Cromagnon
08-14-2006, 02:50 PM
Thought it would be better to have a THREAD on its own about this issue on "War and Disaster Profiteering", this is like having the "Shame Board". And I hope this will give light to the real reasons as to why for certain group of people, war and disaster are just means to make money with complete disregard for the humans who are suffering because of these scourges. Capitalism at its best!
For Immediate Release: 14 August 2006
http://www.warprofiteers.com/img/spacer.gif
Big, Easy Money: Disaster Profiteering on the North American Gulf Coast
A New Report from CorpWatch
EMBARGOED UNTIL 17 AUGUST 2006
NEW ORLEANS, LA. & WASHINGTON, D.C.//NEWS ADVISORY//As the first anniversary of Katrina nears, a new report from CorpWatch exposes how abusive disaster profiteering by large corporations – including many of the same mega-firms also engaged in the similarly troubled “reconstruction” of Iraq – has needlessly slowed the reconstruction of New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast region in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
AN EMBARGOED PREVIEW DRAFT COPY OF THE REPORT IS AVAILABLE TO MEDIA AND NON-PROFITS NOW BY REQUEST.
Click here to download the report (http://corpwatch.org/downloads/BigEasyMoney.pdf) (on or after 17 August 2006)
Entitled “Big, Easy Money: Disaster Profiteering on the American Gulf Coast,” the new CorpWatch report exposes:
• How struggling Gulf Coast companies that could be employing thousands of disaster-stricken individuals and supporting the tax bases of local communities are getting a much smaller piece of the reconstruction pie than “connected” companies in such far-removed states as Virginia and Indiana.
• Double dipping by politically “wired” large corporations that are cleaning up on the reconstruction of both New Orleans/the Gulf Coast and the Iraq – with similarly unimpressive results to show for the billions of dollars handed over to them so far.
• Abusive “contracting pyramids” that allow big contractors to rake in massive federal payments and then pay out just a fraction of the amount to subcontractors that actually do the work – sometimes less than what is required to actually complete the contracts!
• Widespread non-payment of reconstruction workers and, in particular, immigrant laborers, whose uncertain status in the U.S. is deliberately distorted by contractors seeking to keep as many federal tax dollars in their own pockets as possible.
The preceding are just a few of the highlights of the key elements of the exhaustive “Big, Easy Money” report, which also focuses on successful community-level initiatives that are thriving with little or no federal tax dollar support.
TO PARTICIPATE: You can join this live, phone-based news conference (with full, two-way Q&A) at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT on 17 August 2006 by dialing 1 (800) 860-2442. Ask for the “Katrina Reconstruction and Labor Report" news event.
CAN’T PARTICIPATE?: A streaming audio replay of the news event will be available on our site as of 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. ET on 17 August 2006.
CONTACT: Patrick Mitchell, (703) 276-3266 or pmitchell[at]hastingsgroup.com.
CorpWatch investigates and exposes corporate violations of human rights, environmental crimes, fraud and corruption around the world.
For Immediate Release: 14 August 2006
http://www.warprofiteers.com/img/spacer.gif
Big, Easy Money: Disaster Profiteering on the North American Gulf Coast
A New Report from CorpWatch
EMBARGOED UNTIL 17 AUGUST 2006
NEW ORLEANS, LA. & WASHINGTON, D.C.//NEWS ADVISORY//As the first anniversary of Katrina nears, a new report from CorpWatch exposes how abusive disaster profiteering by large corporations – including many of the same mega-firms also engaged in the similarly troubled “reconstruction” of Iraq – has needlessly slowed the reconstruction of New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast region in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
AN EMBARGOED PREVIEW DRAFT COPY OF THE REPORT IS AVAILABLE TO MEDIA AND NON-PROFITS NOW BY REQUEST.
Click here to download the report (http://corpwatch.org/downloads/BigEasyMoney.pdf) (on or after 17 August 2006)
Entitled “Big, Easy Money: Disaster Profiteering on the American Gulf Coast,” the new CorpWatch report exposes:
• How struggling Gulf Coast companies that could be employing thousands of disaster-stricken individuals and supporting the tax bases of local communities are getting a much smaller piece of the reconstruction pie than “connected” companies in such far-removed states as Virginia and Indiana.
• Double dipping by politically “wired” large corporations that are cleaning up on the reconstruction of both New Orleans/the Gulf Coast and the Iraq – with similarly unimpressive results to show for the billions of dollars handed over to them so far.
• Abusive “contracting pyramids” that allow big contractors to rake in massive federal payments and then pay out just a fraction of the amount to subcontractors that actually do the work – sometimes less than what is required to actually complete the contracts!
• Widespread non-payment of reconstruction workers and, in particular, immigrant laborers, whose uncertain status in the U.S. is deliberately distorted by contractors seeking to keep as many federal tax dollars in their own pockets as possible.
The preceding are just a few of the highlights of the key elements of the exhaustive “Big, Easy Money” report, which also focuses on successful community-level initiatives that are thriving with little or no federal tax dollar support.
TO PARTICIPATE: You can join this live, phone-based news conference (with full, two-way Q&A) at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT on 17 August 2006 by dialing 1 (800) 860-2442. Ask for the “Katrina Reconstruction and Labor Report" news event.
CAN’T PARTICIPATE?: A streaming audio replay of the news event will be available on our site as of 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. ET on 17 August 2006.
CONTACT: Patrick Mitchell, (703) 276-3266 or pmitchell[at]hastingsgroup.com.
CorpWatch investigates and exposes corporate violations of human rights, environmental crimes, fraud and corruption around the world.