors are not allowed to go without heat in the winter, and that no American goes to bed hungry.
(3) Legislation must be passed which undoes the damage caused by excessive de-regulation. That means reinstalling the regulatory firewalls that were ripped down in 1999. That means re-regulating the energy markets so that we never again see the rampant speculation in oil that helped drive up prices. That means regulating or abolishing various financial instruments that have created the enormous shadow banking system that is at the heart of the collapse of AIG and the financial services meltdown.
(4) We must end the danger posed by companies that are “too big too fail,” that is, companies whose failure would cause systemic harm to the U.S. economy. If a company is too big to fail, it is too big to exist. We need to determine which companies fall in this category and then break them up. Right now, for example, the Bank of America, the nation’s largest depository institution, has absorbed Countrywide, the nation’s largest mortgage lender, and Merrill Lynch, the nation’s largest brokerage house. We should not be trying to solve the current financial crisis by creating even larger, more powerful institutions. Their failure could cause even more harm to the entire economy.
The words ring so true. Several, too many, or most have not spoken of what caused them great distress in recent years. The public accepts and allows this Administration to run rampant. The electorate acknowledges what is reality for them only when in seclusion. American people have become apathetic. However, the statistics scream out and a Senator shrieks. Perhaps it is time to ask, can citizens of this country permit this latest proposed policy to stand. Might it be time to face the financial crisis, or will more days, weeks, months, or years go by. Will the people remain passive and agree to another bailout, bigger than any other has been?
Might Americans again adopt the refrain, "Let the Bailout begin," or will the people ponder their own fate first and declare it is time for a complete change. Could it be time to embrace other than a free market mentality and the plans of a President who put us into this precarious situation. Will the commoner and the conglomerate submit to the counsel of Senator Bernie Sanders and say, we must no longer rely on credit to survive. The United States is at a turning point. Might the average American chose to state, "Let the Bailouts end!" "Lets us balance our books!"
Sources For Financial Security and Strife . . .
Posted by Betsy L. Angert on September 22, 2008 at 09:00 PM in Bush Dynasty, Business, Corporate Criminals, Corporate Profits, Democracy or Monopoly, Economics, Failure, Inequality in America, Policy, Wall Street Week | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Not In My Name? I Am An American; I am Culpable
copyright © 2007 Betsy L. Angert. BeThink.org
I hear the claims and the clamor. "This is George Bush's war!" This Administration instituted a "war on science." Federal funding for research was reduced in recent years. Laws meant to protect the environment were repealed. I would love to say that much of what occurs in America today is not done in my name. It is not my fault or folly. However, I cannot make this assertion. I am an American; I am culpable.
Granted, I do not support the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan. The possibility of a mêlée in Iran, Korea, Lebanon, Israel, here, or aboard I think abhorrent. For me, armed combat is not an option. It never was or will be in my mind. Congress does not represent me when they continue to fund brutal battles. Nevertheless, I believe this war is mine. I cannot blame it on George W. Bush, the House, or the Senate. I am an American. My country is directly responsible for the havoc we see in Iraq and Afghanistan. By extension, I believe we, as a nation, are answerable for the attacks we initiated and the aftermath.
My own certainty that I could do nothing more than I do allows those in office to act in my name. The sense of futility I feel gives credence to the concept that I cannot control the Commander-In-Chief, his counsel, or the Congress. Yet I am liable for my lack of initiative, for the lax I let be me.
I do not understand why this nation went into debt to fund a futile war. Had the battle been a breeze and America retreated triumphant, I would feel no different. Financial obligations, purchases made on credit are not as I crave. Conservatives may declare fiscal responsibility; however, it seems, if profits can be made from combat, then in debt we go. I believe this construct is foolish.
I have no ability to comprehend the love of victory. For me, wars are never won.
Perchance, that is why I struggle with the Presidential campaign. Political lines are drawn. Party's part ways. People cannot see the similarities within their stances. The differences, the depth of their division drives competitive combative persons on. The supposed need to succeed separates us. From the President to the people, the phrase "You are either with me or against me" dominates.
Democrats smell a Republican defeat and are happy to embrace any of three candidates that will not commit to exit Iraq. Fifty three percent of Progressives prefer the candidate that proudly proclaims, we need more troops in Afghanistan. It is craziness to me. I would love to say, this election is not being held in my name. Yet, I am a citizen of the United States. What happens in my homeland is, in part, my doing.
As an American, I am culpable for all that occurs in my country and for all that my nation does.
I do not grasp the logic that led members of the House and Senate to compromise on the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Why would anyone advocate to increase funds for Abstinence Only Sex Education classes, that have proven to be ineffective, is beyond me. I heard the excuses. Democrats declare Republicans will support the measure if .
The obsession to cut taxes makes no sense to me. We watch the infrastructure crumble around us and still we say, "No new taxes."
As I observe millions of people enter Wal-Mart, I wonder. Why might they complain of imports and then purchase these wares with glee.
I read the statistics. Forty-nine percent of immigrants are hired to do work in American homes. Businesses only bear a portion of the "burden" or benefit from a "cheap" labor force. Yet, wherever I travel Americans speak of the need to close borders.
Bigotry is in bloom in this nation. I would like to say xenophobia is not wrought in my name. Yet, I am an American. This is my country; I am culpable.
I recognize that I feel as though I do not have the power to change what is; however, I know to my core that change begins with me. As long as I blame, the President, the Bush Dynasty, the Clinton Clan, Congress, Vice President Cheney, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi or you, I cannot, and will not do, as I must. Only when I accept that I am an American; I am culpable will I commit to change what causes my fellow man and me great harm.
I invite you do dream, to embrace the unattainable, and the ridiculous. Walk the streets in support of peace. Write letters to the editors, your Congressmen, and women. If a General Strike appeals to you, engage. November 6, 2007 offers an opportunity for protest. Whatever action you choose please be the serenity you wish to see. March in harmony. When someone shrilly speaks to you, do not respond in kind. If you believe in peace, let that path be your eternal guide.
With thanks to Congressman Dennis Kucinich, Don Quixote, and Miguel de Unamuno . . .
~ Miguel de Unamuno [Spanish Philosopher and Writer]
Not In My Name . . .
October 7, 2001
Posted by Betsy L. Angert on October 23, 2007 at 11:58 PM in Activism, Afghanistan, Boycotts, Bush 43 Administration, Bush Dynasty, Congress, Congress and Bush, Hillary Clinton, Immigration, Iran, Iraq War, Israel and Lebanon, Racial Discrimination, Richard [Dick] Cheney, Vice President , Wal-Mart | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Father and Son Bush Union; Only a Motion Away
copyright © 2007 Betsy L. Angert. BeThink.org
The father son relationship is an interesting one. Tales of Oedipal and other oppositions flourish when we speak of Dad and his male offspring. This last June, after Father's Day, a male friend mentioned to me, his children, now parents of their own brood are not as "warm and fuzzy as I might wish them to be." George Herbert Walker Bush, father of the current President George W. Bush may state the same. Indeed, perhaps he implied this at a recent ship launch.
The rivalry theory flared up again last year, at the christening of the Navy’s newest Nimitz aircraft carrier, the George H. W. Bush. The president joked that given the ship’s qualities — “she is unrelenting, she is unshakeable, she is unyielding” — it should have been named for his mother. The line brought a laugh, but some close to the elder Mr. Bush winced at what seemed a subtle dig.
However, the elder Bush works with great fervor not to speak poorly of his lad. Each day this becomes more difficult. Wherever the former President goes he is met with woeful comments pertaining to his progeny. It seems although 41 left the White House years ago the weight of the world still hangs on his shoulders.
First Father: Tough Times on Sidelinesyears ago, there was talk that the people would be better served if there were two Presidents of the United States of America. One would guide foreign policy, another would facilitate domestic affairs. Today, we may have a dual-presidency. Unfortunately, they do not function as a dynamic duo.
By Sheryl Gay StolbergWashington, Aug. 8 — There are times in the life of George Herbert Walker Bush, the 41st president of the United States and father of the 43rd, that people, perfect strangers, come up to him and say the harshest things — words intended to comfort but words that wind up only causing pain.
“I love you, sir, but your son’s way off base here,” they might say, according to Ron Kaufman, a longtime adviser to Mr. Bush, who has witnessed any number of such encounters — perhaps at a political fund-raiser, or a restaurant dinner, a chance meeting on the streets of Houston or Kennebunkport, Me. They are, he says, just one way the presidency of the son has taken a toll on the father.
“It wears on his heart,” Mr. Kaufman said, “and his soul.”
These are distressing days for the Bush family patriarch, only the second former president in American history, after John Adams, to see his son take the White House. At 83, he finds it tough to watch his son get criticized from the sidelines; often, he likens himself to a Little League father whose kid is having a rough game. And like the proud and angry Little League dad who cannot help but yell at the umpire, sometimes he just cannot help getting involved.
The official line from the White House is that 41, as he is known in Bush circles, gives advice to 43 only when asked. But interviews with a broad range of people close to both presidents — including family members like the elder Mr. Bush’s daughter, Doro Bush Koch, and aides who have worked for both men, like Andrew H. Card Jr. — suggest a far more complicated father-son dynamic, in which the former president is not nearly so distant as the White House would have people believe.Pride can be an unbearable emotion. When a parent wishes to present himself as supportive; however, he is torn to shreds when the actions of his son are questioned he may feel haughty with hatred. George Herbert Walker Bush may have found a way to supplant the authority of his prodigal son.They talk almost every morning by phone, and Mr. Bush studiously avoids saying anything critical of his son, close associates say. But he has privately expressed irritation with some of his son’s aides. At times, he has urged White House officials to seek outside advice, and he has passed on his own foreign policy wisdom to the president, even as he makes a point of saying his son’s administration is not his.
He views himself, in Mrs. Koch’s words, as “a loving father, first and foremost,” but as he himself suggested to a group of insurance agents at a recent dinner in Minneapolis, loving fathers find it tough to stay away.
“Any parent in this audience knows exactly how I feel,” Mr. Bush said in response to a question about what it was like to have a son as president. “It’s no different. You’ve got to look at it strictly as family — not that anyone is a big shot, even though he’s president of the United States. It’s family. It’s the pride of a father in his son.”
Mostly, said Mr. Card, who was transportation secretary to the elder Mr. Bush and views himself as “a bridge” between the generations, the father was simply checking on his son. But sometimes the ex-president would raise a foreign policy question, or suggest the White House reach out to those “in his circle,” like James A. Baker, the former secretary of state, or Brent Scowcroft, the former national security adviser, who has been openly critical of the war in Iraq.As New York Times Journalist Stolberg states, "the elder Mr. Bush is traversing uncharted territory." Indeed he is. Perhaps, this too is a pattern in the Bush Family. The younger Bush, our current President seems to have crossed over the edge of history. Titles abound. As historians, journalists, and the people reflect on the George W. Bush presidency they say; What Will History Say? He's The Worst Ever. Others inquire; is the junior Bush The Worst President in History? The talk alone is enough to make a father cry. Sadly, the tears are not those of joy. The tender heart of the 41st Commander-In-Chief are not touched with exuberance when he ponders the Presidency of his errant child.“He made sure that I knew there were experts around that we should be reaching out to or listening to,” Mr. Card said, adding: “I never felt that the former president was trying to meddle in the responsibilities that the president had. But he cares deeply about his son.”
Recently, the White House has cast the elder Mr. Bush in a new role as foreign policy facilitator. In addition to the coming Sarkozy visit, the former president was host to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia at Kennebunkport for a White House summit meeting in June. It was the current president’s idea, but the father was happy to return Mr. Putin’s hospitality; a few years ago, when he and his wife, Barbara, were traveling in Russia, the Putins met them at the airport and invited them to their country retreat.
Before a crowd that included political luminaries from both administrations, as well as dozens of family members and friends, the father made a point of saying he supports his son “in every single way with every fiber of my body.”The children of the elder George Bush express deep concern when they speak of their father. You may recall, last December, at an event honoring his son Jeb, former Florida governor, the senior Bush broke down. He cried as he recalled the memory of Jeb’s bitter defeat in 1994. George bush the father feels deeply. His young mean everything to their Dad. Daughter of the former President, Missus Koch says . . .The words were intentional, said his longtime speechwriter, Jim McGrath, who wrote them.
[H]er father is growing more emotional as he ages — “he has a tender heart that is getting tenderer” — which makes criticism of his eldest son that much harder to take.In truth, much about the current George W. Bush and his reign is challenging to us all. I too reflect on 43 and his reactive policies. The tears flow and my heart is filled. I feel no pride, only profound sadness. George Herbert Walker Bush, I feel your pain.
Building a Bush Presidency . . .
Posted by Betsy L. Angert on August 9, 2007 at 04:34 PM in Bush Dynasty, Presidential Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Bush Aide Blocks Global Health Report
copyright © 2007 Betsy L. Angert. BeThink.org
A Bush Aide, William R. Steiger, blocked a report. The Global Health Draft 2006 was rejected. It was not released because the research was deemed politically incorrect. This study detailed a correlation between poverty and poor health worldwide. Steiger realized this information might hurt the Administration, or hinder the Bush Cheney cause. Thus, this man helped to hide what might harm the "right" agenda.
Steiger, an interesting chap, is well connected. For generations, he and his family have mixed and mingled with American 'dignitaries.' They are closely connected to the Bush Dynasty. Now, William Steiger works as an Aide. He is prominent, powerful, and perhaps responsible for keeping Americans in the dark.
American citizens understand, or might know by now, truth, when it does not serve this Administration well, is blocked. Citizens cannot read what might reveal America is in a state of crisis. Nor are we given an opportunity to assess how the global state of affairs affect us.
In recent months, it is increasingly evident, "executive privilege" rules in this 'The Bush - Cheney Era.' Any report that might jeopardize this reign is rebuked. Persons that place the White House in peril are removed. However, on occasion, evidence of what is real is exposed. Today, the people are privy to a report the Administration hoped to conceal.
A surgeon general's report in 2006 that called on Americans to help tackle global health problems has been kept from the public by a Bush political appointee without any background or expertise in medicine or public health, chiefly because the report did not promote the administration's policy accomplishments, according to current and former public health officials.However, the appointee that blocked the release of this report was not threatened. Let us meet and greet William R. Steiger, the man responsible for withholding this report. Realize once more, nepotism and neglect take precedence in the Bush White House. As we review the resume of this official and then, assess the vital details we learn much.The report described the link between poverty and poor health, urged the U.S. government to help combat widespread diseases as a key aim of its foreign policy, and called on corporations to help improve health conditions in the countries where they operate. A copy of the report was obtained by The Washington Post.
Three people directly involved in its preparation said its publication was blocked by William R. Steiger, a specialist in education and a scholar of Latin American history whose family has long ties to President Bush and Vice President Cheney. Since 2001, Steiger has run the Office of Global Health Affairs in the Department of Health and Human Services.
Richard H. Carmona, who commissioned the "Call to Action on Global Health" while serving as surgeon general from 2002 to 2006, recently cited its suppression as an example of the Bush administration's frequent efforts during his tenure to give scientific documents a political twist. At a July 10 House committee hearing, Carmona did not cite Steiger by name or detail the report's contents and its implications for American public health.
Carmona told lawmakers that, as he fought to release the document, he was "called in and again admonished . . . via a senior official who said, 'You don't get it.' " He said a senior official told him that "this will be a political document, or it will not be released."
After a long struggle that pitted top scientific and medical experts inside and outside the government against Steiger and his political bosses, Carmona refused to make the requested changes, according to the officials. Carmona engaged in similar fights over other public health reports, including an unpublished report on prison health. A few days before the end of his term as the nation's senior medical officer, he was abruptly told he would not be reappointed.
The 'honorable' William Steiger is 37 years of age. He is a godson of former president George Herbert Walker Bush. Steiger is also the son of a moderate Republican who represented Wisconsin in the House. The senior Steiger hired a young Dick Cheney to serve as his intern.
In 1989, President Bush 41 appointed Steiger's mother to the Federal Trade Commission. Apparently, according to biographical sketch of William's mother located at the American Bar Association's Web site, we can see that the Steiger family was well acquainted with the Rumsfelds and the Bushes. They were "lifelong friends" all "representing" our nation together.
In the résumé, Steiger submitted to Congress, we learn this Bush appointee is not only well connected, he is also well educated. However, health is not his area of expertise.
[Steiger] he obtained a doctorate in Latin American history from the University of California at Los Angeles before teaching at a university in the Philippines and consulting in Angola for the International Republican Institute -- a nonprofit group that is associated with the party and promotes democracy around the world. He was an education adviser to then-Gov. Tommy G. Thompson (R) of Wisconsin and came to Washington when Thompson became HHS secretary. He is now awaiting a Senate vote on his nomination as Bush's ambassador to Mozambique.This is obviously not the first time this "gentleman" chose to obstruct the release of information. It seems Steiger works at the pleasure of the President, much to the detriment of the people. The question is will we, the people, allow such subversion to continue. Will Congress ever consider the impact such cronyism has on our nation, not only now, but in the future. As long as we allow such actions to flourish with little more than acknowledgement or a verbal reprimand, life in this White House, in this country will be as it is.Bill Hall, an HHS spokesman, said Steiger promoted interest in global health at the department while more than doubling the number of expert staff members overseas and participating in international negotiations on issues such as avian influenza. "You have to look at his skills as an executive leader in spite of the fact that he doesn't have a medical degree or a public health degree," Hall said.
Public health advocates have accused Steiger of political meddling before. He briefly attained notoriety in 2004 by demanding changes in the language of an international report on obesity. The report was opposed by some U.S. food manufacturers and the sugar industry.
The words crooked and criminal come to mind when I contemplate this and other Administrative undertakings. My wish, my plea; Congress please stop the madness. Impeach and bring integrity back to America.
I offer a link to the draft of this suppressed report.
Please note: This copy of the unpublished Surgeon General's Call to Action on Global Health is a draft document that its authors expected to update and revise before making public. It is not a final version.The Surgeon General’s Call to Action on Global Health 2006 Office of the Surgeon General. United States Department of Health and Human Services.
The Secret and Sources . . .
Posted by Betsy L. Angert on July 30, 2007 at 02:20 AM in Bush Dynasty, Effects of Poverty , Health, Politics, Poverty , Presidential Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Libby Convicted. Scooter Violates the Law; George Bush Takes Care of Him
“If the person has violated law, the person will be taken care of.” TPMTV.
copyright © 2007 Betsy L. Angert. BeThink.org
The video speaks volumes. The presentation is fun; yet, not funny. Indeed, as you say Mister Bush, this is a serious matter. Today we have a White House that cannot be trusted too keep their word, or in fact, they can be. After an extensive investigation, years of probing, the courts convicted I. [Scooter] Lewis Libby of a crime against the State. It was determined that this Former White House Aide is guilty of one count of obstruction justice, two counts of perjury, and one count of making false statements to Federal investigators. Libby lied to a Grand Jury and to the Federal Bureau of Investigation examiners.
Scooter stated he did not know who in the White House might have disclosed the identity of Central Intelligence Agent Valerie Plame. Mister Libby declared he was aware that the name of this spy was published in a periodical; however, he had no information relevant to the inquiry. Libby had no knowledge of who, when, how, or why the leak occurred. Throughout the official inquest into this crime, President George W. Bush assured an anxious public, that if anyone in his Administration was responsible for “the leak” they would be “taken care of” and indeed this particular person has been.
While the individual that did the dastardly deed confessed, Former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage has yet to be indicted. In truth, he will not be. Others said to be directly involved in the scheme were also not taken to task. [Shhhh, the name Karl Rove is not to be spoken aloud or used in vain.] Nevertheless, I. Lewis Libby was. One might wonder why this former Aide felt a need to lie if he had no connection to this well-calculated plot; nonetheless, we can only assume.
We are certain however, I. Lewis Libby, a person within the Bush Administration, “violated the law” and will be [well] taken care of. Millions of dollars were raised in defense of felon, former White House Aide Scooter Libby. Were they not, it may not have mattered. Libby had the funds on-hand.
The payment, of $250,400, which included a “special assessment” of costs, was paid by a cashier’s check dated July 2. A spokeswoman for Mr. Libby, Barbara Comstock, said he paid the fine out of his own pocket.President Bush commuted Libby’s sentence, and continues to consider a full pardon. This criminal will not serve time in prison. Although, he may lose his license to practice law, money will not be a problem for I. Lewis Libby. Funds are secure, as is his future.
You may recall the sequence of events. In 2003, the public was up in arms; the name of a covert Central Intelligence Agent, Valerie Plame, was released. The media was on the story. The word spread rapidly. The revelation was heard far and wide. This woman could no longer function effectively in her chosen career. Working undercover would not be possible for Valerie Plame. Her name, clandestine behavior, and the beautiful face were now famous.
Essentially, revealing the identity of an infiltrator strikes at the core of our national security. Not only was Valerie Plame and her family threatened, every citizen in the United Sates was. People wondered how might we ensure our safety if protective measures that maintain the confidentiality of Intelligence officials were violated. As time went on, the public and Prosecutors realized there was reason to believe, the moniker was released by someone in the White House. It was obvious revenge was the motive.
The husband of Valerie Plame, Joseph Wilson, former Ambassador, and American Diplomat, officially exposed the Administration false claims. There were no Weapons of Mass destruction in Iraq and Niger was not supplying the materials needed to manufacture the arsenal. Mister Wilson wrote, What I Didn't Find in Africa. The New York Times published this Op-Ed commentary on July 6, 2003.
Shortly after the article appeared, the name Valerie Plame was made public. Those on the “right” claimed Plame had a role in recommending Mister Wilson for a Central Intelligence-sponsored trip to Niger. It was during this travel, American Diplomat Wilson investigated reports that Iraq had sought to purchase uranium. The Op-Ed was written subsequent to this inspection.
The disclosure was said to be a vengeful undoing. Valerie Plame’s anonymity was no more. She could not continue to operate as an Intelligence Agent must. Although many thought the Administration was behind this action, the President assured the public, no one in his charge was responsible. Were that someone was, Mister Bush would take care of him or her.
On September 30, 2003 our esteemed leader, the President of the United States expressed his concern. Mister Bush stated, “If the person has violated law, the person will be taken care of.” Thank you Mister President. On this occasion, you did tell the truth. Libby and his family are cared for, of that we are certain.
Perhaps, the rational for your decision is that we as a nation have yet to reach the bottom of this debacle. The public has not discovered the truth. We do not know the actual source of the leak. Some say the informant was Vice President Cheney. Perhaps they are correct. However, I believe as I always have. Richard Cheney is not the puppet-master. He does not tell the defiant George W. Bush what to do.
You Mister President are undeniably the “decider.” The bottom of the barrel, the person on the inside is you. Mister Bush, you have ensured that the leak is sealed. Your mouth is closed. Those that serve in the White House do so at your pleasure. Your Cabinet and their Aides work for you; they endeavor to ensure that your agenda is carried out.
Executive privilege and a glorious pension will take care of you. Daddy and the Dynasty that preceded him will also guarantee that you are dealt with. Dollars will drip in and nothing more will get out. Good job George. The person has violated law, that individual “will be taken care of.”
Charges and Care . . .
Posted by Betsy L. Angert on July 6, 2007 at 07:44 PM in Bush Dynasty, I. Lewis Libby Jr., Judiciary, Lies, National Security, Politics, Valerie Plame | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Reality or Rumor, Jeb In White House! ©
Jeb reluctantly says he will not run for President in 2008. However, we all recall, initially, he was his Mama’s and Papa’s first choice for the job. He was groomed for the position. Brother George had long been seen as the black sheep, a failure.
Then he was re-born; he could relate to the Christian Coalition, the common-man, his party’s base. With the help of an architect, Karl Rove, the eldest of the babies Bush found his way to the White House. Mom and Dad were proud, but patterns from the past seem to be haunting this Bush. George Walker Bush is no longer a popular President. Polls place his approval at about 36 percent.
Brother Jeb might fare better. Though the younger Bush professes he has no intention of running, his family encourages him. This Wednesday, Big-Bro Georgie, in an interview with Florida reporters, declared "I would like to see Jeb run at some point in time, but I have no idea if that's his intention or not."
Jeb Bush, 53, will end his second term as governor of Florida in January 2007. King George II will end his term in January 2009. Neither can seek re-election to the offices they now hold. However, they can campaign for other positions. A two-year period is considered perfect for priming a Presidential pump and Jeb knows how to do this.
The man born into a powerful political family, and oil dynasty, could prepare and present his campaign well. Jeb Bush has savvy and name recognition. He is slick and has lots of black gold. Jeb says he is not interested, [for now]; he is busy doing his job. At a conference in Fort Lauderdale, Governor Jeb explained, "I'm not running for president. I'm not running for United States Senate.” He continued, "I'm trying to be a good governor." His smile might have said more than his words.
His own father, George Herbert Walker Bush, forty-first President of the United States says no one believes Jeb when he says he's not interested in the prominent post. A year ago, when interviewed on CNN's Larry King Live, Former President Bush posed ‘he would like Jeb to run one day’ and that the son would be "awfully good" as president.
Before May 10, 2006, it was a thought often expressed. As of today, it seems the stage is set. Polls have been taken. Presidents from the past, and the present endorse the younger Bush Boy Wonder. Now, America waits. Will Jeb walk down that runway? Will our next President possibly be another Bush? Please, say it ain’t so! Is it a rumor or a reality; could Bush after Bush be America’s fate?
References for your review . . .
• Jeb Would Make a 'Great President,' Bush Says, By Bill Brubaker. Washington Post Thursday, May 11, 2006
• A 3rd President Bush? First 2 All for It ABC News
• Pollster Suggests Bush Moves Might Be Too Little, Too Late By Eric Pianin and Chris Cillizza. Washington Post. Sunday, May 7, 2006
• Poll: Bush Ratings At All-Time Low CBS News February 27, 2006
• Another Bush in the White House? By Nedra Pickler
• New documents obtained by CNN suggest coordination between religious group, Bush campaign By Brooks Jackson. CNN
• Bush's Brain: How Karl Rove Made George W. Bush Presidential By James Moore, Wayne Slater
• Historians vs. George W. Bush, By Robert S. McElvaine. History News Network
• Senior Bush plugs Jeb for president 'someday' CNN News Wednesday, June 1, 2005
Posted by Betsy L. Angert on May 10, 2006 at 09:00 PM in Bush Dynasty, Florida, Jeb Bush, Jeb Bush President 2008, Politics, Presidential Politics, Shrubs Grow. What of Bush’s | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Shrubs Grow. What of Bush’s? ©
To be a Bush, a person must adopt a look of dopey diligence. They must seem hard-working while doing nothing. What an individual needs to do to be a Bush is appear less than bright or intellectual. They must smear those that are truly sharp or smart. To be a Bush, one must be sly and skimming; this takes brains however, it requires no depth or conscience. Actually, those are an impediment.
A Bush will stay the course, even if he or she is off it. Bush’s are not as shrubs; they do not grow, though their dollars do. Bush’s need fertilizer; they have tilled the old soil for too long. Thus, I am providing nourishment to the ground on which they lie.
"Power and violence are opposites; where the one rules absolutely, the other is absent. Violence appears where power is in jeopardy, but left to its own course it ends in power's disappearance."
Hannah Arendt, Political Theorist [1906-1975]
"Violence cannot build a better society. Disruption and disorder nourish repression, not justice. They strike at the freedom of every citizen. The community cannot—it will not—tolerate coercion and mob rule."
Commission on Civil Disorder, 1968
"Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent."
Isaac Asimov, Science-Fiction Author [1920-1992]
"Violence does even justice unjustly."
Thomas Carlyle, English author [1795–1881]
"Nothing good ever comes of violence."
Martin Luther, German leader of the Protestant Reformation [1483-1546]
For Further Fun . . .
• Up In The Air, Where is the Iraq War Headed Next?, By Seymour M. Hersh
• The Observer. Sunday March 19, 2006
• American Dynasty: Aristocracy, Fortune, and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush, By Kevin Phillips
• Don't Impeach Bush, Commit Him By Ted Rall. Yahoo News. Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Posted by Betsy L. Angert on April 23, 2006 at 07:06 PM in Bush Dynasty, Shrub Family, Shrubs Grow. What of Bush’s, Violence | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
