Molly Ivins: Reform The System Or Lose The Democracy

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" Zepp " <zepp

Tue, 30 May 2006 13:59:31 -0700

[Zepps_News] #Molly: Reform the system or lose the democracy

 

 

 

 

Molly Ivins: Reform The System Or Lose The Democracy

 

TruthDig, May 30, 2006

 

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20060530_molly_ivins_reform_the_system_or_lo\

se_the_democracy/

 

HOUSTON, Texas - A Houston jury convicted both Ken Lay and Jeff

Skilling, despite the fact that Kenny Boy packed his Bible to the

courtroom every day.

 

Since it is a long and noble Texas tradition for the accused to fight

all allegations by finding Jesus, this indicates a major degree of

guilt. (While on trial for murder, T. Cullen Davis, the Fort Worth

millionaire, not only found Jesus but also threw a big party to

celebrate at the mansion, with piles of shrimp and BBQ and a soundtrack

that announced over and over throughout the grounds that night, " The son

of Stinky Davis has found the son of God. " )

 

Meanwhile, Houston reacted as though the Rockets had won the NBA

championship.

 

Many a thoughtful analyst has given us to understand that Lay and

Skilling are guilty of arrogance and hubris. Actually, they were

convicted of fraud - massive, overwhelming and monstrous fraud. They

also stole money and looted pension funds. They rigged energy markets

and almost drove California (seventh-largest economy in the world) into

bankruptcy.

 

And all along the way, this monstrous fraud was connected to government.

Enron bought the politicians who bent the rules that let them steal, con

and gyp. Lay and Skilling talked state after state into following the

California model and deregulating electricity. Happy summer, everyone.

 

And then, of course, there was the thumbing-the-nose thievery, the

offshore partnerships tricked out with the clever names so insiders

would know how slick they were.

 

As the late Rep. Wright Patman Sr. observed: " Many of our wealthiest and

most powerful citizens are very greedy. This fact has many times been

demonstrated. "

 

The interesting thing about Lay and Skilling is they weren't trying to

evade the rules, they were rigging the rules in their favor. The fix was

in - much of it law passed by former Sen. Phil Gramm of Texas, whose

wife, Wendy, served on the board of Enron.

 

Where does that sense of entitlement come from? What makes a Ken Lay

think he can call the governor of Texas and ask him to soften up Gov.

Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania on electricity deregulation? Not that being

governor of Texas has ever been an office of much majesty, but a

corporate robber wouldn't think of doing that if it were Brian

Schweitzer of Montana or Bill Richardson of New Mexico.

 

The extent to which not just state legislatures but the Congress of the

United States are now run by large corporate special interests is beyond

mere recognition as fact. The takeover is complete. Newt Gingrich and

Tom DeLay put in place a system in which it's not a question of letting

the head of the camel into the tent - the camels run the place.

 

It has all happened quite quickly - in less than 20 years. Laws were

changed and regulations repealed until an Enron can set sail without

responsibility, supervision or accountability. The business pages are

fond of trumpeting the merits of " transparency " and " accountability, "

but you will notice whenever there is a chance to roll back any of the

New Deal regs, the corporations go for broke trying to get rid of them

entirely.

 

I'm not attempting to make this a partisan deal - only 73 percent of

Enron's political donations went to Republicans. But I'll be damned if

Enron's No. 1 show pony politician, George W. Bush, should be allowed to

walk away from this. Ken Lay gave $139,500 to Bush over the years. He

chipped in $100,000 to the Bush Cheney Inaugural Fund in 2000 and $10K

to the Bush-Cheney Recount Fund.

 

Plus, Enron's PAC gave Bush $113,800 for his '94 and '98 political races

and another $312,500 from its executives. Bush got 14 free rides on

Enron's corporate jets during the 2000 campaign, including at least two

during the recount. Until January 2004, Enron was Bush's top contributor.

 

And what did it get for its money? Ken Lay was on Bush's short list to

be energy secretary. He not only almost certainly served on Cheney's

energy task force, there is every indication that the task force's

energy plan, the one we have been on for five years, is in fact the

Enron plan. Lay used Bush as an errand boy, calling the governor of

Texas and having him phone Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania to vouch for what

swell energy deregulation bills Enron was sponsoring in states all over

the country.

 

It seems to me we all understand this is a systemic problem.

 

We need to reform the political system, or we'll lose the democracy. I

don't think it's that hard. It doesn't take rocket science. We've done

it before successfully at the presidential level and tried it several

places at the state level. Public campaign financing isn't perfect and

can doubtlessly be improved upon as we go. Let us begin.

 

 

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