this lady gets me all hot-t-t when she says:
Although the corporate reform law was presented as a big win for public interest, corporate lobbyists actually succeeded in fighting off a whole slew of potential reforms: stock options still dont have to be treated as a corporate expense, offshore tax havens continue to flourish, and theres been no pension fund reform.
Whats more, industry lobbyists were able to water down many of the provisions that actually made it into the bill, including those affecting the ability of accounting firms to offer consulting services to the companies they audit- the fountainhead of so much dishonest bookkeeping. The new law doesnt ban such double-dipping- it only limits it. And even those limits can be overridden by the new accounting oversight board whose members will be appointed by an SEC still stocked with the industrys shills
Less than eight hours after warning corporate crooks, You will be exposed, [Bush] furtively issued an interpretation of the law that undercuts a provision designed to make it easier for employees to- you guessed it- expose corporate crooks. According to the White house, whistleblowers would be protected only if their inside information is provided during the course of a formal congressional investigation.
When the presidents actions were harshly criticized by the provisions bipartisan co-sponsors, White House spokesman Ari Fliescher puffed out his chest and sniffed, Welcome to the statutes. Thats why statutes are often complicated, and thats why somebody created lawyers.
Over the last 10 years, corporations have doled out more than $1 billion dollars in soft money contributions. This down payment on preferential public policy has extended across party lines, with $636 million going to Republicans and $449 million to Democrats.
What makes the corporate crime wave not just a business scandal but a political one is precisely the fact that there is simply no consistent institutional opposition to the corporate takeover of our politics- certainly not from the Democratic Party. It was, after all, Tom Daschle who blocked the stock-option amendment proposed by John McCain. And all but two Democatic Senators- Mark Dayton and Thomas Carper- have accepted campaign contributions from WorldCom, Enron, or Arthur Andersen.
oh, Arianna, our leeps are so close!
VIEW 14 of 14 COMMENTS
nocontrol:
Ummm yeah...I am probably going to need to split a room, if nobody'll house me for free. I offered my house to everyone and their brother, but nobody will give me a couch to flop on? Sheesh. Anyway, I don't wanna cause you to lose a free bed, but if nothing comes up then I suppose I'll have to take you up on your offer. I am most certainly going to be broke-ish. 
trixel:
Hi. 