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Reproductive issues"},{"term":"counterculture"},{"term":"coverup"},{"term":"cyber attacks"},{"term":"cybercrime"},{"term":"cybersecurity"},{"term":"deforestation"},{"term":"disaster relief"},{"term":"discussion"},{"term":"dishonesty"},{"term":"dissent"},{"term":"domestic terrorism"},{"term":"domestic violence"},{"term":"dystopia"},{"term":"economy. 2016 election"},{"term":"email"},{"term":"emails.spoof"},{"term":"energy bills."},{"term":"enhanced interrogation"},{"term":"enhanced interrogation techniques"},{"term":"entitlement."},{"term":"epidemic"},{"term":"epigram"},{"term":"espionage"},{"term":"ethnic identity"},{"term":"executive privilege"},{"term":"fair use"},{"term":"fascists"},{"term":"film review"},{"term":"finance"},{"term":"flag"},{"term":"folk indy"},{"term":"foreign relations."},{"term":"fourth amendment"},{"term":"g20"},{"term":"games"},{"term":"garbage disposal"},{"term":"gay discrimination"},{"term":"gay right"},{"term":"general knowledge."},{"term":"government handouts"},{"term":"government spending."},{"term":"gravitas"},{"term":"green issues"},{"term":"grover Norquist"},{"term":"heart"},{"term":"highway"},{"term":"history LIFE"},{"term":"homosexual"},{"term":"hospitals"},{"term":"hysteria"},{"term":"illegal drugs"},{"term":"impeachment hearings"},{"term":"impeachment hearings. Trump"},{"term":"incest"},{"term":"industrial revolution"},{"term":"infographic"},{"term":"injured vets"},{"term":"investment banking"},{"term":"joe allbaugh"},{"term":"juveniles"},{"term":"labor"},{"term":"lawsuits"},{"term":"libel"},{"term":"literature"},{"term":"lounge Music"},{"term":"lying"},{"term":"majority"},{"term":"marketing"},{"term":"mass murder"},{"term":"mass shooting"},{"term":"match-up"},{"term":"medical care"},{"term":"meme. Evil"},{"term":"memorial"},{"term":"micro-financing"},{"term":"mid-term elections"},{"term":"missile strike"},{"term":"national debt"},{"term":"nepotism"},{"term":"net nuetrality"},{"term":"nuclear arms"},{"term":"nuclear arms agreement."},{"term":"nuclear war"},{"term":"ocean"},{"term":"oil spill"},{"term":"parades"},{"term":"paramilitary"},{"term":"patent"},{"term":"people"},{"term":"philanthropy"},{"term":"phone-hacking"},{"term":"photo"},{"term":"plane crash"},{"term":"plutocracy"},{"term":"police intimidation"},{"term":"political organizations"},{"term":"post-election"},{"term":"presidential election"},{"term":"presidential election 2016"},{"term":"presidents"},{"term":"press"},{"term":"progressive"},{"term":"prosperity"},{"term":"psychopaths"},{"term":"public opinion"},{"term":"public service."},{"term":"public works"},{"term":"putin. Roger Stone"},{"term":"puzzles"},{"term":"racial"},{"term":"racial profiling"},{"term":"radical"},{"term":"random shooting"},{"term":"recycling"},{"term":"refugee crisis"},{"term":"rigging"},{"term":"rob Portman"},{"term":"rural USA"},{"term":"safety nets"},{"term":"same sex"},{"term":"same-sex equality"},{"term":"sanctuary cities"},{"term":"sarah palin fooling some"},{"term":"sarah palin joe mcginniss"},{"term":"sarah palin serial bully"},{"term":"scams."},{"term":"scarf"},{"term":"sex abuse"},{"term":"sex education"},{"term":"sexual assault allegations. Law"},{"term":"sexual misconduct"},{"term":"small loans"},{"term":"social problems"},{"term":"solar energy"},{"term":"spending"},{"term":"spy"},{"term":"spying"},{"term":"stereotypes"},{"term":"stereotypes."},{"term":"storytelling"},{"term":"strikes"},{"term":"strip search"},{"term":"suicide"},{"term":"tabloid"},{"term":"tariff"},{"term":"tax reform"},{"term":"teachers"},{"term":"terrorism. 9\/11"},{"term":"theocracy in America"},{"term":"threats"},{"term":"train"},{"term":"treason."},{"term":"uS Congress"},{"term":"unemployed"},{"term":"unsolved mystery"},{"term":"value"},{"term":"veterens"},{"term":"voters"},{"term":"voting Rights Act of 1965"},{"term":"wage stagnation"},{"term":"wages"},{"term":"war crimes"},{"term":"waste"},{"term":"white supremacy KKK"},{"term":"women''s rights"},{"term":"zika"},{"term":"zoo"},{"term":"гла́сность"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Nomadic Politics"},"subtitle":{"type":"html","$t":"Progressive blog with in-depth political and historical essays. We focus primarily on the American scene but also cover world politics. "},"link":[{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/nomadicpolitics.blogspot.com\/feeds\/posts\/default"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/407281054887604200\/posts\/default\/-\/Rick+Perry+friends?alt=json-in-script\u0026max-results=2"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/nomadicpolitics.blogspot.com\/search\/label\/Rick%20Perry%20friends"},{"rel":"hub","href":"http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Nomad"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/03686282358562565742"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"generator":{"version":"7.00","uri":"http://www.blogger.com","$t":"Blogger"},"openSearch$totalResults":{"$t":"2"},"openSearch$startIndex":{"$t":"1"},"openSearch$itemsPerPage":{"$t":"2"},"entry":[{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407281054887604200.post-913685607620581281"},"published":{"$t":"2012-01-07T22:11:00.000+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2014-01-21T09:54:25.666+02:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"2012 campaign"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"2012 election crony capitalism"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Enron"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Nomad"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Phil Gramm"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"rick perry"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rick Perry friends"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Wendy Lee Gramm"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Mr. and Mrs. Gramm: The Dark and Disturbing Friends of Rick Perry 4\/4"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003Eby Nomad\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com\/gadgets\/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-zbEUhzrdohg%2FTq6062JFuoI%2FAAAAAAAAD6U%2F666kIsEef7A%2Fs320%2FWendy.jpg\u0026amp;container=blogger\u0026amp;gadget=a\u0026amp;rewriteMime=image%2F*\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com\/gadgets\/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-zbEUhzrdohg%2FTq6062JFuoI%2FAAAAAAAAD6U%2F666kIsEef7A%2Fs320%2FWendy.jpg\u0026amp;container=blogger\u0026amp;gadget=a\u0026amp;rewriteMime=image%2F*\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan id=\"internal-source-marker_0.04412061208859086\" style=\"background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003EA Close look at Wendy Gramm\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: red; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003EIn this the final part of my investigation into the Gramms, I’d like to deal with Wendy’s relationship with Rick Perry and another influential power broker. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EThe Mercatus Center \u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003EAs if Wendy Gramm’s role in the Enron scandal wasn’t enough to qualify her as one of the notable villians in a saga filled with some pretty odious characters, she’d really only just begun. After her jaunt through the world of academia and through the infested jungle of the private sector, Wendy now found herself stepping back into academia (or something very much like it).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EIf Phil Gramm represents one side of corruption, then some might claim his wife to be an example of a newer but far more insidious indirect kind.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EKoch Industries- along with other corporations have developed a long term strategy to use think-tanks, paired with prestigious universities, to give support - with studies and surveys and expert opinions- to their agenda. In exchange, the universities benefit from large-dollar corporate support.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mercatus_Center\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EThe Mercatus Center of George Mason University\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E,\u003C\/b\u003E where Wendy Gramm is a director of the “regulatory studies program”, is a case in point. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EMercatus is an increasingly influential anti-regulatory voice-machine created and subsidized by \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.sourcewatch.org\/index.php?title=Koch_Industries\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EKoch Industries\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E.\u003C\/b\u003E Over the years, the university and its associated institutes and centers has received more funding from the Koch Family Charitable Foundations than any other organization—a total of $29,604,354.  Of that sum, The Mercatus Center has received $1,442,000.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EPreviously known as the Center for the Study of Free Market Processes, the Mercatus Center was founded by Richard Fink (an apt name if ever there was one)—with a grant from Charles Koch. Koch currently serves on\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/mercatus.org\/all-people\/1285\"\u003E the center’s Board of Directors\u003C\/a\u003E—as does Fink, who is also an executive vice president and a member of the board of directors of \u003Ca class=\"zem_slink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.kochind.com\/\" rel=\"homepage\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Koch Industries\"\u003EKoch Industries, Inc.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EWendy Gramm’s ties to the Koch brothers go way back. Koch has had a cozy relationship with Wendy ever since she played a key role in deregulating oil speculation.  \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/thinkprogress.org\/report\/koch-oil-speculation\/\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EAs Lee Fang reported in Think Progress\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003ELike many oil companies, Koch uses legitimate hedging products to create price stability. However, the documents reveal that Koch is also participating in the unregulated derivatives markets as a financial player, buying and selling speculative products that are increasingly contributing to the skyrocketing price of oil. Excessive energy speculation today is at its highest levels ever, and even Goldman Sachs \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/thinkprogress.org\/green\/2011\/04\/13\/174989\/sachs-speculators-gas-prices\/\"\u003Enow admits\u003C\/a\u003E that at least $27 of the price of crude oil is a result from reckless speculation rather than market fundamentals of supply and demand. Many experts interviewed by ThinkProgress argue that the figure is far higher, and out of control speculation has doubled the current price of crude oil.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E(The next time you fill up your gas tank and your wallet feels lighter, you can thank Wendy Gramm.) \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EMercatus, however  serves a different function in the Koch machine. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-6OYJYld6tmk\/Ut4nXGqSHGI\/AAAAAAAAFts\/6Jh3Gwt27hI\/s1600\/coffee-creek_koch-industries1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-6OYJYld6tmk\/Ut4nXGqSHGI\/AAAAAAAAFts\/6Jh3Gwt27hI\/s1600\/coffee-creek_koch-industries1.jpg\" height=\"180\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EKoch Industries has had a long battle with agencies that are charged with protecting the common property, the air and the water and natural resources in general. That, given its extensive commitment to oil and lumber harvesting should come as no real surprise.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/8301-31727_162-20043531-10391695.html\" style=\"background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EA CBS investigation in March 2011 revealed that:\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EA Koch Industries paper mill is violating the Clean Water Act by pumping out massive amounts of pollution into an Arkansas waterway, according to an EPA enforcement \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.peer.org\/docs\/ar\/3_16_11_Coffee_Creek_Enforcement_Complaint.pdf\"\u003Ecomplaint to be filed tomorrow \u003C\/a\u003Eby Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.peer.org\/\"\u003E(PEER) \u003C\/a\u003Eand the Ouachita Riverkeeper.The complaint alleges that a \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.gp.com\/\"\u003EGeorgia-Pacific paper mill\u003C\/a\u003E on the Coffee Creek in Arkansas - owned by the billionaire Koch Brothers -emits 45 million gallons of paper mill waste including hazardous materials like ammonia, chloride, and mercury each dayCoffee Creek then flows into Louisiana's Ouachita River where the pollutants have left the formerly pristine water speckled with odorous foam, slime and black pockets of water, said Jerry Johnson, who has been visiting the Ouachita River for 35 years.\u003Cb\u003E\"People used to swim in it,\" said Johnson, who now lives along the river. \"In the summertime, it was the place to go.\"\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003EAnd this is by no means an isolated incident. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2000\/09\/29\/business\/us-indicts-koch-industries-on-pollution-violations-in-texas.html\" style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003EAnother report from 2000 in the New York Times,\u003C\/a\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EA federal grand jury returned a 97-count indictment against Koch Industries today, charging the company, a subsidiary and four employees with environmental crimes at a Texas oil refinery.The defendants were charged with violating federal air pollution and hazardous waste laws at the Koch Petroleum Group's West Plant refinery near Corpus Christi, Tex., conspiracy and making false statements to state environmental officials, the Justice Department said.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EAnd, one more example, which is more important perhaps -given the links to the controversial ties to Koch and Governor Walker, Wisconsin. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EKoch Industries operates twelve industrial facilities in Wisconsin: \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.gp.com\/greenbay\/operationsMap.html\"\u003EGeorgia-Pacific\u003C\/a\u003E and its wholly-owned subsidiaries in Green Bay (4 plants), Oshkosh, Phillips, and Sheboygan; and \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.fhrasphalt.com\/USLocations.aspx\"\u003EFlint Hills\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.fhr.com\/newsroom\/contact_details.aspx?ID=12\"\u003EResources\u003C\/a\u003E in Green Bay, Junction City, McFarland, Milwaukee, Stevens Point and Waupun... (T)he data reveal that over the course of those three years, Koch Industries' facilities emitted \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/sourcewatch.org\/images\/6\/63\/Koch_Industries_Emissions_2007-2009.pdf\"\u003Eover 5.4 million pounds (PDF)\u003C\/a\u003E of toxic discharges into Wisconsin's air and water. Of these discharges, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/sourcewatch.org\/images\/6\/63\/Koch_Industries_Emissions_2007-2009.pdf\"\u003Enearly 100,000 pounds (PDF)\u003C\/a\u003E were of substances known or suspected to cause cancer.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"background-color: transparent; clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/netrightdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/EPA-Logo.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/netrightdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/EPA-Logo.jpg\" height=\"200\" width=\"200\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EThe pattern is clear. But what’s this got to do with Wendy and Mercatus? Joining forces with other Koch-supported organizations, Mercatus has been a leader in the roll back of environmental regulations. Greenpeace has cited Mercatus as a chief source for climate change denying efforts. Moreover, Mercatus has specifically targeted the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in its de-regulatory drive.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.newyorker.com\/magazine\/bios\/jane_mayer\/search?contributorName=jane%20mayer\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E Jane Mayer from a revealing New Yorker article on the Koch brothers examines the role this group plays:\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EThomas McGarity, a law professor at the University of Texas, who specializes in environmental issues, told me that “Koch has been constantly in trouble with the E.P.A., and Mercatus has constantly hammered on the agency.” An environmental lawyer who has clashed with the Mercatus Center called it “a means of laundering economic aims.” The lawyer explained the strategy: “You take corporate money and give it to a neutral-sounding think tank,” which \u003Cb\u003E“hires people with pedigrees and academic degrees who put out credible-seeming studies. But they all coincide perfectly with the economic interests of their funders.”\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EAs a Businessweek headline proclaimed:\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #000066; font-family: inherit; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\"Much corporate environmentalism boils down to misleading statistics and hype.\"\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003EWendy Gramm’s pedigree- if you don’t look too closely- adds weight to her opinions to all of the Mercatus calls for de-regulation. That, coincidentally, ties in quite nicely with what the top donors to Mercatus expect.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.dailykos.com\/story\/2006\/12\/23\/283775\/-The-Mercatus-Center-strikes-again\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EAs Chris Bowers, blogger for DailyKos, notes:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003EIt is important that you realize who funds the Mercatus Center. Since 1985, the Mercatus Center has received 513 grants totaling $45,347,884. Their top donors have been as follows:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003EKoch Family (Includes Claude Lambe Foundation): $24,258,797\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/mediamattersaction.org\/transparency\/organization\/John_M_Olin_Foundation\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EOlin Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E: $7,530,824\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/mediamattersaction.org\/transparency\/organization\/John_M_Olin_Foundation\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EScaife Family\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E (includes Carthage Foundation): $5,031,000\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/mediamattersaction.org\/transparency\/organization\/John_M_Olin_Foundation\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EBradley Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E: $2,5544,050\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/mediamattersaction.org\/transparency\/organization\/John_M_Olin_Foundation\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EBarre Seid\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E: $2,212,000\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/mediamattersaction.org\/transparency\/organization\/John_M_Olin_Foundation\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EEarhart Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E: $996,348\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003EMcKenna: $265,000\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/mediamattersaction.org\/transparency\/organization\/Jaquelin_Hume_Foundation\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EJacquelin Hume Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E: $260,000\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/mediamattersaction.org\/transparency\/organization\/Jaquelin_Hume_Foundation\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003ESmith Richardson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E: $254,315\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/mediamattersaction.org\/transparency\/organization\/Jaquelin_Hume_Foundation\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EThe Walton Family\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E (Wal-Mart): $120,000\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/mediamattersaction.org\/transparency\/organization\/Jaquelin_Hume_Foundation\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EJM Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E: $85,000\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/mediamattersaction.org\/transparency\/organization\/Jaquelin_Hume_Foundation\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/mediamattersaction.org\/transparency\/organization\/Jaquelin_Hume_Foundation\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003ECastle Rock Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E (Coors Family): $75,000\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003EEvidently unsatisfied with the work she has done unfettering markets, scrubbing regulations and ignoring the ethical codes and laws, all of  which in one or another has lead to the meltdown, Wendy Gramm is now looking forward, on behalf of the corporations, to destroying the environment as well.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EWendy and the Pious Hospital Bed Maker\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/ww1.hdnux.com\/photos\/06\/12\/34\/1615616\/8\/628x471.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/ww1.hdnux.com\/photos\/06\/12\/34\/1615616\/8\/628x471.jpg\" height=\"200\" width=\"189\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003EWith so many fingers in so many pies, it’s often difficult to keep up with Dr. Wendy Gramm. In addition to Mercatus Center, she serves as the chairman of the board of another conservative organization “whose positions on issues can make the difference between life and death for major legislation.” \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.sourcewatch.org\/index.php?title=Texas_Public_Policy_Foundation\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003ETexas Public Policy Foundation\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (TPPF) “501(c) non-profit, non-partisan research institute”  is run by a man Texas Monthly called “the most influential Republican in Texas” and probably a person most people have never heard of.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EAustin Democratic political consultant George Shipley once called  the shy and unassuming\u003Cb\u003E \u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.texscience.org\/reform\/leininger.htm\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EDr. James Leninger\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E, “ the sugar daddy and godfather of the Republican right wing in Texas.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EBesides the many groups with a local political interest, Leininger has funded national social conservative organizations, including the American Family Association (considered  a hate group by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Southern_Poverty_Law_Center\"\u003ESouthern Poverty Law Center\u003C\/a\u003E) , Christian Pro-Life Foundation, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.splcenter.org\/get-informed\/intelligence-files\/family-research-council\"\u003EFamily Research Council\u003C\/a\u003E, and\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.rightwingwatch.org\/content\/focus-family\"\u003E Focus on the Family.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EMolly Ivins reports:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003ELeninger tends to give his PACs and foundations innocuous names — Texans for Justice, the Texas Public Policy Foundation, the Texas Justice Foundation, Children’s Economic Opportunity Foundation, Texans for Governmental Integrity, the A PAC for Parental School Choice, etc. According to the Current (a weekly alternative paper), Leininger is also a major donor to, or plays a leading role in, at least a dozen major right-wing groups. Politically, he has given not only to Christian-right school board candidates and right-wing legislative candidates but also to Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Phil Gramm, and he was Rick Perry’s largest campaign contributor ($500,000) in Perry’s race for lieutenant governor.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003EThe mission of TPPF, founded by Leninger in 1989,  is to “promote and defend liberty, personal responsibility, and free enterprise in Texas and the nation by educating and affecting policymakers and the Texas public policy debate with academically sound research and outreach.” \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EA conservative and devoutly religious Republican businessman, Leininger made his personal fortune through \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kinetic_Concepts\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EKinetic Concepts\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E, based in San Antonio,  which makes and rents therapeutic beds for patients who are paralyzed or suffer from serious illnesses.  As humble as that might sound, take note, \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kinetic_Concepts#cite_note-18\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EKCI Revenue for 2008 was $1.88 billion, increasing to $1.99 billion in 2009 and in 2010 increased to $2.02 billion.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EIncidentally, Rick Perry, before he ran for lieutenant governor developed a lucrative relationship with Leininger. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/goog_380803150\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EAccording to a \u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/news.yahoo.com\/perry-supplemented-wealth-profitable-deals-070714581.html\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EHouston Chronicle piece dated September 21, 1997:\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/en\/thumb\/a\/ae\/KCI_Company_logo.PNG\/150px-KCI_Company_logo.PNG\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/en\/thumb\/a\/ae\/KCI_Company_logo.PNG\/150px-KCI_Company_logo.PNG\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EOn Jan. 13, 1995, Perry bought $38,875 worth of stock in Kinetic Concepts, a company owned by Jim Leininger, a San Antonio physician, conservative activist and major Perry campaign donor. Perry invested an additional $35,167 in the company on Jan. 24, 1996 — the same day he spoke at a luncheon that Leininger attended. Later that day, an investment firm bought 2.2 million shares of Kinetic Concepts stock, driving up its price. Perry sold his Kinetic Concepts holdings a month later for a $38,382 profit. Leininger and Perry acknowledged they spoke at the luncheon but denied discussing the stock.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003EJust a terribly fortunate coincidence? Back in 1997, Wendy Gramm also (coincidentally) had ties to Leininger’s company. Gramm earned a miniscule $25,000 a year as a member of the Kinetic Concepts board of directors. She also held stock options in the company when Kinetic Concepts Inc. agreed to sell most of the company to two San Francisco investor firms in a deal worth $850 million to $875 million. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EIt is no exaggeration to say that Rick Perry owes a lot to Leninger. There is the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/info.tpj.org\/reports\/pdf\/PerryLeiningerHeavenlyHost.pdf\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003Enew report\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E issued by \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.tpj.org\/\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003ETexans for Public Justice\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E, a money-and-politics watchdog group.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EPerry might never have been governor — nor now be a presidential candidate — but for James Leininger. In a game-changing 1998 race then-Texas Agriculture Commissioner Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor. That victory secured Perry’s automatic promotion to governor two years later when President-Elect Bush abandoned the Governor’s Mansion. Perry narrowly won his fateful 1998 race against Democrat John Sharp, capturing just 50.04 percent of the vote. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EThis squeaker victory was secured by an eleventh-hour media blitz that Perry paid for with a last-minute, $1.1 million loan. Leininger and two other Texas tycoons guaranteed the loan, which supplied more than 10 percent of the $10.3 million that Perry raised for that election. Leininger’s family and company PAC contributed $62,500 to that Perry campaign. Leininger also was the No. 1 contributor at the time to the Texas Republican Party (then chaired by former Leininger employee Susan Weddington), which sank $82,760 into that Perry campaign. “I congratulate Leininger,” Perry opponent John Sharp said at the time. “He wanted to buy the reins of state government. And by God, he got them.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003EThrough the TPPF, Leininger has used his wealth to promote his own conservative-religious agenda in a variety of ways. Karen Olsson writes in Texas Monthly, Leininger  was the driving force back in 2002 to influence the Texas Board of Education to re-write school textbooks.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E... TPPF aimed to influence policy by publishing research reports on state issues; its early preoccupations mirrored several of Leininger's own: tort reform, vouchers, and reduced government. Working in tandem with the new SBOE [State Board of Education] members, the TPPF began objecting to textbook material deemed liberally slanted or morally suspect. The Legislature retaliated in 1995, forbidding the SBOE to question any aspect of textbook content other than \"factual errors.\" Despite the restriction, the TPPF continued to analyze proposed books, hiring researchers to ferret out errors both of fact and of insufficient patriotism. Last winter the group helped bat down an environmental-science textbook (in large part because of a poorly written sentence linking democracy to pollution); this summer it criticized proposed social science and history textbooks for failing to disavow socialism.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EWhile the TPPF’s involvement in Texas textbooks may seem like a very narrow agenda, its policy interests, in fact, are wide-ranging, covering many conservative causes.  \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.leftofcollegestation.com\/2011\/05\/who-is-texas-public-policy-foundation.html\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003ETeddy Wilson, progressive political activist and blogger notes:\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EThe TPPF supports the predictable conservative line on a whole host of issues. The TPPF \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.texaspolicy.com\/pdf\/2011-ClimateScience-CEE.pdf\"\u003Edisputes the scientific evidence\u003C\/a\u003E of climate changes and claims that the “scientific consensus has never been as broad as proclaimed,” and the compromised emails of climate scientists showed “data manipulation and fundamental errors now discredit a once broadly accepted body of science.” The “private sector can bring innovation and competition to the criminal justice system” is how the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.texaspolicy.com\/pdf\/2008-LegeEntry-PrivateSectorPublicSafety-ml.pdf\"\u003ETPPF frames its advocacy\u003C\/a\u003E of the private prison industry, despite that there has been \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2011\/05\/19\/us\/19prisons.html\"\u003Eno evidence to support\u003C\/a\u003E that the privatization of the prison industry has provided any public savings. The TPPF even has an entire center dedicate to “\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.texaspolicy.com\/publications.php?cat_level=315\"\u003ETenth Amendment Studies\u003C\/a\u003E,” which is a favorite Constitutional Amendment among the Tea Party faithful.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EIf any of this sounds depressingly familiar, then there’s a good good reason.  Two long time supporters of TPPF are foundations associated with Koch Industries (Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation and Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation) which contributed  \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/usa\/en\/campaigns\/global-warming-and-energy\/polluterwatch\/koch-industries\/texas-public-policy-foundation\/\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003Econtributing $383,125 in 2005-2009\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E and nearly a half million dollars between 1997 and 2009.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-vKrUeFASjzU\/Tq67cjXuZmI\/AAAAAAAAD6c\/MQYCqDRDeIo\/s1600\/PERRYX390.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-vKrUeFASjzU\/Tq67cjXuZmI\/AAAAAAAAD6c\/MQYCqDRDeIo\/s320\/PERRYX390.jpg\" height=\"233\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003ERick Perry’s Wrong Approach\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003EIn Perry’s campaign book, Fed Up! the governor  says that he knows of no other organization that is better positioned than Texas Public Policy Foundation to help “foster a national conversation” about “the proper role of government in our lives.\" \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EHowever, last May, TPPF  might have pushed its agenda a bit too hard. Its attempts to influence educational policy created quite a controversy. Seven breakthrough solutions to problems with the Texas’ high educational system were drafted by TPPF in its think-tank capacity, and promoted by Governor Perry.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EIt did not go over as well as expected. In response,  five A\u0026amp;M faculty members from various disciplines drafted a letter to Richard Box, the chairman of the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.texastribune.org\/texas-education\/texas-am-university-system\/\"\u003ETexas A\u0026amp;M University System\u003C\/a\u003E Board of Regents, laying out their concern regarding the lack of transparency in the board's apparent intention to implement seven proposed \"breakthrough solutions\" promoted by the TPPF.  The seven recommendations advocated “\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/7solutionsresponse.org\/index.php?unit=introduction\"\u003Ea business-style, market-driven approach under which colleges and universities would treat students as customers, de-emphasize research that isn't immediately lucrative, and evaluate individual faculty by the tuition revenue they generate.”\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EWithin a few days of the letter being posted online, more than 530 faculty members had added their names. The A\u0026amp;M Chancellor \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.texastribune.org\/texas-education\/mike-mckinney\/\"\u003EMike McKinney\u003C\/a\u003E eventually resigned.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003EAll this is rather ironic of course since Wendy Gramm served on the board of Regents from 2001 to 2007, (as mentioned in Part 1) and serves as chairman in TPPF. Coincidence can quickly be discounted.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/7solutionsresponse.org\/index.php?unit=introduction\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EA concise assessment of TPPF’s market-oriented recommendations makes a fine case for rejection.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EPut simply, this is the wrong approach... the classroom is not a marketplace. The proposals reviewed here will not promote effective learning or the responsible use of resources inside a laboratory, library or seminar room. The University of Texas at Austin's bottom line is to provide a first-class education while spending our resources responsibly and efficiently. Separating those two goals is like separating research from teaching: it serves the wrong bottom line. Similarly, treating students as customers, offering them a \"product\" designed to win positive reviews and then rewarding the most popular instructors will neither challenge students in meaningful ways nor foster the deep learning and skills they will need throughout life.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"background-color: transparent; clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/americancollegecricket.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/TexasAM1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/americancollegecricket.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/TexasAM1.jpg\" height=\"170\" width=\"200\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003EMany feel the Perry’s close association with TPPF has damaged the university. This is turn has damaged the governor’s image. He would have Wendy Gramm, its chairman, to thank for that.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.theeagle.com\/editorial\/Gov--Perry-is-doing-irreparable-harm-to-A-amp-amp-M2011-05-22T14-07-13\" style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EAs the editors of The Eagle Bryan-College Station remark:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003ETexas A\u0026amp;M University has the support of its former students that is the envy of many universities. Aggies love their alma mater and it shows in\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003Emany ways. One Aggie, however, should love his school less and, in fact, should stay out of its business. Gov. Rick Perry's obsession and interference in A\u0026amp;M has caused great harm, damage some observers feel could take a generation to undo. From his appointment of regents with greater fealty to him than to the university system they are supposed to represent to his constant meddling in the day-to-day operations of the flagship university to his infatuation with the Texas Public Policy Foundation -- an ultraconservative think tank that seeks to insinuate itself into every corner of state government -- Perry has proven not to be a friend of A\u0026amp;M, but rather a hindrance.Never before has a governor of Texas had such deadly influence on a major state university, and Perry's meddling blocks the way of A\u0026amp;M's oft-stated efforts to achieve greatness.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EThe Texas Public Policy Foundation seems harmless on the surface, with its stated goals of limited government, individual liberties, free markets, personal responsibility and private property rights. Most Texans probably would subscribe to those goals. Dig below the surface, however, and you see just how radical its efforts are.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EFounded by arch-conservative physician James Leininger, the foundation board is chaired by Wendy Gramm, former Texas A\u0026amp;M regent and wife of former Sen. Phil Gramm. Current Regent Phil Adams of Bryan is a board member, a clear conflict of interest to his responsibilities to A\u0026amp;M.The foundations website says, \"The public is demanding a different direction for their government, and the Texas Public Policy Foundation is providing the ideas that enable policymakers to chart that new course.\"\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EUnfortunately, thanks to Perry's influence, those ideas become mandates, without discussion and input from the people of this great state....Perry has been in thrall to the Texas Public Policy Foundation and its backers since he began accepting generous contributions from them in his first statewide race. Texas cannot, however, be run by contribution and those most able to spend big bucks to help buy elections, no matter which side of the political spectrum they are on.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EA\u0026amp;M is well on its way to achieving greatness. It would be a shame to let Rick Perry and his cohorts derail that with their interference.Rick Perry can love Texas A\u0026amp;M more by meddling less -- preferably not at all. Beyond appointing the best regents he can find -- no matter who they contributed to in the last gubernatorial election -- and attending football games at Kyle Field, Perry should leave A\u0026amp;M alone.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"background-color: transparent; clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"background-color: transparent; clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"background-color: transparent; clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"background-color: transparent; clear: both; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\"Rick Perry Phil Gramm Nexus\" border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-xvxAkbXGbtM\/TrEb5HcziLI\/AAAAAAAAD7g\/YD0uIzYlm9Y\/s640\/sNkjs2BorC3C24cnhpXEbtg.png\" height=\"288\" width=\"590\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/drawings\/pub?id=1m8omJfO2IDgD_kIyL9oel8vID3RfyD9AtTtG6uuM5d4\u0026amp;w=1577\u0026amp;h=708\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EA graph of the relationships mentioned in the posts.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EEpilogue\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"background-color: transparent; clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.mindfully.org\/Reform\/Glass-Steagall-Act1933.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/www.mindfully.org\/Reform\/Glass-Steagall-Act1933.jpg\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003EIn researching and writing this post, I was astonished at how much harm two people can do to the country. One would think that our system would be stronger than that.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003EThat our long established system of checks and balances would prevent people like the Gramms from ever inflicting too great a harm to the nation. But then the underlying purpose of all the de-regulation that the Republicans have called for (and have achieved) is really just a means to an end, a method of abolishing the safety checks that had, for the most part, protected our institutions. Once those have been removed, anything is possible. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EEven this list of all of the misdeeds of Mr. and Mrs. Gramm, as comprehensive as it might seem, is partial. Still I should think this is enough information about Perry and the friends of Rick for most intelligent voters to help them decide who the governor of Texas owes his allegiance to.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;\"\u003EI began this investigation with a quote from the first president of the United States and I shall end it with two quotes by its fourth, James Madison.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E“All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EAnd this is especially true when those that wield the power are partially hidden behind masks and puppets. When it comes to peoples like the Gramms- whose working relationship with a presidential candidate is not only acknowledged but applauded- it is simply not possible to be as vigilant as necessary.  Since justice has apparently failed- not once but repeatedly in this case, the only option is to make sure than any candidate connected with such people is not elected to high office. We literally cannot afford it. \u003C\/span\u003ENow is the time to make sure that Perry doesn't come any closer to the White House than he is at this minute.  \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EWhen reflecting on the various attempts by Phil and Wendy Gramm to by-pass, ignore or remove the regulatory powers of our government to protect its citizens, it is helpful to recall this other quote by Madison:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E“If men were angels no government would be necessary” \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003EAnd when you are dealing with a pair like the Gramms (along with so many other less-than- angelic types), it's all the more reason that we need \u003Cb\u003Emore\u003C\/b\u003E regulations in place, not less. Ironically, despite having waved the flags of deregulation at every opportunity, \u003C\/span\u003EMr. and Mrs. Gramm themselves provide the best proof of the necessity, the vital importance of having tight regulations and the power to punish those that violate them. \n\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E---------------------------------------\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/home?status=Currently%20reading%20%3C?php%20the_permalink();%20?%3E\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Be Sweet and Please Re-Tweet\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EBe Sweet- Please Re-tweet\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"zemanta-pixie\" style=\"height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cimg alt=\"\" class=\"zemanta-pixie-img\" src=\"http:\/\/img.zemanta.com\/pixy.gif?x-id=c860359d-a15b-4691-9089-7fe62828816b\" style=\"border: none; float: right;\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/407281054887604200\/posts\/default\/913685607620581281"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/407281054887604200\/posts\/default\/913685607620581281"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/nomadicpolitics.blogspot.com\/2012\/01\/friends-of-rick-perry-mr-and-mrs-gramm_07.html","title":"Mr. and Mrs. Gramm: The Dark and Disturbing Friends of Rick Perry 4\/4"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Nomad"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/03686282358562565742"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-6OYJYld6tmk\/Ut4nXGqSHGI\/AAAAAAAAFts\/6Jh3Gwt27hI\/s72-c\/coffee-creek_koch-industries1.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407281054887604200.post-916226717984576435"},"published":{"$t":"2012-01-04T17:58:00.000+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-11-18T10:18:46.160+03:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"FEMA"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"hurricane katrina"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"joe allbaugh"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Nomad"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rick Perry friends"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Joseph Allbaugh- The Dark and Disturbing Friends of Rick Perry"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ch2 style=\"background-color: #bdbdbd; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;trebuchet ms\u0026quot; , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal;\"\u003Eby Nomad\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-tLnxJLn5OcE\/U1t9TB7nq3I\/AAAAAAAAG1E\/8kMG4msBjS4\/s1600\/Perry-Allbaugh.JPG\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"auto\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-tLnxJLn5OcE\/U1t9TB7nq3I\/AAAAAAAAG1E\/8kMG4msBjS4\/s640\/Perry-Allbaugh.JPG\" width=\"80%\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb style=\"font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E \u003Cb style=\"font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;\"\u003EThe career of Joseph Allbaugh is one of those journalist's treasure troves. This post is a little long but offers more thrills of discovery than any Indiana Jones film.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003E\u003Cb style=\"background-color: #cccccc;\"\u003EI \u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003Esaw this announcement the other day.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EOctober 24th, 2011 - Texas Gov. \u003Ca class=\"zem_slink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.governor.state.tx.us\/\" rel=\"homepage\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Rick Perry\"\u003ERick Perry\u003C\/a\u003E added substantial political firepower to his presidential campaign Monday by hiring several seasoned GOP operatives. The Perry team announced Monday that \u003Cb\u003EJoe Allbaugh,\u003C\/b\u003E who managed George W. Bush's \u003Ca class=\"zem_slink\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_States_presidential_election%2C_2000\" rel=\"wikipedia\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"United States presidential election, 2000\"\u003E2000 presidential campaign\u003C\/a\u003E, would be joining the campaign. \"I am honored to have these experienced professionals joining our growing campaign team,\" Perry said in a statement. \u003Cb\u003E\"These experienced advisors will play an instrumental role in helping me share my vision to get America working again with the nation, and I am proud to have their support as our campaign expands.\"\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\nIf anybody needed any more proof that Texas Governor and presidential candidate Rick Perry is a clone (wearing a wrinkly mask and a crisp wig) of former Texas Governor and President George W. Bush, then this latest news is it.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nIn response to the news above, and out of a sense of patriotic duty, I decided to take a closer look at this new addition to the Perry family and see what I could learn. You probably may not be too surprised to find out that Allbaugh doesn’t pass the “smell” test.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nNot one bit.\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ca name='more'\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EJoe M. Allbaugh’s career in politics began when he served as Executive Assistant to Governor Bush from January 1995 through June 1999. After this, he devoted his energies to Bush’s presidential election campaign in 2000. It’s worth mentioning that, If \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.texasmonthly.com\/blogs\/burkablog\/?p=11143\"\u003Ethe story that Paul Burka, senior executive editor for Texas Monthly,\u003C\/a\u003E tells is accurate, then Allbaugh and Karl Rove are not the best of friends.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\nAllbaugh is one of the few Bushies who supports Perry. There was never much love lost between Allbaugh and Rove, even when they were on the same team. I remember the 1998 Texas Association of Taxpayers meeting, when Bush was running for reelection as governor. Rove was on the panel, as was I, and he blurted out, “The governor’s race is over. It’s all about 2000 now.” Well, that wasn’t the official Bush line at all. Nobody was supposed to talk about 2000. Allbaugh was furious.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EEven prior to the \u003Ca class=\"zem_slink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt1240989\/\" rel=\"imdb\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (TV series)\"\u003Erace for the White House\u003C\/a\u003E, Allbaugh while still in his position in Texas, became embroiled in a scandal that would be known as \u003Cb\u003EFuneral-gate\u003C\/b\u003E or, even odder, \u003Cb\u003EFormalde-gate\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com\/gadgets\/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2Fgraphics.nytimes.com%2Fimages%2Fpromos%2Fpolitics%2Fblog%2Fallbaughforrudy.jpg\u0026amp;container=blogger\u0026amp;gadget=a\u0026amp;rewriteMime=image%2F*\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/graphics.nytimes.com\/images\/promos\/politics\/blog\/allbaughforrudy.jpg\" height=\"auto\" width=\"80%\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cu style=\"color: red; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;verdana\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cu\u003EOver Your Dead Body\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EAllbaugh, as Chief of Staff in the Governor’s office, has the dubious honor of being involved in the first of George W. Bush’s political scandals. \u003Cb\u003ERobert Waltrip\u003C\/b\u003E, a generous donor of $45,000 to the governor's 1994 reelection campaign to Bush’s campaign for governor and a friend of the family, has been called “funeral baron.”\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EHis corporation, \u003Cb\u003EService Corporation International\u003C\/b\u003E (SCI), has grown to become \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/North_America\"\u003ENorth America’s\u003C\/a\u003E largest provider of end-of-life arrangements and services. By the late 1990s, SCI owned and operated 3,823 funeral service locations, 525 \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cemeteries\"\u003Ecemeteries\u003C\/a\u003E, 198 crematoria and two insurance operations located in 20 countries on five continents. Disposing of the dead is a really big business for Waltrip. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Ctable cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.apfn.net\/messageboard\/10-26-03\/pols.funeral.2.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/www.apfn.net\/messageboard\/10-26-03\/pols.funeral.2.jpg\" height=\"200\" width=\"144\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: small;\"\u003ERobert Waltrip\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHowever, the funeral business, it might surprise you to learn, is a highly competitive one. Sometimes corners must be cut. If done carefully, who’s going to know? Waltrip found himself in a tight spot when Eliza May—a director with the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Texas_Funeral_Service_Commission\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;redlink=1\"\u003ETexas Funeral Service Commission\u003C\/a\u003E (TFSC) which regulates the state's funeral industry, began investigating SCI after receiving complaints about unlicensed embalmers being used.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EApparently, Waltrip feared the investigation might lead to revealing some particularly damaging information- which later came out anyway.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe details of some of the complaints are gruesome so I won’t disturb your night’s sleep by revealing them. Suffice it to say, it involves \u003Cb\u003Egnats, oozing fluids and bad odors\u003C\/b\u003E. It was charged that Bush helped Waltrip block this investigation and May was pressured by Allbaugh to end her investigation. When she refused to back down, she was fired.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EThe reasons for her ouster officially were due to other members of her staff losing confidence in her and because she allegedly ordered an employee to research SCI's political contributions to Bush and other elected officials.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EMs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EMay initiated a whistle-blowers lawsuit, stating that she had been wrongfully terminated in an obstruction of her investigation of SCI, which had led to $450,000 in fines for the alleged licensing violations. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/wp-srv\/politics\/campaigns\/wh2000\/stories\/texas083199.htm\" style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EIn contesting that decision in court,\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\nWaltrip... has acknowledged complaining to Bush aides. But Waltrip's lawyers said he did not speak with Bush.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EThat statement does not exactly tie in with \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.realchange.org\/bushaffi.pdf\"\u003EBush’s own affidavit\u003C\/a\u003E ( a single page) regarding a key meeting held in Allbaugh’s office with SCI executives and TFSC, including May. By his own admission, he said he dropped in on a meeting between Waltrip and Allbaugh, for a quick social visit and couldn't remember what he said. According to Newsweek, Bush stopped by and said to Waltrip, \u003Cb\u003E“Hey, Bobby, are those people still messing with you?”\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn any case, the whole matter threatened to unravel Bush’s presidential campaign when May’s lawyer requested a subpoena for George Bush to testify as to what he said and what he did. That was promptly rejected on August 31, 1999, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/wp-srv\/politics\/campaigns\/wh2000\/stories\/texas083199.htm\"\u003Eaccording to this Washington Post article:\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\nA Texas judge ruled today that Gov. George W. Bush cannot be forced to testify in a lawsuit by an ousted state regulatory official who contends she was fired for investigating a funeral home company headed by a Bush political supporter. Sparing Bush what might have been a nagging distraction during his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, state Judge John K. Dietz said the former official, Eliza May, a Democrat, had not produced enough evidence to show that Bush has \"unique and superior personal knowledge\" that would aid her case. Dietz threw out a subpoena issued by May's lawyers for Bush to give a deposition in the lawsuit.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-family: \u0026quot;verdana\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cu\u003EIn The Nick of Time\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\nIn November of 2001, Governor Rick Perry approved a settlement of $210,000 in May's lawsuit. SCI was to pay $55,000 and the balance by the state of Texas. May's attorney, Derek Howard, said any terms of agreement were to be confidential and he could not elaborate under the terms in which the state did not admit to any wrongdoings.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/news.google.com\/newspapers?nid=1298\u0026amp;dat=20011221\u0026amp;id=1C0zAAAAIBAJ\u0026amp;sjid=RAgGAAAAIBAJ\u0026amp;pg=2269,5357654\"\u003EIt was fortunate timing indeed because only weeks later, funeral home violations became very big news when on December 20, 2001\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\nFORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Attorneys suing a cemetery company accused of recycling graves showed grisly photos and video footage Thursday of crushed burial vaults and human remains discarded in the woods. They also presented internal documents they say show Menorah Gardens \u0026amp; Funeral Chapels in West Palm Beach and its owner, Houston-based Service Corporation International, were aware of the grave desecrations. SCI is the world's largest cemetery company...\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\nMore than 1,000 people could become part of the class-action lawsuit, they said. \"That body that is placed to rest for eternity is now destroyed, maligned, abused,\" said attorney Ervin A. Gonzalez. SCI officials did not immediately return a call Thursday but said Wednesday that they had no knowledge of any wrongdoing. \u003Cb\u003EThe state attorney general's office is investigating Menorah Gardens and four other South Florida cemeteries owned by SCI. A videotape and photos taken by private investigators showed a leg bone beside chunks of a concrete vault, in which coffins are placed. They also show Jewish burial shrouds, and a Star of David next to finger bones. A former cemetery worker led investigators to the remains, attorneys said.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EFamilies of the SCI clients stated that their loved ones were removed from burial sites, and dumped in the nearby woods, buried in the wrong vaults or in an unsuitable disrespectful manner.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EEventually, the Florida case was settled, costing SCI $100 million. Subsequently, other investigations uncovered more violations by the corporation in Virginia and Maryland, leading to more lawsuits.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/media.washtimes.com\/media\/image\/2011\/09\/22\/20110922-211629-pic-130257439_s160x224.jpg?6e584eff1fced18010a8b135df4917f232bba27c\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/media.washtimes.com\/media\/image\/2011\/09\/22\/20110922-211629-pic-130257439_s160x224.jpg?6e584eff1fced18010a8b135df4917f232bba27c\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003EHowever, prior to that, back On February 13, 2001, Allbaugh had been called upon to answer a few questions from Senator Joseph Lieberman in his FEMA confirmation hearings. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003ESen. Lieberman: \u003C\/b\u003EMr. Allbaugh, I think you know there's a lawsuit in Texas which has raised some controversy and questions which some have directed toward your nomination. And I wanted to ask you some questions about it here. I know that the committee has asked you some before the hearing and I appreciate your cooperation in answering those but I think it's important to get some questions and answers on the record.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\nFor the record, as I'm sure you know a lawsuit is pending in Texas regarding an investigation by the Texas Funeral Services Commission into the activities of a major funeral home corporation called Service Corporation International -SCI. The lawsuit alleges that the executive director of the funeral commission Ms. Eliza May was wrongfully terminated because of her role in the investigation of SCI -the funeral corporation. Some of the allegations in this lawsuit involve incidents that occurred during meetings and conversations in which you were involved as Governor Bush's chief of staff. I want to ask you a few questions about that now and I'm going to be as, as direct as possible. Did you ever try as is alleged to stop the Funeral Service Commission investigation of SCI and its related entities from going forward?\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003EMr. Allbaugh\u003C\/b\u003E: No sir. I did not.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\nThe rest of his testimony from Allbaugh is equally honest and equally insightful about the part Allbaugh or Bush played in allegedly obstructing the investigation. It’s really the kind of investigation we have come to inspect from the senator from Connecticut.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nLater that year on December 27, 2001, Peter Hartmann, the general manager of the Menorah Gardens Cemetery chain and subsidiary of SCI, was found dead in the garage of his parents' Boca Raton home, apparently from carbon monoxide poisoning. A car was running, police said, and the garage was full of smoke.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nIncidentally, after Allbaugh had come and gone in his role as head of FEMA, that same agency would use the services of Kenyon International, an SCI subsidiary, to set up a mobile morgue for handling bodies in Baton Rouge, Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina, and thus, outsource handling of Katrina victims' bodies.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\nThere’s no such thing as a coincidence.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com\/gadgets\/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F_sZ-HtnjiVcw%2FStdrIFxHLjI%2FAAAAAAAAAKA%2FaXSxgDy3Oic%2Fs320%2Fhurricane-katrina-victims-04.jpg\u0026amp;container=blogger\u0026amp;gadget=a\u0026amp;rewriteMime=image%2F*\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"display: inline; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"auto\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/_sZ-HtnjiVcw\/StdrIFxHLjI\/AAAAAAAAAKA\/aXSxgDy3Oic\/s640\/hurricane-katrina-victims-04.jpg\" width=\"80%\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-family: \u0026quot;verdana\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EKatrina- Warnings and Opportunities\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\nAlthough Allbaugh resigned as head of FEMA in March of 2003, for anybody searching for the root cause of the Bush administration’s slow, negligent response to Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, one good place to start might be with Allbaugh.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nIf nothing else, this man epitomized the prevailing attitude of many Bush appointees. In a classic example of cronyism under President George W. Bush, Allbaugh was nominated to head FEMA \u003Ci\u003Edespite the fact that he had had no previous experience running a federal agency and no experience in disaster management.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis in itself should not automatically eliminate any candidate for an important post, of course. However, more concerning was the general disposition of the appointee. Under Allbaugh, there existed a certain mindset, a kind of attitude that should have disqualified this particular man from leading an agency whose mission is to provide relief in emergencies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EA Washington Post article, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.reviewjournal.com\/lvrj_home\/2001\/Apr-28-Sat-2001\/opinion\/15956167.html\"\u003EThe Emergency Freight Train, dated April 25, 2001:\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\nFEDERAL EMERGENCY Management Agency Director Joe Allbaugh suggested this week that the Bush administration might favor a limit on emergency aid to people and communities that rely too readily on federal generosity to protect them against recurring floods and other natural disasters. \u003Cb\u003E\"The question is how many times the American taxpayer has to step in and take care of this flooding, which could be easily prevented by building levees and dikes,\" he said of communities that, confident of federal aid, have taken too few steps to protect themselves.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EThis position was underlined by remarks made by Allbaugh a month later (May 2001) before a Senate appropriations subcommittee, \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\nMany are concerned that federal disaster assistance may have evolved into both an oversized entitlement program and a disincentive to effective state and local risk management.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EIn light of this attitude, the Bush administration’s budget priorities were adjusted accordingly. In May 2001, FEMA became a part of Homeland Security and thus, was therefore forced to compete with other agencies for funding. Predictably, funding for FEMA gradually dried up, leaving the agency unprepared and understaffed. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.msnbc.msn.com\/id\/9460436\/ns\/us_news-katrina_the_long_road_back\/t\/fema-budget-so-complex-it-defies-consensus\/#.Togmqo8r2so\"\u003EAccording to an MSNBC report: \u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\nIn FEMA's last budget year as an independent agency, 2001, it had a budget of $4.4 billion. Adam Hughes of OMB Watch, a nonprofit research, educational, and advocacy organization that focuses on budget issues, regulatory policy, nonprofit advocacy, access to government, estimated FEMA funding other than emergency spending declined 10 percent since the agency joined Homeland Security.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EBy the time Allbaugh resigned, FEMA was a shell of the agency it had formerly been. But it wasn’t through neglect, it was policy. \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ourfuture.org\/failing-hurricane-katrina-victims\"\u003EOne source puts it this way:\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\nAs FEMA was shrunk, the ability to help those in need in the event of a national emergency plummeted. Hurricane Katrina shows what happens when people who disdain government are put in charge. Conservatives dismantled the government agency, hired cronies and abdicated responsibility at every level.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ourfuture.org\/failing-hurricane-katrina-victims\"\u003EA proper critique of Allbaugh’s performance was offered in a letter to members of Congress by an experienced FEMA insider:\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\nIn June [2004], Pleasant Mann, a 16-year FEMA veteran who heads the agency's government employee union, wrote members of Congress to warn of the agency's decay. \"Over the past three-and-one-half years, FEMA has gone from being a model agency to being one where funds are being misspent, employee morale has fallen, and our nation's emergency management capability is being eroded,\" he wrote. \"Our professional staff are being systematically replaced by politically connected novices and contractors.\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003ESo when the poor and helpless were left to fend for themselves in the storms and flooding in New Orleans, it was neither unforeseen nor, for some critics, unintentional. It sent a message to those who had come to depend on the government in times of crisis. The response was a message. \u003Cb\u003EDon’t ask the government to help you. It’s not our job. If you are poor, it’s your own fault. Deal with it. \u003C\/b\u003E As we shall see, the failure to prepare and the slow reaction by FEMA served a secondary purpose as well. An exercise in the market-oriented approach. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/media.rd.com\/rd\/images\/rdc\/mag0608\/the-long-road-home-hurricane-katrina-01-af.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/media.rd.com\/rd\/images\/rdc\/mag0608\/the-long-road-home-hurricane-katrina-01-af.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"display: inline; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/media.rd.com\/rd\/images\/rdc\/mag0608\/the-long-road-home-hurricane-katrina-01-af.jpg\" height=\"auto\" width=\"80%\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-family: \u0026quot;verdana\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cu\u003ECashing In On Misery\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"font-family: inherit; text-align: left;\"\u003EWhen it comes to entitlement programs for the wealthy, Allbaugh seems to have \u003Cu\u003Eno\u003C\/u\u003E problem with it whatsoever. Following the Hurricane Katrina disaster, Allbaugh who had left FEMA by this time, was in Louisiana, “\"helping coordinate the private-sector response to the storm.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"font-family: inherit; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.nationalcorruptionindex.org\/pages\/profile.php?profile_id=57\"\u003EAs one source notes:\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\nIn 2003, just before leaving office, Allbaugh arranged an extraordinary, but little known boon for a Friend Of George (FOG). He delivered a sole source $146 million contract for the nation’s emergency water supply, the first of its kind, to a Georgia family firm named Lipsey, with no emergency water delivery experience and only 14 employees. The Lipsey family however, is also the nation’s 2nd largest gun wholesaler, a major GOP fundraiser, and head of both the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation and the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EIt’s not as though nobody had expected the disaster in New Orleans. Quite the contrary. Here are two examples cited by Wikipedia. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\nIn 2001, the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Houston_Chronicle\"\u003EHouston Chronicle\u003C\/a\u003E published a story which predicted that a severe hurricane striking New Orleans, \u003Cb\u003E\"would strand 250,000 people or more, and probably kill one of 10 left behind as the city drowned under 20 feet (6.1 m) of water. Thousands of refugees could land in Houston.\"\u003C\/b\u003E \u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\nIn 2002, the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Times_Picayune\"\u003ETimes Picayune\u003C\/a\u003E published a feature covering various scenarios, including a Category 5 hurricane hitting the city from the south. The series also explored the various environmental changes that have increased the area's vulnerability. One article in the series concluded that hundreds of thousands would be left homeless, and it would take months to dry out the area and begin to make it liveable. But there wouldn't be much for residents to come home to. The local economy would be in ruins.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EFEMA, itself in early 2001, rated the flooding of New Orleans as one of its top three disasters likely to occur. For some in the Bush administration, waiting for the inevitable calamity was a more lucrative approach that preparation and prevention. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\nWhen Hurricane Katrina hit two years later, at New Orleans’ Convention Center alone, nearly twenty thousand people went without water for up to four days, followed by conflicting official explanations. \u003Cb\u003EA Congressional committee found that Lipsey had overcharged the government at least $8 million for the work.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EAnd this was by no means an isolated example. That kind of contractor corruption was to take on an entirely new dimension and scale after Allbaugh left FEMA and became a lobbyist and consultant, making good use of his contacts inside the Bush administration.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.nwlaborpress.org\/2005\/10-7-05DavisBacon.html\"\u003EAs the Northwest Labor Press reports:\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\nThe federal government is poised to spend more than $50 billion to rebuild areas destroyed by the hurricane, particularly in the city of New Orleans. Some of the first large-scale relief and recovery contracts were awarded on a no-bid basis to corporations with strong ties to the Bush Administration and the Republican Party,(emphasis mine) according to news stories in the Wall Street Journal and other media. The no-bid deals include $100 million contracts to the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?sa=t\u0026amp;rct=j\u0026amp;q=\u0026amp;esrc=s\u0026amp;source=web\u0026amp;cd=1\u0026amp;cad=rja\u0026amp;uact=8\u0026amp;ved=0CB4QFjAA\u0026amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fluor.com%2F\u0026amp;ei=0BX2U6f9MMeo0QXs3ID4CQ\u0026amp;usg=AFQjCNErlFcJ5cbw_HCnNexsaz58YbawWw\u0026amp;sig2=HhamXkOGShlOFnY2wDSpwQ\u0026amp;bvm=bv.73231344,d.d2k\"\u003EFluor Corp\u003C\/a\u003E., a major donor to the GOP, and the Shaw Group, which is a client of \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Joe_Allbaugh\"\u003EJoe M. Allbaugh\u003C\/a\u003E, President Bush’s campaign manager in 2000 and the former director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Meanwhile, Halliburton Co. subsidiary Kellogg, Brown \u0026amp; Root Services received a $29.8 million clean-up contract, while Halliburton, formerly run by Vice President Dick Cheney, is doing repair work at three Navy facilities in Mississippi under an existing contract.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EWhile arranging sweet-heart deals for his friends through no-bid contracts, George Bush used the disaster to strike a blow against union construction worker from cashing in on the Katrina disaster. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\nAt the urging of nearly three dozen Republican lawmakers and large contractors, Bush issued an executive order Sept. 8 suspending the Davis-Bacon Act on rebuilding projects in every county touched by Hurricane Katrina — even Miami, ...Davis-Bacon requires that federal construction contractors pay no less than the prevailing wage for each construction occupation in the local area where the work is done. By suspending the law, the president gave contractors permission to cut the pay of construction workers below the levels that prevailed before Katrina hit the area.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EWorst of all, all that low wage private sector work didn’t even lead to success. \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.isreview.org\/issues\/51\/neworleans.shtml\"\u003EAs Keeanga-Yahmatta Taylor writing for the International Socialist Review observes:\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\nThe rebuilding process in New Orleans has been \u003Ci\u003Edeliberately\u003C\/i\u003E slow, aimed at dissuading thousands of citizens from returning. A year after the disaster only 18 percent of the schools have re-opened. If the children cannot attend school then the parents cannot return. Only 17 percent of public buses are running. If there is no public transportation, in a city where the lack of private car ownership became the object of national discussion concerning the depth of poverty in New Orleans, then there are little means for poor and working people to transport themselves to any jobs that may become available. Only 60 percent of homes have electricity. While slightly better than Iraq, if basic utilities are unreliable, the prospects for returning are vastly diminished.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com\/gadgets\/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2Flatimesphoto.files.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F08%2Firaq_war_carolyn_cole181.jpg\u0026amp;container=blogger\u0026amp;gadget=a\u0026amp;rewriteMime=image%2F*\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/latimesphoto.files.wordpress.com\/2010\/08\/iraq_war_carolyn_cole181.jpg\" height=\"auto\" width=\"80%\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/latimesphoto.files.wordpress.com\/2010\/08\/iraq_war_carolyn_cole181.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-family: \u0026quot;verdana\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003ETaking Advantage: New Bridge Strategies \u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EWith the profits made through Katrina by lobbying and consulting and putting the right people in the private sector in touch with the right people in the government sector, Allbaugh expanded operations.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EWhile still in his position at FEMA, Allbaugh’s wife Diana was a lobbyist at the Republican firm of \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.sourcewatch.org\/index.php?title=Barbour_Griffith_%26_Rogers\"\u003EBarbour Griffith \u0026amp; Rogers\u003C\/a\u003E. This Washington D.C.-based public relations and lobbying company was created by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Haley_Barbour\"\u003EHaley Barbour\u003C\/a\u003E, the future governor of Mississippi, and was sold to the Interpublic Group of Companies in 1999. ( Part of the sale deal was that the name remain the same even though Barbour no longer had a financial stake in the company.) \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.powerbase.info\/index.php\/Barbour_Griffith_and_Rogers_International\"\u003EAccording to Powerbase,\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.powerbase.info\/index.php?title=Lanny_Griffith\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;redlink=1\"\u003ELanny Griffith\u003C\/a\u003E, Chief Executive Officer of Barbour, Griffith and Rogers, is a \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.powerbase.info\/index.php?title=Bush%27s_Rangers\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;redlink=1\"\u003EBush Ranger\u003C\/a\u003E having raised at least $200,000 for Bush in the 2004 presidential election. Barbour, Griffith and Rogers gave $73,603 to federal candidates in the 2006 election through its political action committee - 100% to Republicans.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.sourcewatch.org\/index.php?title=Barbour_Griffith_%26_Rogers\"\u003EIncidentally this was the same company that recently threw an elegant shindig in Wisconsin.\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\nOn March 16, 2011, BGR hosted a lavish, Washington, D.C. fundraiser for Wisconsin Republican politicians. Guests were expected to donate a minimum of $1,000 at the door. They could become \"sponsors\" by donating $2,500 or \"hosts\" by donating $5,000. Guests included Wisconsin's Senate Majority Leader \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.sourcewatch.org\/index.php?title=Scott_Fitzgerald\"\u003EScott Fitzgerald\u003C\/a\u003E and the state's Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald. The event was held just days after Republicans in Wisconsin's legislature voted 18-1 to eliminate collective bargaining rights for public employees. The vote was held with no Democrats in attendance. All five Republican members of Wisconsin's congressional delegation were invited to attend the D.C. fundraiser, along with Republican U.S. Senator Ron Johnson.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EBut let’s return to the subject of our study. Upon retiring from public service (such as it was) Allbaugh immediately managed to use the same methods applied after the natural disaster in Katrina to the man-made disaster known as the Iraq Invasion, through his consulting firm, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.allbaugh.us\/\"\u003EThe Allbaugh Company, LLC\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAfter leaving FEMA, Allbaugh and BGR Holdings LLC, previously called Barbour Griffith \u0026amp; Rogers, joined forces to create a new firm called \u003Cb\u003ENew Bridge Strategies\u003C\/b\u003E. Its stated purpose was specifically to assist clients to evaluate and take advantage of business opportunities in the Middle East following the conclusion of the U.S.-led \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.sourcewatch.org\/index.php?title=War_in_Iraq\"\u003Ewar in Iraq\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EThe question is whether BGR had already been working with Allbaugh - through his wife- prior to his leaving office. (This is something that federal law has long prohibited.)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003EIt is clear, in any event, that Hurricane Katrina, with the relief efforts and the clean-up operation, had enriched BGR by delivering many hundreds of millions in contracts for its clients, including $568 million for Florida firm\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ashbritt.com\/\"\u003EAsh-Britt\u003C\/a\u003E, one of \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.nationalcorruptionindex.org\/pages\/profile.php?profile_id=229\"\u003EJeb Bush’s\u003C\/a\u003E big fans. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E All very sad but he is at least fortunate not to have to depend on government entitlement programs. The firm was also handicapped by the rather obvious fact that no company wanted to do business in such an unsafe, unstable and politically volatile environment.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EAllbaugh and his partners seemed blinded by all that need and desperation following the bombing, the looting, the chaos and the lawlessness. For them it was the opportunity of a lifetime.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E This quote comes from an article by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/ac2\/wp-dyn\/A30907-2003Oct1?language=printer\"\u003EThomas B. Edsall and Juliet Eilperin; Washington Post; Thursday, October 2, 2003;\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\"Getting the rights to distribute \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.sourcewatch.org\/index.php?title=Procter_%26_Gamble\"\u003EProcter \u0026amp; Gamble\u003C\/a\u003E products would be a gold mine,\" said one of the partners at New Bridge who did not want to be named. \u003Cb\u003E\"One well-stocked 7-Eleven could knock out 30 Iraqi stores; a Wal-Mart could take over the country,\"\u003C\/b\u003E he said.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E Allbaugh defended himself and his company against charges of exploitation by telling critics that he was merely bringing capitalism to the desperate people of the Middle East. It should have been the expected response, the same denial of any moral responsibility was a very common feature in the Bush administration.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nwidth \u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EFor Allbaugh, using the market-oriented approach to disaster simply means exploiting those in need, those who cannot bargain or find other means of relief. It has no place in government as the results of Allbaugh’s efforts clearly demonstrate. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGiven this (incomplete) list of Allbaugh “accomplishments,” any clear-thinking intelligent candidate for president would have smiled politely and closed the door -with a click- upon the suggestion of having Allbaugh take any part in his campaign. A candidate would have felt lucky to have avoided that kind of campaign destroying revelation in the primary season.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut then, perhaps intelligent thinking has nothing to do with the Perry campaign for president.As a voter in the next election, of course, it will be your duty to do the intelligent thinking, because someday, whether you expect it or not, the day might come when the future president Perry decides that the private -sector market-oriented approach will be the best governmental solution to your own particular brand of misfortune.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E--------------------------------------\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EUpdate:\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EA tip of my top hat to HonestyinGov for a link to the amusing and enlightening Rolling Stone article on Perry \" Rick Perry: The Best Little Whore In Texas \" It can be found by clicking \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/politics\/news\/rick-perry-the-best-little-whore-in-texas-20111026\"\u003EHERE\u003C\/a\u003E. And special thanks to KOA for allowing me a chance to read it too.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/407281054887604200\/posts\/default\/916226717984576435"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/407281054887604200\/posts\/default\/916226717984576435"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/nomadicpolitics.blogspot.com\/2012\/01\/joseph-allbaugh-dark-and-disturbing.html","title":"Joseph Allbaugh- The Dark and Disturbing Friends of Rick Perry"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Nomad"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/03686282358562565742"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-tLnxJLn5OcE\/U1t9TB7nq3I\/AAAAAAAAG1E\/8kMG4msBjS4\/s72-c\/Perry-Allbaugh.JPG","height":"72","width":"72"}}]}});