Steyn:They can't Pin This on Bush

UK Telegraph ^ | Jan 13, 2002 | Mark Steyn

[A Citizen Reporter]

Say, did you know that Citicorp was Daschle's top contibutor also?

[Doctor Stochastic]

What I have heard on a radio talk show (perhaps the Democrats strategy?) is:

A: Bush refused to re-regulate electricity in California for 6 months.
B: Enron raked in $70,000,000,000 during that time.
C: After allowing Enron to gouge California, Bush finally re-regulated electricity, and then prices fell.

[copycat]

I hope that greedy cretin Kenneth Lay pays more than his corporate criminal bud Bernie Swartz of Loral has for his crimes that damaged our National Security.

The next test for Bush? clinton's minions protected Swartz to the degree possible...let's see if W. tries to protect Lay. I think he'll pass.

[PhiKapMom]

Not until today! In fact, I am really surprised that the RATS went after GW on this knowing the campaign contributions they had received from Citigroup who holds $3 billion worth of worthless paper from Enron!

[copycat]

! In fact, I am really surprised that the RATS went after GW on this knowing the campaign contributions they had received from Citigroup who holds $3 billion worth of worthless paper from Enron!

Citicorp will take a huge loss from this. It's almost as if the dems and GOP are doing battle at the donor level.

[aruanan]

Ken Lay was apparently a White House sleepover when Clintons were selling the Lincoln bedroom like Motel 6, an attendee at White House fundraising coffees, and purchased seats (in exchange for DNC contributions) on the Ron Brown trade mission planes - all illegal. He gives legal contributions to Bush, and the democrats think they have a scandal? Their daring even to mention this is madness. Have they forgotten that the media wing of their party no longer controls all the dissemination of news? They must be blinded with panic over the fall elections.

Nice summary and contrast!!!

[Amelia]

Enron is a nothing going nowhere.

Basically, I agree with your analysis. But I'm not sure how many "little people" were hurt by Enron's bankruptcy. It's certainly horrifying that those who were heavily vested in their pension funds, etc. lost quite a bit of money, while the top executives saved their own skins.

I haven't noticed the public at large being all that angry, but I think they could be...but I think Congress is too involved in the situation to run a decent hearing on the matter.

[Wait4Truth]

After reading everything about the RATS and Enron tonight, I think they should have taken Lanny Davis seriously when he warned them not to go overboard on trying to get the President. In the end, President Bush will win this ugly battle. He didn't help his biggest contributor. End of story.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

In the end, President Bush will win this ugly battle. He didn't help his biggest contributor. End of story

Agreed W4T.

P.S. - Will freepmail that catch-up soon - ; *)

[be-baw]

Hoisting a Steyn bump

[Fury]

Have any of the Dems that have been so outraged by Enron given back the political contribution they received by Enron? Any? What about Hillary Clinton's $950 Enron contribution? She could turn that into a real media circus.

Common Tator is so on the mark with his assessment and the recent poll by Fox et al confirms that. The Dems are seen as trying to obstruct the economy recovering from its' fits, while GW is seen as working on trying to assist the economy in doing better.

The near orgasmic fervor that some Dems have over Enron will really, really hurt them. Months and months of hearings and all while a war is going on. We can only hope that the Dems continue to do what they are doing. 2002 could be a better than expected election year for Repubs...

[beekeeper]

Good analysis.

[backhoe]

MOZAMBIQUE: ENRON FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY (Their take on Enron & Clinton)

[backhoe]

More info:

Enron, Ron Brown and Indonesia

Also, FYI--

enron:

To find all articles tagged or indexed using Enron_List, click below:
	click here >>>	Enron_List	<<< click here
(To view all FR Bump Lists, click here)

[RobFromGa]

Very nice analysis Common Tator. I think you may be right, and it appears that Bush thinks the same way.

Another example is the GOP "shutdown" of the government (which we know was at least as much Clinton's fault, but the press reported it as GOP fault ad nauseum). The ones "held responsible" for obstructing progress on issues important to the electorate get slammed. It's the old "Lead, Follow, or Get Out of The Damn Way" syndrome.

[MissAmerica]

Politically impervious since September 11, Mr Bush should be concerned by the latest disclosures. Enron's employees had more than half their pension fund assets invested in the company's shares, which are now worthless. The implications of being too close to executives who pocketed $1bn from selling Enron stock before the company collapsed, while thousands of workers were barred from selling, could be politically disastrous. The Bush administration has been too quick to dispense favours to business, which promote inequality, under the cover of "compassionate conservatism". Perhaps it should recall the words of another youthful Republican president, Theodore Roosevelt. "To destroy this invisible government, to befoul the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics is the first task of the statesmanship of the day." No one is above the law. The working man and woman should protect the only thing that they have: this country Don't defend fabulously rich people. They don't even care or know that you exist!

[aruanan]

Mr Bush should be concerned by the latest disclosures. Enron's employees had more than half their pension fund assets invested in the company's shares, which are now worthless. The implications of being too close to executives who pocketed $1bn from selling Enron stock before the company collapsed, while thousands of workers were barred from selling, could be politically disastrous.

Absurdity on the face of it. The POTU is not the business hall-monitor or National Mommy to make sure each and every child behaves fairly. So the employees had more than half of their pension fund invested in their own company. The fault for this lies either in the employees themselves or in those who managed their pension fund. Bush has nothing to do with this. Being "too close"? Ha ha ha. Did you see how Clinton et al shelled out billions to Enron whereas Enron got nothing from the Bush administration? The only way he could have any concern is that a bunch of Democrats will take the tack you outlined above and try to create an "implication" and that a sufficient number of American voters will be too brain dead to see the complete lack of merit in the "argument".

[Common Tator]

Is this your work? Just wondering

No it is not my work. It is my play. I run a software company for work. But for 35 years I was a broadcasting company owner and newscaster on Radio and a little TV.

Anyone who prepared and delivered 4 newscasts a day for 35 years has a lot of 'old news' stored in his brain. I do have a great memory. I can even remember things that never happened.

[Common Tator]

I haven't noticed the public at large being all that angry, but I think they could be.

If everyone hurt by Enron voted they could not elect a governor or defeat one for that matter.

The Enron thing is no bigger than the Teapot Dome, the Vicuna Coat, LBJ's Radio and TV Stations, Iran Contra, Monica, or White Water. None of those defeated or elected anyone.

The third of the population that always votes for Democrats will still vote for Democrats. The third of the population that always votes for Republicans will still vote for Republicans.

If you do a survey of the remaining group of voters on the question of "Who or What is Enron?", the most common answer will be "One of those Rap Groups that hate cops". The number two answer would be, "A big oil company that finally got what was comming to it." And the third most common answer would be "Didn't he used to date Madonna?"

Scandals only have consequences when exposed by the left, and the right agrees with the left that it is legit.

Watergate is one of the very, very, few examples.

[Happygal]

Pinging ye to a good read.