Thursday, July 11, 2002

If you're getting bothered by the direction of politics in the U.S. (and the world -- see Bush Threatens Future of Peacekeeping to see the most recent reason the global community has for being angry with the U.S.), you may have a chance to do something serious about it in November when it comes time to vote for your representatives in Washington. But why wait when you can vote w/your remote by choosing to watch television w/a progressive slant? According to Vote with Your Remote: Phil Donahue for National TV Host, you can do just that: The new Phil Donahue show that debuts next Monday is up against the heavily watched O'Reilly Factor on right-wing Fox News Channel, and a new show on establishment CNN featuring familiar face Connie Chung, who was just snagged from CBS for $2 million a year. This contest is the clearest national political race since the muddy results from Florida in 2000. Viewers can opt for the conservative O' Reilly; for Chung, the play-it-safe corporate candidate; or for Donahue, who appears ready to speak some truth to power in the populist seat. Sounds like some good tv. 11:33:37 AM

Ridgeway convincingly shows why Bush is not doing much about all this corporate fraud, but Bush isn't alone. Check out the lawsuit against Cheney for doing basically what Enron did: Judicial Watch alleges that Halliburton overstated profits to the tune of $445m during the period 1999 to 2001, resulting in some investors "suffering huge losses". Update: Learn everything you ever wanted to know and more about Crooked Cheney from MoveOn.org. 11:32:37 AM

Damn! James Ridgeway's latest edition of "Mondo Washington," Nitwit Scion Turns Avenger, kicks ass and takes names as it connects the dots on pResident Bush's crooked past. Why isn't Bush and Co. doing more to stop the corporate fraud that seems to be steadily destroying the global economy? According to Ridgeway, it's not because Bush and Co. doesn't have the tools it needs to take action: If Bush really wanted to address the situation, all he'd have to do is to pick up the phone, call Attorney General John Ashcroft, and ask him to launch an investigation of any one of these CEOs for fraud, conspiracy, theft, obstruction of justice, or perjury. The president could also turn to the Securities and Exchange Commission, which can refer a civil case for criminal prosecution. Bush doesn't need additional legislation to do this. All he has to do is call. He refused to do that in the Enron case, even though his administration knew about the scandal months before the company went public with its bankruptcy. And he hasn't done it with any of the subsequent double-dealings. Regardless of your political leanings, the expose is definitely worth your time. Consider: If you have a retirement plan through your job (millions of Americans don't), your retirement is probably funded by a 401k. That means that if the market continues to plunge or stays flat, you'll have nothing to retire on. That means it doesn't matter what you think of Bush's performance in other areas, his inaction w/corporate fraud is something you really can't afford to ignore. Literally. [via MLWebblog] Later: Joe Conason offers related commentary on the fraudlent Shrub in his new "weblog" on Salon. 11:28:54 AM