The director of an energy company makes obscene profits by selling stock he knows will tank.

Sound familiar? On any given day, you could expect to find this story about another all-star CEO exposed for committing fraud, cooking the books and assorted double-dealing.

This time, though, the corporate criminal is George W. Bush.

In June 1990, Bush--then a director at Harken Energy--dumped his shares in the company for a profit of nearly $1 million. Two months later, Harken’s stock price plummeted by 40 percent. Seems that the company had understated its losses a bit--about $9 million worth.

Today, Bush is getting heat for not filing a document about the stock sale with the Securities and Exchange Commission until 34 weeks later--an oversight that his flacks have brushed off as a "mix-up by company lawyers." And he has the nerve to talk about cleaning up corporate crime!

Bush and his handlers were preparing a big speech to "restore faith in the integrity of American business" as Socialist Worker went to press.

According to the carefully orchestrated campaign of leaks from "top administration officials," Richie Rich plans to tell people how much he understands our anger at companies whose dirty deals have wrecked the lives of tens of thousands of workers. He might even propose that crooked executives go to jail.

That’s a bit much coming from a man who’s surrounded by them. Like Dick Cheney--who has so far dodged a congressional inquiry into his role as the brains behind the White House’s "Enron says" energy policy.

Cheney jumped to the White House from his former position as CEO of the energy services company Halliburton, which is under investigation for booking more than $100 million of disputed costs as revenues.

Then there’s Secretary of the Army Thomas White, a former Enron executive who helped to organize the multibillion-dollar rip-off of California during the state’s "energy crisis."

And when the thieves in the White House aren’t committing their own corporate crimes, they’re shilling for the WorldComs and Rite Aids as these tarnished stars of Corporate America rob workers’ futures.

Because it’s not just a few cheaters who are ruining the free-market system. The whole system is built on cheating--cheating working people out of a decent living and their hopes for the future, all for the sake of profit.

We can do much better--by fighting for a socialist alternative.

Hey Buckshot, its been a long time!!!!

Oh come one, AFN just came back, cant you take a break.

He still is a crook that runs our country.....

Thanks for sharing the article. It is funny that Bush claims to want to take a hard-line against corporate crime when he has spent most of his life surrounded by it and involved in it.

ConusedYouth, quite frankly no one responds to any of your political post anymore because they are so stupid.

Everyone who reads your post understands you don't like our country, so please stop posting this trash.

Officials looked into that Bush thing and said no wrong doing was done. I take their word over a lefty like you anyday.

JWB I quote "Thanks for sharing the article. It is funny that Bush claims to want to take a hard-line against corporate crime when he has spent most of his life surrounded by it and involved in it." So perhaps my post are respected.

Of course there going to go on T.V. and say "Bush has done no wrong doing." The system is still a farce for instance we still have Chaney and half the Bush administration and still be tied back to Enron.

JWB I quote "Thanks for sharing the article. It is funny that Bush claims to want to take a hard-line against corporate crime when he has spent most of his life surrounded by it and involved in it." So perhaps my post are respected.

Of course there going to go on T.V. and say "Bush has done no wrong doing." The system is still a farce for instance we still have Chaney and half the Bush administration and still be tied back to Enron.

[quote:239efb7092="ConfusedYouth"]Of course there going to go on T.V. and say "Bush has done no wrong doing." The system is still a farce for instance we still have Chaney and half the Bush administration and still be tied back to Enron.[/quote:239efb7092]

I think that most of the time the media, and others involved, try to cast the president in the best light possible. We have a great deal of propaganda even in our country. I don't think that propaganda is new to this current administration.

Personally, I am more suspicious of Cheney than I am of Bush. Bush hasn't really done anything except hide behind his daddy until finally running and serving as governor of Texas. I think the Republicans are happy they managed to clean him up enough to run against Gore. They've had a great deal of luck on their side.

Everyone should remember popular vote shows Gore earning 50, 996, 039 votes, while Bush counts in at only 50, 456, 141. It's not like Bush earned his position or that we, the people, actually voted him in.

Cheney sold that stuff because he had to in order to be Bush's running mate.

[quote:ce69df1a41="DaveTooner"]Officials looked into that Bush thing and said no wrong doing was done. I take their word over a lefty like you anyday.[/quote:ce69df1a41]

Yes, Dave, and I'm sure you were satisfied when Clinton didn't go to jail for Whitewater, weren't you?

I bet you always listen and believe what the polished up representatives on the news tell you, don't you?! Well, I guess you believe them as long as they are covering up for a Republican.

At least, I am not so biased that I can't admit that there are many liberal politicians who have done wrong.

I agree with you J I can name several Liberals whom do wrong.

JWB I don't hate America. I've dedicated my life to making it a better nation so that my child and his or her children can live better than I did. In a world of peace without greed.

[quote:d485ffddbb]I bet you always listen and believe what the polished up representatives on the news tell you, don't you?! Well, I guess you believe them as long as they are covering up for a Republican.[/quote:d485ffddbb]

You've figured me out! :roll:

[quote:5c3459a2bb="DaveTooner"]You've figured me out! :roll:[/quote:5c3459a2bb]

You said it, I didn't! :D

I really like this [quote:86c06f030a]JWB I don't hate America. I've dedicated my life to making it a better nation so that my child and his or her children can live better than I did. In a world of peace without greed.[/quote:86c06f030a]

HAHAhA!!! Sorry, I don't know what you're smoking, but you better give me some of it..

First, why do you assume the system is corrupt at every possible point, thats stupider than believing the system is not corrup at every point.

Also, Bush was voted in by the people. Because the people agreed on the way our electorial system worked for over a hundred years before this election. Thats one of those things people like you didn't complain about until after the election.

Actually like I said having talks with you and your friend is like talking to a brick wall, no reasonable response. You just paste another 100 page article if I write somethng ,not speak within reason.. Anyways My first week of school so I got to go to bed.

[quote:44312d5e1d="JWB"]First, why do you assume the system is corrupt at every possible point, thats stupider than believing the system is not corrup at every point. [/quote:44312d5e1d]

Last presidental election I had to choose between a former senator's son and the son of a former president -- both men born, raised professional politicians. Do you think either of them earned their position? Do you think they could have made it without daddy's money?

I just worked during our local elections here. Guess who won every position? The candidate who could buy the most votes. It was a sham, and yet I vote as often as possible and know I might as well throw my vote down the toilet.

But, you are right to a degree... I don't feel that the system is completely corrupt -- it is damn close, though.

[quote:44312d5e1d="JWB"]Also, Bush was voted in by the people. Because the people agreed on the way our electorial system worked for over a hundred years before this election. Thats one of those things people like you didn't complain about until after the election.[/quote:44312d5e1d]

Actually I've always had a problem with this system. With today's tech. we can count every single vote easily. I think that more populated states will still get proper representation because they, obviously, have more people voting.

[quote:44312d5e1d="JWB"]Actually like I said having talks with you and your friend is like talking to a brick wall, no reasonable response. You just paste another 100 page article if I write somethng ,not speak within reason.. Anyways My first week of school so I got to go to bed.[/quote:44312d5e1d]

This is always the response from a person who can not point out anything but his own opinion as proof of his allegations.

[quote:7ea229b901]HAHAhA!!! Sorry, I don't know what you're smoking, but you better give me some of it.. [/quote:7ea229b901]

I'm not currently smoking anything nor will I ever! If I smoke something I'll get sick seeing I'm allergic to smoke!

[quote:7ea229b901] First, why do you assume the system is corrupt at every possible point, that’s stupider than believing the system is not corrupt at every point. [/quote:7ea229b901]

I've never sat here and said the entire system is corrupt. Indeed I do believe our system need to be reformed so we can all live a better life. I don’t assume anything most everything I say can be proven with statistics.

[quote:7ea229b901] Also, Bush was voted in by the people. Because the people agreed on the way our electoral system worked for over a hundred years before this election. That’s one of those things people like you didn't complain about until after the election. [/quote:7ea229b901]

I don't recall saying anything about the election in this post. I don't know where you got that idea. I don't like George Bush and I made that choice before the election.

[quote:7ea229b901] Actually like I said having talks with you and your friend is like talking to a brick wall, no reasonable response. You just paste another 100 page article if I write something ,not speak within reason.. Anyways My first week of school so I got to go to bed.[/quote:7ea229b901]

I don't recall writing 100 page articles. The most I've posted was possibly 3. I don't force you to read my posts so why even bother making that statement. Also it's not like we make our ideas up as we go. As I stated above most everything I say can be backed up by reliable sources in which I’ve done in the past but was ignored.

[quote:d58fe7aec6]But, you are right to a degree... I don't feel that the system is completely corrupt -- it is damn close, though.[/quote:d58fe7aec6]

That is laughable, typical, liberal propaganda. If the United States' government is "damn close" to being completely corrupt, then I think it would be a safe assumption to say that every other government IS completely corrupt. Why? Don't kid yourself -- we live in the best country in the world, so if we are that bad, everyone else is worse. So by your logic, if you combined all of the governments in the WORLD it would be "damn close" to being completely corrupt. Give me a break, you pinko. No one is claiming that the government is perfect but please... almost completely corrupt? lol... priceless.

[quote:43227941f5] That is laughable, typical, liberal propaganda. If the United States' government is "damn close" to being completely corrupt, then I think it would be a safe assumption to say that every other government IS completely corrupt. [/quote:43227941f5]

Our government is corrupt. We need to fix the problems that plague us in our community and then we can work from there in fixing world problems.

[quote:43227941f5] Why? Don't kid yourself -- we live in the best country in the world, so if we are that bad, everyone else is worse. So by your logic, if you combined all of the governments in the WORLD it would be "damn close" to being completely corrupt. [/quote:43227941f5]

How come we are the best in the world? The fact we have millions of dollars going into military? The fact that we still have children who don't receive proper care. The fact people still work 14 hours a day and can barely feed there children? The fact people still kill each other over differences? The fact we have millions jobless because of corporate greed? The best nation? maybe... anything to brag about? no!

[quote:43227941f5] Give me a break, you pinko. No one is claiming that the government is perfect but please... almost completely corrupt? lol... priceless.[/quote:43227941f5]

Pinko isn’t a word so give it up!

[quote:e3817d605f]Pinko isn’t a word so give it up!
[/quote:e3817d605f]

It's in the dictionary. It just means liberal, left winger, radical...etc