Like Enron? Like Social Security?

Has the collapse of Enron finally pushed Social Security "reform" off the political agenda for the foreseeable future? Half the stock on Enron employees' 401K retirement plans was Enron paper, contributed as a company match, for which, of course, Enron took tax deductions. Then, when Enron went into its final plunge, Enron's executives froze the stock on the 401K plans, thus denying workers any chance to salvage their retirement funds, even as the stock went through the floor. Senior executives skipped clear of the rubble, and then sent in cops and grief counselors to subdue their furious employees.

September 11 interrupted many political conspiracies in America, few more fraught than the long campaign to "reform" Social Security. And, as with many other nefarious projects, September 11 placed the Bush team on far more favorable ground than the mire in which he found himself at the end of the summer, unable to balance the books without a raid on Social Security's famous lockbox, meaning the pledge not to use any surplus on the Social Security account for other purposes.

John Ashcroft and Terrorism

AUSTIN, Texas -- By George, we need honest, reasoned debate around here and not fear-mongering, so anyone out there who suspects Attorney General John Ashcroft of being a nincompoop is clearly aiding terrorists and giving ammunition to America's enemies. Ashcroft says so, and if that's not reasoned debate, what is?

Under the high standards of reason set forth by Ashcroft, we are allowed to present CORRECT information (those who present incorrect information, like some people in government, erode our national unity and diminish our resolve) as to what the attorney general is up to. While Operation Enduring Freedom continues in Afghanistan, enduring freedom is not looking so good here at home -- and like the A.G., I would be the last to encourage people of goodwill to remain silent in the face of evil.

Here is some CORRECT information about enduring freedom:

-- Ashcroft's urpily named PATRIOT Act permits government agents to search a suspect's home without notification. In J. Edgar Hoover's day, this was known as "a black-bag job." As Nat Hentoff reports in The

Freep Heroes - Autumn 2001

FREEP HERO

Representative Barbara Lee

Representative Barbara Lee of Oakland, California, the lone dissenter in the U.S. House of Representatives in a 480-1 vote in favor of President Bush’s use of force resolution. Lee said “We must not rush to judgment. Far too many innocent people have already died. Our country is in mourning. If we rush to launch a counterattack, we run too great a risk that women, children and other noncombatants will be caught in the crossfire.” She warned against allowing “outrageous acts by vicious murderers [to] inflame prejudice against all Arab Americans, Muslims, Southeast Asians, or any other people . . .” In March 1999 Lee was the sole House member to vote against the bombing of Serbia. If things spin out of control in the Middle East, and well they might if the United States overreacts, future historians will record that Lee, like the late Senator Wayne Morris who voted against the Tonkin Gulf resolution that started the Vietnam escalation, was a lone voice of sanity and decency. Read the text of her dissent in the Autumn issue section.

THE FREE PRESS SALUTES:

Pets Without Parents Columbus

Pets Without Parents Columbus was opened on June 1, 2001 due to the closing of a local shelter, Adopt-A-Pet, which served central Ohio for over a decade. Realizing the loss of AAP would cause a void, Pets Without Parents was established to continue the salvation of the many homeless and unwanted animals.

Mission

NO BUCKS for cat research

When OSU alumni and Buckeye fans came to soak up the glory of a new team, a new coach, and a newly-renovated stadium, animal activists were on hand to remind them that a university is more than just sports. OSU’s reputation rides on the value of its teaching and research. Right now, OSU is tarnishing that reputation by endorsing Podell’s cats-on-speed experiment which has been condemned by academics and AIDS activists, as well as advocates for animals. POET asked alumni to support the Buckeyes with cheers and enthusiasm, but to withhold their buck$ until this cruel and unnecessary research is shut down.

On May 1, 2001 cat #OOIOZ3, involved in the experiment, was “Found Dead.” Details have yet to be released. As we have said many times before this project will NOT help cats nor will it help people. Please continue to speak out for the cats.

American Indian Issues

Dear Columbus Free Press Editors,

I recently started thinking about a topic which I had never thought much about before, and I probably would rather not think about it now, however; my conscience will not allow me to disregard what our society is doing to those less fortunate, the people in the low income and poverty economic brackets. The majority of our prisoners are not the ones you read about in the headlines. Statistics indicate that many in these income brackets are of minority races and when they are sentenced to prison, they are the ones most likely to serve a longer sentence. Often, because of what they learn and endure in the prison system they return to prison and the cycle begins. They do not have the tools with which to turn their lives around. In some cases they become hardened criminals and from a selfish point of view it does not make sense to incarcerate people, make their problems worse than they were before entering prison, and then release them into society. This, of course, sets up the potential risk of more and more victims within out society.

Enron: What took so long?

AUSTIN -- Hail and farewell, o Enron! What a flameout. The Establishment media, sucking its collective thumb with unwonted solemnity, is treating us to meditations on two themes: "How the mighty have fallen," and, "Who would have thunk it?" Pardon me while I snort, in lieu of ruder noises, and offer two themes of my own: "What took so long?" and, "Anyone with an ounce of common sense."

If you want to know what this story is about, pretend Bill Clinton is still president. Pretend Clinton's long-time, all-time biggest campaign contributor, a guy for whom Clinton has carried water for over the years, a guy with unparalleled "access," a shaper of policy, a man with a veto on regulatory appointments affecting his business, with connections at every level of the administration, a political fixer beyond the wildest dreams of James Riady -- imagine that this guy's worldwide empire has tumbled into bankruptcy in just three months amid cascading reports of lies, monumental accounting errors, evasions, iffy financial statements, insider deals, a board of directors rife with conflicts of interest, top executives

Noam Chomsky -- Saying What Media Don't Want Us to Hear

"If liberty means anything at all," George Orwell wrote, "it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear."

From all indications, the gatekeepers for big media in the United States don't want to hear what Noam Chomsky has to say -- and they'd prefer that we not hear him either.

Mainstream journalists in other nations often interview Chomsky. Based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he's a world-renowned analyst of propaganda and global politics. But the chances are slim that you'll ever find him on a large network here at home.

Chomsky is ill-suited to providing soundbites -- and that's not just a matter of style. A few snappy words are sufficient when they harmonize with the conventional wisdom in a matter of seconds. It takes longer to intelligibly present a very different assessment of political realities.

No one disputes that Chomsky revolutionized the study of language more than 40 years ago. The rich and powerful have no quarrel with his work as the world's most significant linguist. But as a political analyst, he's

Sharon or Arafat: Which is the Sponsor of Terror

"Arafat is guilty of everything here." Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon declared on television Monday night. "Arafat has made his strategic choices: a strategy of terrorism." In sync with these fierce words, Israeli forces launched attacks close to the Palestinian leader's house and destroyed his helicopters, an onslaught that the U.S. government conspicuously failed to condemn.

So, in the wake of the last suicide bomb attacks launched by Hamas, the sky is now the limit for Israeli reprisals: the killing of Arafat, and, not so far down the road, possible forced expulsion of tens of thousands of Palestinians from the West Bank. In other words, the substitution of untrammeled military repression by Israel's forces and a deaf ear from the United States to all Palestinian calls for fair dealing. Write "FINIS" to all efforts across the past 35 years to secure a just settlement in Israel and some measure of satisfaction for Palestinian aspirations.

But, to be honest about it, is that not exactly what Israelis like Ariel Sharon have wanted all along? Can anyone claim with a straight

Sieg Heil, Ashcroft!

AUSTIN -- With all due respect, of course, and God Bless America too, has anyone considered the possibility that the attorney general is becoming unhinged?

Poor John Ashcroft is under a lot of strain here. Is it possible his mind has started to give under the weight of responsibility, what with having to stop terrorism between innings against doctors trying to help the dying in Oregon and California? Why not take a Valium, sir, and go track down some nice domestic nut with access to anthrax, OK?

Not content with the noxious USA PATRIOT bill (for Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act -- urp), which was bad enough, Ashcroft has steadily moved from bad to worse. Now he wants to bring back FBI surveillance of domestic religious and political groups.

For those who remember COINTELPRO, this is glorious news. Back in the day, Fearless Fibbies, cleverly disguised in their wingtips and burr haircuts, used to infiltrate such dangerous groups as the Southern Christian

Pages

Subscribe to Freepress.org RSS