Bush re-election bid to coincide with 9/11

Ted · Post by **Ted** » 2003-04-23 06:32pm

Durran Korr wrote:
Ted wrote:
Kelly Antilles wrote: Uh, and do you really think that a Presiden who has only been in office a few months is the CAUSE of that??
How come the US had been running a surplus before Bush came in?
Because of accountants.

So then why is the US now running a massive deficit?

Queeb Salaron · Post by **Queeb Salaron** » 2003-04-23 06:35pm

Ted wrote:So then why is the US now running a massive deficit?

You mean that $256 billion check that Bush had to write BEFORE the war?

The First Dog ate it.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-04-23 06:35pm

War spending.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-04-23 06:38pm

In any case, the surplus never existed; it was a product of siphoning off cash from the Socialism Security trust fund and not including the debt to that fund as a normal liability.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-04-23 07:13pm

Darth Wong wrote:Oh, puh-lease. George W. Bush and his family and their associated oil businesses have been intimately connected with Enron for nearly 20 years. Why do you think Kenneth Lay had his own office in Washington DC as part of George Bush's advisory staff?

Check out this link: http://www.thedailyenron.com/documents/ ... -57471.pdf

The fact is that while GWB is obviously not the main cause of Enron's failure, he DID profit from its shenanigans and he DID respond to the public outing of their criminal activities with half-hearted window-dressing, not much more than a slap on the wrist and a toothless demand for America's corporate community to behave. Of course, immediately after this, as if by miraculous coincidence, it was time to liberate Iraq, so Enron became yesterday's news.

And what exactly could he do? They're being charged with what they can be. Should he shoot the instead? It's a ridiculous to blame Bush for them and make the bullshit charge that the war in Iraq is all to cover up Eneron or the economy.

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2003-04-23 10:03pm

Stormbringer wrote:
Gil Hamilton wrote:I'm not suprised, since he's built an image by attaching himself to the War on Terror.
Like it or not that's been America's priority. Of course he's been preoccupied with it; America has.

That silly economy and social issues!

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-04-23 10:07pm

Enlighten me, what should Bush do about the economy?

Queeb Salaron · Post by **Queeb Salaron** » 2003-04-23 10:50pm

Durran Korr wrote:Enlighten me, what should Bush do about the economy?

Resign from office.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-04-23 10:54pm

Smartass.

Well, if anything, that would show once and for all that the state of the economy is not determined by whomever sits in office.

Post by **weemadando** » 2003-04-23 11:24pm

Well, this is a smart move politically and one that everyone should have seen coming.

He can probably ride home on a wave of patriotic support for "fearless leader".

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-04-23 11:33pm

Stormbringer wrote:And what exactly could he do? They're being charged with what they can be. Should he shoot the instead?

Tell me, is former Bush-butt-buddy Kenneth Lay rotting in prison right now?

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-04-23 11:34pm

Darth Wong wrote:
Stormbringer wrote:And what exactly could he do? They're being charged with what they can be. Should he shoot the instead?
Tell me, is former Bush-butt-buddy Kenneth Lay rotting in prison right now?

He's going to be dealing with lawsuits for fraud for a a very long time, for what it's worth.

Hamel · Post by **Hamel** » 2003-04-23 11:36pm

Darth Wong wrote:
Stormbringer wrote:And what exactly could he do? They're being charged with what they can be. Should he shoot the instead?
Tell me, is former Bush-butt-buddy Kenneth Lay rotting in prison right now?

Har

A better question would be : who did he hire to whack Baxter?

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-04-23 11:42pm

Darth Wong wrote:
Stormbringer wrote:And what exactly could he do? They're being charged with what they can be. Should he shoot the instead?
Tell me, is former Bush-butt-buddy Kenneth Lay rotting in prison right now?

No, he hasn't been convicted yet. Corporate frauds are notoriously hard to prosecute. He's been charged but cases like that take along time.

The lawsuits are going through just fine though.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-04-24 02:29am

Durran Korr wrote:
Darth Wong wrote:Tell me, is former Bush-butt-buddy Kenneth Lay rotting in prison right now?
He's going to be dealing with lawsuits for fraud for a a very long time, for what it's worth.

Launched by private concerns. The existence of these lawsuits does not exonerate the president for having been intimately associated with Enron for years leading up to its collapse, nor does it excuse his limp-wristed response to the sort of corporate malfeasance which he himself has danced with in the past. Why not make legislative changes to bring the hammer down on white-collar crime in terms of vastly stiffer sentencing, for example?

Of course, it doesn't matter now. Enron is a dead issue because the Iraq war conveniently came up. And Stormbringer, I know you can complain that there's no proof that he's "wagging the dog", but at the same time, the fact remains that the sudden desire to take out Hussein DID conveniently wipe a massive scandal off the front pages, and the result is that people have already forgotten what happened. The contents of this thread are proof of that; it seems to have been quickly forgotten how closely connected Enron and the Bush administration were.

Kelly Antilles · Post by **Kelly Antilles** » 2003-04-24 08:53am

Durran Korr wrote:In any case, the surplus never existed; it was a product of siphoning off cash from the Socialism Security trust fund and not including the debt to that fund as a normal liability.

It was called a real president stepping in and taking over and DOING something rather than sitting with his thumb stuck up his (and an intern's) ass for 8 years.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-04-24 02:54pm

Launched by private concerns. The existence of these lawsuits does not exonerate the president for having been intimately associated with Enron for years leading up to its collapse, nor does it excuse his limp-wristed response to the sort of corporate malfeasance which he himself has danced with in the past. Why not make legislative changes to bring the hammer down on white-collar crime in terms of vastly stiffer sentencing, for example?

Who gives a shit? If the American system had failed to punish Enron, that would be one thing, but it hasn't; Enron's stock price fell through the floor in the wake of the scandals, Enron's reputation, which is so important in the modern economy, is effectively ruined, and the executives responsible are going be dealing with fraud lawsuits for the rest of their lives - a more suitable punishment than prison, because in prison you can't work to pay off your massive lawsuit debt.

Queeb Salaron · Post by **Queeb Salaron** » 2003-04-24 04:20pm

Darth Wong wrote:
Stormbringer wrote:And what exactly could he do? They're being charged with what they can be. Should he shoot the instead?
Tell me, is former Bush-butt-buddy Kenneth Lay rotting in prison right now?

::Laughs:: No. But hey, Bush DID raise the MAXIMUM sentence for corporate fraud from 5 years to 10 years. Really cracking down. Mmmm, yes.

Meanwhile, poor black men with a gram of marijuana do AT LEAST 10 years. ::Smiles:: Swindle hundreds of thousands of dollars, and do LESS time than smoking a d00b or two.

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2003-04-24 05:11pm

It was called a real president stepping in and taking over and DOING something rather than sitting with his thumb stuck up his (and an intern's) ass for 8 years.

WTF has Bush done? Where is the revitalization of the economy? Where? What bold new steps has he taken? If this is the results we get from doing something, no wonder sucessful politicians sit on their ass all day.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-04-24 05:32pm

Durran Korr wrote:Who gives a shit? If the American system had failed to punish Enron, that would be one thing, but it hasn't; Enron's stock price fell through the floor in the wake of the scandals, Enron's reputation, which is so important in the modern economy, is effectively ruined, and the executives responsible are going be dealing with fraud lawsuits for the rest of their lives - a more suitable punishment than prison, because in prison you can't work to pay off your massive lawsuit debt.

Let me get this straight: if a guy robs convenience stores three times, he goes to jail for decades. But if a guy bilks people out of hundreds of millions of dollars, he gets to live out the rest of his life in freedom and luxury, and this is somehow a "more suitable punishment"?

Soontir C'boath · Post by **Soontir C'boath** » 2003-04-24 05:37pm

Darth Wong wrote:
Durran Korr wrote:and the executives responsible are going be dealing with fraud lawsuits for the rest of their lives - a more suitable punishment than prison, because in prison you can't work to pay off your massive lawsuit debt.
Let me get this straight: if a guy robs convenience stores three times, he goes to jail for decades. But if a guy bilks people out of hundreds of millions of dollars, he gets to live out the rest of his life in freedom and luxury, and this is somehow a "more suitable punishment"?

He said they'll leave the rest of their lives with fraud lawsuits, meaning court hearings, the press bilging over them etc. Non-stop with no privacy maybe.

Cyaround,
Jason

Soontir C'boath · Post by **Soontir C'boath** » 2003-04-24 05:37pm

Soontir C'boath wrote:
Darth Wong wrote:
Durran Korr wrote:and the executives responsible are going be dealing with fraud lawsuits for the rest of their lives - a more suitable punishment than prison, because in prison you can't work to pay off your massive lawsuit debt.
Let me get this straight: if a guy robs convenience stores three times, he goes to jail for decades. But if a guy bilks people out of hundreds of millions of dollars, he gets to live out the rest of his life in freedom and luxury, and this is somehow a "more suitable punishment"?
He said they'll lead the rest of their lives with fraud lawsuits, meaning court hearings, the press bilging over them etc. Non-stop with no privacy maybe.

Cyaround,
Jason

Soontir C'boath · Post by **Soontir C'boath** » 2003-04-24 05:38pm

Holy crap, no edit button rofl

Cyaround,
Jason

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-04-24 05:53pm

Darth Wong wrote:
Durran Korr wrote:Who gives a shit? If the American system had failed to punish Enron, that would be one thing, but it hasn't; Enron's stock price fell through the floor in the wake of the scandals, Enron's reputation, which is so important in the modern economy, is effectively ruined, and the executives responsible are going be dealing with fraud lawsuits for the rest of their lives - a more suitable punishment than prison, because in prison you can't work to pay off your massive lawsuit debt.
Let me get this straight: if a guy robs convenience stores three times, he goes to jail for decades. But if a guy bilks people out of hundreds of millions of dollars, he gets to live out the rest of his life in freedom and luxury, and this is somehow a "more suitable punishment"?

Being in and out of court for the rest of your life is no fun. Especially American courts.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-04-24 05:58pm

Durran Korr wrote:
Darth Wong wrote:Let me get this straight: if a guy robs convenience stores three times, he goes to jail for decades. But if a guy bilks people out of hundreds of millions of dollars, he gets to live out the rest of his life in freedom and luxury, and this is somehow a "more suitable punishment"?
Being in and out of court for the rest of your life is no fun. Especially American courts.

Oh, puh-lease. Given the choice between rotting in prison and living a relatively comfortable life of freedom punctuated with court appearances, which would you take?