Bush lifts wage rules for Katrina

[Roland99]

President signs executive order allowing contractors to pay below prevailing wage in affected areas.
http://cnnmoney.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=Bush%2Ballows%2BKatrina%2Bcontractors%2Bto%2Bpay%2Bbelow%2Bprevailing%2Bwage%2B-%2BSep.%2B8%2C%2B2005&expire=&urlID=15472857&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmoney.cnn.com%2F2005%2F09%2F08%2Fnews%2Feconomy%2Fkatrina_wages.reut%2F&partnerID=2200

President Bush issued an executive order Thursday allowing federal contractors rebuilding in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to pay below the prevailing wage.

In a notice to Congress, Bush said the hurricane had caused "a national emergency" that permits him to take such action under the 1931 Davis-Bacon Act in ravaged areas of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Bush's action came as the federal government moved to provide billions of dollars in aid, and drew rebukes from two of organized labor's biggest friends in Congress, Rep. George Miller of California and Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, both Democrats.

"The administration is using the devastation of Hurricane Katrina to cut the wages of people desperately trying to rebuild their lives and their communities," Miller said.

it's nice to see this administration supporting the people that got them into power: their corporate buddies.


"Disgusting."

[rawtribe]

1. Evil is

as evil does!

[bribri16]

58. People listen up!! WE CAN'T ALLOW THEM TO GET AWAY WITH THIS!!

So Halliburton fat cats are going to get all the big money off the top while using "real cheap labor to do all the work."

We MUST NOT let this go unseen and unknown by the American public. Blast e-mails to all the networks and your Congresspeople!

This is "Looting by Executive Order" and the accountability lay squarely at Bush's feet.

[derby378]

117. We just did

Sorry, man - all I can say is that Kerry's team shouldn't have underestimated Karl Rove in last year's campaign. Otherwise, we might not have this problem.

[liberalhistorian]

133. Unfortunately, I have to agree;

his team realized Rove's "skill" far too late in the game to do anything substantial about it. It started when they didn't come right back and hammer the Swift Boat Liars last August; instead, Kerry said he "trusted the intelligence of the American people", that they'd see through the bullshit. How naive of him. They were too damn nice until it was too fucking late.

[derby378]

139. Agreed

In the early 70s, John Kerry was the people's advocate. In 2004, he seemed like a tired has-been. I'm just glad he started finding his voice in the Senate again.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

63. ah Halliburton Cheney had a successful visit to the Gulf Coast yesterday

[classysassy]

154. The next visitors

will be the army recruiters.

[pnorman]

2. I found that earlier here on DU.

(Just before DU ground to a halt). I reposted it on my union BBS, with the following comment:

"Destroying the Davis-Bacon Act has been one of the main objectives of Bush, Cheney, & Halliburton ... from Day One. But take note: Not ONE damn word in ANY of his Executive Orders about price-gouging, market-rigging, insider bids, or any such corporate hijinks. It's ALL about creating a UNION-FREE ENVIRONMENT in the public and private sector."

pnorman

[Roland99]

4. It's obvious it's not *'s doing. He's not smart enough.

You think it's Cheney? Or maybe someone else within the admin?

[pnorman]

16. No argument there.

I don't think there's anyone here on DU who takes him for anything other than a photogenic figurehead. It's the PNAC cabal that lays out his agenda, and the Right-Religious crowd that supplies the unquestioning loyalty and muscle. If the latter were ever to realize how closely the former meets their definition of Satan-worshippers, there'll be BIG trouble.

pnorman
On edit: Given my strong belief that the American Labor Movement is very important ... it will play a vital part in the reclaiming of our Nation ... I gave it a vote for GREATEST. Consider doing the same.

[Trevelyan]

170. Nominate - This is important, let as many people as possible know

who will be affected and might not know about the alternate media.

Post paragraphs and urls of truth sites on union sites and neutral sites like AOL and Yahoo Messageboards.

:dem: :kick: :kick: :grouphug:

[Dr.Phool]

99. All you assholes down there who voted for him

He just cut your fucking paycheck!!!

No wonder Halliburton's stock went up to a 52 week high!

[sui generis]

103. I believe New Orleans voted blue

with 72% of the vote - MUCH better than the U.S. demographic and most blue states.

However the state of Louisiana voted red.

This is a hurtful thing to say.

[Twist_U_Up]

108. who knows who got the vote ......

the machines that control the vote are owned and operated by repunks.

Kerry is our President

Bush is just a squatter in the house for the time being

[VegasWolf]

136. Yes, those that voted Bush shot themselves in the foot! But hey,

at least gays can't get married.

:sarcasm:

[dweller]

3. yet, can't rollback the price of gas to pre-disaster levels ....

Wasn't Levin to introduce a bill to grant power to *moron to freeze the price of gasoline to pre-hurricane levels?

haven't heard another word about that, have you?

dp

[expatriot]

5. Here is the actual Proclamation from the WH website

Proclamation by the President: To Suspend Subchapter IV of Chapter 31 of Title 40, United States Code, Within a Limited Geographic Area in Response to the National Emergency Caused by Hurricane Katrina

An unprecedented amount of Federal assistance will be needed to restore the communities that have been ravaged by the hurricane. Accordingly, I find that the conditions caused by Hurricane Katrina constitute a "national emergency" within the meaning of section 3147 of title 40, United States Code.

I saw this on the White House website when I was at work a few hours ag.o. He justifies it because it is a "natural disaster." I wonder what the precedent for this is.

[screembloodymurder]

54. They got 70,000 complaints about gas prices.

How many complained about the reconstruction costs? The construction companies bidding on work will have to hire illegal immigrants in order to compete. The lowest price gets the job (unless you happen to be a firm with connections) and the low price is the summation of the lowest subcontractors' prices. More often than not, those subs are using illegal immigrants or temporary workers from third world countries.

[rateyes]

78. You know...

the lower wages won't lower the cost of reconstruction, either. It will just mean higher profits for the contractors---all who will make a killing....and some of them won't pay their bills....declare corporate bankruptcy, and then start over under a new corporate name. I hope LA, MISS, AL require contractors to have licenses, because GA doesn't...and, it's a damned crime the crap that SOME (not all) contractors in GA pull.

[PegDAC]

141. I wonder what the precedent for this is.

I work for the Army as a contract specialist. The Davis-Bacon Act does PERMIT the president to suspend the Davis-Bacon Act in a national emergency. It does not require it. I don't recall that Shrub did this last year when Florida was wracked by 4 hurricanes...

[jamesinca]

6. The CATO institute had an opinion piece on this

I believe it was during the first Bush administration in '91. They put out a piece on getting rid of the Davis-Bacon rule. I heard this on the Mike Malloy show tonight. They have been wanting this for a long time people.

[ribrepin]

7. Surprise, Surprise, Surprise

Even I didn't think they would pull this shit. You could get rich betting on the inhumanity of this administration.

[aquart]

15. But nobody would take the bet.

[ucmike]

123. not to brag, but i saw this coming.

its pretty obvious what cheney has been working on...disaster relief for halliburton.

[ribrepin]

125. Yes, for God's sake, take care of Halliburton

And now that Bush has signed an executive order doing away with the minimum wage law, we can bring can in mexican workers and let the people in New Orleans sit on their ass while Cheney cleans up.

The incompetent and outright thieving of this administration astounds me. More profits for Halliburton and Cheney.

[msgadget]

8. So, *which* side is taking political advantage of this disaster? -eom-

[oasis]

9. Making America a third world nation has been added to the Bush legacy.

:hurts:

[ProudDad]

10. I HATE THAT BASTARD

I don't hate many people. reagan, hitler, cheney, sensenbrenner...

But * is at the TOP of the list of all time. I have the ugly, evil system for which he's the puppet.

:nuke: :nuke:

[rooboy]

11. Time for yet another Hitler comparison.

Hitler had all sorts of public works projects (like the Autobahn) where the people earned almost nothing. Even 50 years later I would talk to Germans who'd say "yes, but he got the country working"...

If he can do it, he will do this across the nation.

[burrowowl]

14. Are slave labor

camps a la Hitler coming to the U$?

[Nihil]

17. Well ...

... it's mighty convenient that all those displaced people are being
held in camps and, seeing as how they lost their jobs, they'll be out
looking for *any* work to feed their families ... it's really handy
that the low-cost accommodation will allow them to work for these
"temporarily" reduced minimum wages ...

... just saying ...

[burrowowl]

142. Minimum wage tossed out

and the maladministration might also find it cheaper to feed then starvation rations and who knows when they die and and ....
Must have a revolution!

[1932]

12. "lifts wages" are two words that don't belong in any sentence with "Bush"

in it.

[me b zola]

13. Please! Democrats stop him!!!!!!!!!

Stop him. Stop him now.

OMG, I cannot tell you how I feel about EVERY decision that comes out of this illegitimate WH! :mad: :grr:

[jmc777]

60. Yeah sure, the Democrats will stop him....

....don't hold your breath. :eyes:

[Twist_U_Up]

18. Recommended VERY IMPORTANT

Union Ironworker here, this kicks all Unions right in the nuts

[snappyturtle]

84. I'm sorry.

This is truly sad.....I know no one who is an iron worker but I do know that that work is really putting one's life on the line and low wages do not befit it! Now we know what * and his cabal have been doing the last ten days, in addition to "licking their slimy chops"!
:mad:

[leftchick]

19. exploitation of a disaster enrich his cronies

motherfucker. This is only the beginning.

:puke:

[OKNancy]

20. kick

[glugglug]

21. Bush suspends minimum wage

Wouldn't want those refugees regaining income too quickly now!

http://money.cnn.com/2005/09/08/news/economy/katrina_wages.reut/

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

22. Not the minimum wage; the prevailing wage.

[Nostradamus]

23. the rich get richer and the poor get the picture

someone remind me when the tax cuts for the rich came into effect

[aquart]

24. No idea what that means.

[yellowcanine]

30. It means contractors don't have to pay union scale wages on federal

Katrina contracts - which otherwise they would have to do. Combined with a no-bid contract it is a contractor's wet dream.

[Boris]

160. And a customers worst nightmare

[Maraya1969]

25. What is the purpose or "justification" for that act?

And Halliburton got the contact to rebuild the levees. I'm so confused

[glugglug]

26. reduced labor costs so Haliburton can have higher profits

[1932]

31. Yep.

[aquart]

32. Law of supply and demand

With so many people desperate for work, why the HELL should anybody have to pay them a living wage?

Once again, George chooses a corporate giveaway over the American people.

[saigon68]

47. That's why "Grease Ball" Cheney was there yesterday

To set the stage of the "Halliburton Pillagers" invasion which is about to begin.

Its all about the Benjamins

[54anickel]

157. It won't be just Hellaburnin - it will be any contractor ever so remotely

connected with anything to do with recovering from Katrina. This could, and probably will, have very far-reaching consequences.

What about sub-contractors? What about the companies that supply electrical transformers, wiring and cabling, concrete?

[FighttheFuture]

107. Also further erodes the middle class in our race to the bottom and

equal among equal of third world nations!

[DBoon]

122. Screws the construction trades (unionized workers)

if a contractor must pay prevailing wages, then there is no reason NOT to hire union workers, who in the trades can be presumed to do a better job for the dollar.

Without prevailing wages, contractors will ALWAYS hire non-union, to get low bid.

[buddysmellgood]

27. Wow, He didn't have much trouble finding that order compared to these:

Here are just a few Executive Orders associated with FEMA that would suspend the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. These Executive Orders have been on record for nearly 30 years and could be enacted by the stroke of a Presidential pen:

EXECUTIVE ORDER 10990 allows the government to take over all modes of transportation and control of highways and seaports.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 10995 allows the government to seize and control the communication media.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 10997 allows the government to take over all electrical power, gas, petroleum, fuels and minerals.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 10998 allows the government to take over all food resources and farms.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 11000 allows the government to mobilize civilians into work brigades under government supervision.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 11001 allows the government to take over all health, education and welfare functions.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 11002 designates the Postmaster General to operate a national registration of all persons.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 11003 allows the government to take over all airports and aircraft, including commercial aircraft.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 11004 allows the Housing and Finance Authority to relocate communities, build new housing with public funds, designate areas to be abandoned, and establish new locations for populations.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 11005 allows the government to take over railroads, inland waterways and public storage facilities.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 11051 specifies the responsibility of the Office of Emergency Planning and gives authorization to put all Executive Orders into effect in times of increased international tensions and economic or financial crisis.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 11310 grants authority to the Department of Justice to enforce the plans set out in Executive Orders, to institute industrial support, to establish judicial and legislative liaison, to control all aliens, to operate penal and correctional institutions, and to advise and assist the President.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 11049 assigns emergency preparedness function to federal departments and agencies, consolidating 21 operative Executive Orders issued over a fifteen year period.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 11921 allows the Federal Emergency Preparedness Agency to develop plans to establish control over the mechanisms of production and distribution, of energy sources, wages, salaries, credit and the flow of money in U.S. financial institution in any undefined national emergency. It also provides that when a state of emergency is declared by the President, Congress cannot review the action for six months.

[aquart]

37. Where's the order nationalizing our energy resources?

I'd like to have that on file, too.

[Wordie]

39. Wait a minute...that last part there...is that constitutional????

>>>EXECUTIVE ORDER 11921 allows the Federal Emergency Preparedness Agency to develop plans to establish control over the mechanisms of production and distribution, of energy sources, wages, salaries, credit and the flow of money in U.S. financial institution in any undefined national emergency. It also provides that when a state of emergency is declared by the President, CONGRESS CANNOT REVIEW THE ACTION FOR SIX MONTHS (emphasis mine).

Can they DO that? Really? Very scary.

It just seems to me that the Bush administration has decided that our institutions, and Constitution, for that matter, are just Soooo inconvenient, so they just find ways around them.

[Wordie]

41. Wait a minute...that last part there...is that constitutional????

>>>EXECUTIVE ORDER 11921 allows the Federal Emergency Preparedness Agency to develop plans to establish control over the mechanisms of production and distribution, of energy sources, wages, salaries, credit and the flow of money in U.S. financial institution in any undefined national emergency. It also provides that when a state of emergency is declared by the President, CONGRESS CANNOT REVIEW THE ACTION FOR SIX MONTHS (emphasis mine).

Can they DO that? Really? Very scary.

It just seems to me that the Bush administration has decided that our institutions, and Constitution, for that matter, are just Soooo inconvenient, so they just find ways around them.

[mrdmk]

44. Signed Gerald R. Ford, figures another unelected President

link
http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/eo/eo-11921.htm

[Nothing Without Hope]

74. This list is a terrible weapon in the hands of the Bush cabal. Do you have

a link for it? I'd like to give it to other people.

All of them are steps toward one of the central goals, what John Dean calls a "constitutional dictatorship." They won't call it martial law, they'll have some Orwellian name like "Operation Safe America." And if you think they will be willing to roll back these powers, think again.

And at the slightest spinnable indication of protests around the country that could be hyped into "violence beyond the control of civil authorities," they will want to extend it. They will do what they did for Iraq - lie and spin to frighten the American people into seeing their own fellow citizens - those of lower socioeconomic means, especially those with darker skin - as the updated "terra-ists™."

They've wanted this for years. Power and greed are their two great motivators, and all along one goal has been to suspend the Constitution. They've destroyed a lot of its protections and checks already, and they will use this national tragedy to destroy as many more as they can.

[buddysmellgood]

138. Sorry for the delayed response. find it here or google any of the orders.

http://educate-yourself.org/nwo/FEMAsecretgovt1995.shtml

[Nothing Without Hope]

144. Thanks! The article here on FEMA powers and secret doings is very scary

I have great fear that the neocon cabal wants to try to use the hurricane emergency and any racial/class protests they can hype as a "justification" for suspension of the Constitution. (For example, http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1765780&mesg_id=1766896 ). Along these lines, not only the known powers of FEMA but the assertions in this in the article on the page you linked to (scroll down) caught my eye. I'm wondering if anyone here knows more about this - I found no documentation links in the article:

http://educate-yourself.org/nwo/FEMAsecretgovt1995.shtml
(snip)

HURRICANE ANDREW FOCUSED ATTENTION ON FEMA
FEMA's deceptive role really did not come to light with much of the public until Hurricane Andrew smashed into the U.S. mainland. As Russell R. Dynes, director of the Disaster Research Center of the University of Delaware, wrote in The World and I, "...The eye of the political storm hovered over the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA became a convenient target for criticism." Because FEMA was accused of dropping the ball in Florida, the media and Congress commenced to study this agency. What came out of the critical look was that FEMA was spending 12 times more for "black operations" than for disaster relief. It spent $1.3 billion building secret bunkers throughout the United States in anticipation of government disruption by foreign or domestic upheaval. Yet fewer than 20 members of Congress , only members with top security clearance, know of the $1.3 billion expenditure by FEMA for non-natural disaster situations. These few Congressional leaders state that FEMA has a "black curtain" around its operations. FEMA has worked on National Security programs since 1979, and its predecessor, the Federal Emergency Preparedness Agency, has secretly spent millions of dollars before being merged into FEMA by President Carter in 1979.

(snip)

[Nothing Without Hope]

75. This needs a thread of its own, with a link. We need this warning.

I'm quite sure now that one of the things that this is about (I think there are several) is that the neocons want more power. They've been leading up to it for years, making a quantum leap after the 9/11 attacks (which I believe were an inside job) terrified all too many Americans into believing they needed Bush's "protection" from marauding "terra-ists™", even to the point of surrendering their civil rights and allowing an immoral, baseless war. The neocons been working toward this - a stranglehold on the country and their plan for world domination - for years, as all of us know. There have already been too many steps in this direction. John Dean calls it "constitutional dictatorship" and says it is possible (this was written in 2002 and discusses what would happen after another domestic terrorist attack - but the hurricane destruction, cleverly manipulated, might do do the trick even better):
http://archives.cnn.com/2002/LAW/06/columns/fl.dean.powers.0607

For the bigger picture, here is an article written in Dec 2003 in response to General Tommy Franks' amazing interview, the one in which he said that "one more hit" (like a domestic terrorist attack) would be enough for them to suspend the Constitution. This entire article is excellent and prescient, but I'm going to quote the paragraph that especially grabbed my attention.

http://www.sptimes.com/2003/12/07/Columns/From_Tommy_Franks__a_.shtml

It was the Nine Years' War in Aldous Huxley's Brave New World that facilitated the seizure of power by the world reformers who then took control of nearly all human and social development. In 1984, George Orwell described Oceania as in a constant state of war with a changeable enemy who "always represented absolute evil." These inventors of the great dystopias understood the way governments use war and its associative fear and instability to consolidate power. Despotism thrives on insecurity. Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs puts safety right behind food, water and sleep. Humans naturally crave stability and are willing to sacrifice values such as liberty in its pursuit.

[Mr Rabble]

163. Holy F**K!! This is insane.

[Lori Price CLG]

28. Next, Bush will bring back slavery. Time to read:

Arming the Left: Is the time now? --by Charles Southwell

Lori Price

[FighttheFuture]

109. It's called the new Bankruptcy Bill, Housing Bubble, etc... all the

slaves they will need via indentured debt servitude and corporate control of wages and workers.

[krkaufman]

29. Surprisingly, to balance the sacrifice, he also rolled-back all tax cuts..

... implemented during his term.

Not.

[Lilith Velkor]

33. That's mighty white of him. n/t

[Robert Oak]

34. did he suspend the contract award amount?

This is really outrageous. Halliburton is going to rake in massive profits and those bastards need to a. hire the people in NO and surrounding areas who just lost their jobs and b. pay them a decent wage.

If they weren't busy screwing the poor working at slave wages most of the victims wouldn't have died because they would have had enough money to get out of town.

This really is the ultimate "bush-ism" of what he thinks of the working poor and the middle class.

Also, if they bring in cheap foreign labor instead of hiring Americans who are needing those jobs, well, another major issue amplified.

[newswolf56]

35. What this will do is enable fat-cat plutocrats to make maximum profits...

off post-hurricane reconstruction by paying their workers federal minimum wage -- something like $5 per hour. The bottom-line impact is that it voids all union contracts and thereby breaks all the unions in the disaster area.

What we have here is more evidence that Bush is the ultimate achievement of capitalism -- groomed for office and given the presidency specifically to enable capitalism to resume the Tyrannosauric savagery that was terrified into remission by the Russian Revolution. Whether in Iraq or New Orleans, Bush's policies are everywhere the same: restoration of oligarchic brutality to its pre-1917 worst, maximum concentration of wealth, and total disempowerment of all the rest of us -- outsourcing, downsizing, wage-reduction, pension-looting, destruction of the social safety net, skyrocketing prices, imposition of theocracy in Iraq, malicious withholding of aid and relief from New Orleans, and now this: literally stealing money from workers' paychecks and giving it to their bosses.

The next step -- mark my word -- will be a requirement that workers accept whatever wage is offered or suffer the immediate severance of whatever other disaster-relief funds they and their families might be receiving. The overall result will be a regional microcosm of precisely what Bush was put in office to achieve nationally: further concentration of oligarchic wealth, total and permanent reduction of all the region's workers to a choice between wage-slavery or starvation -- the perfect duplication of a Third World economy throughout the Gulf Coast South.

Thus Bush, capitalism's ultimate achievement, has ironically made Marx again relevant -- here in the United States more relevant than ever -- precisely because now with this outsourced economy only the historical truth of class-struggle offers us any hope whatsoever of escaping the worsening degradation into which we are all being methodically thrust by Bush and the powers he represents. Class-struggle (and its implicit recognition of the need for both forcible redistribution of wealth and constant governmental protection of the people against the malevolence of the plutocrats) was the Marxist principle that underlay the New Deal. It is the one principle that could yet guide the United States to fulfill its Constitutional promise of justice for all: economic democracy and thus true equality.

Meanwhile though it becomes ever more frighteningly apparent that the horror we saw in New Orleans is truly America's tomorrow. But how much more will it take before America wakes up?

[libra]

36. You summed it so well . . .

I'm sitting here at 2:00 in the morning paralyzed with fear. Now comes severe wage reduction for all American jobs. I'm making my plans now . . .

[Delphinus]

48. What plans are those, libra?

If you feel comfortable answering. Leaving the country? Bugging out? I'm just curious what some options are.

[oasis]

38. Bush revives "Grapes of Wrath".

[passy]

46. Well Phrased!

The real question that needs to be asked however, is how much time do we have?
Is it already too late?
The problem is that contrary to Russia in 1917, the Power is a lot more decentralized. The fall of St Petersburg to the Communists announced the end of the Czarist regime. I doubt that simply marching onto Washington on the 24th is gonna make much of a difference. The revolution must occur at every level of society, everywhere.
We have access to a lot more information than the Bolsheviks had on the barricades and yet we fail to the see the true threat that the * administration represents.
I think we should strive to make people realize the extreme danger that these thugs represent to our nation and the world.
They plan to attack Iran and probably would have started the propaganda machine to brainwash us all had it not been for this disaster. There was even talk of a second 9/11 to convince us of the necessity to attack Iran.
For the criminals in the WH these plans are realistic, they do intend to control a majority of the world's oil production through wars of aggression, they do intend to create a freewheeling capitalist world society on the backs of American slave workers, they do intend to plunder the natural resources of the planet by promoting consumerism as the next religion.
They will not stop until they create a world order where the rich live totally insulated from the reality of life as the not-so-privileged know it. What they fail to see is that a capitalist society needs customers, people who have the means to buy the stuff made by the factories that are owned by the moneyed elite. The way things are going most people will have to forsake all their little luxuries in order to have enough money to buy food not to mention gas for the SUV.
So come on people, time is of the essence here, lets plan this revolution, it might be hard work and I can tell you it's gonna get dirty but if you really look at the alternative you will quickly realize that pretty soon you might end up in a prison cell in some distant country been tortured and screaming "it was all Skinner's fault, he is the ring leader, do it to him instead...".

[Nothing Without Hope]

76. Oh yes. They were definitely going to take the next step to dictatorship

whether it required another staged 9/11 or a natural disaster was just chance. They blocked the maintenance of the New Orleans levees for years so that they would deteriorate enough to ensure the city was drowned. And they made sure of it and much more after the storm. This is even better for their purposes than another 9/11 would be, though they may delay their Iran war a little. Never doubt that they still want it and plan it.

This is just for profits, though that surely is a major goal for them. They also want to escalate POTUS power to martial law, though they would not call it that. (Probably something typically Orwellian like "Operation Safe America.)

Many days after the hurricane, when basically there were STILL effectively no federal relief efforts, the Bush Administration tried to get Gov. Blanco to sign away important civil powers to them, including among other things total control of New Orleans and of the state's National Guard - and THEN they would move in. Blanco refused, rightly seeing this as BLACKMAIL to force her to accept federal MARTIAL LAW:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1750979 (The LBN thread title - by DU rules the same as the WaPo title - is misleading. Read the excerpt.)

I'm quite sure now that one of the things that this is about (I think there are several) is that the neocons want more power. They've been leading up to it for years, making a quantum leap after the 9/11 attacks (which I believe were an inside job) terrified all too many Americans into believing they needed Bush's "protection" from marauding "terra-ists™", even to the point of surrendering their civil rights and allowing an immoral, baseless war. The neocons been working toward this - a stranglehold on the country and their plan for world domination - for years, as all of us know. There have already been too many steps in this direction. John Dean calls it "constitutional dictatorship" and says it is possible (this was written in 2002 and discusses what would happen after another domestic terrorist attack - but the hurricane destruction, cleverly manipulated, might do do the trick even better):
http://archives.cnn.com/2002/LAW/06/columns/fl.dean.powers.0607

For the bigger picture, here is an article written in Dec 2003 in response to General Tommy Franks' amazing interview, the one in which he said that "one more hit" (like a domestic terrorist attack) would be enough for them to suspend the Constitution. This entire article is excellent and prescient, but I'm going to quote the paragraph that especially grabbed my attention.

http://www.sptimes.com/2003/12/07/Columns/From_Tommy_Franks__a_.shtml

It was the Nine Years' War in Aldous Huxley's Brave New World that facilitated the seizure of power by the world reformers who then took control of nearly all human and social development. In 1984, George Orwell described Oceania as in a constant state of war with a changeable enemy who "always represented absolute evil." These inventors of the great dystopias understood the way governments use war and its associative fear and instability to consolidate power. Despotism thrives on insecurity. Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs puts safety right behind food, water and sleep. Humans naturally crave stability and are willing to sacrifice values such as liberty in its pursuit.

I think the neocons have been trying to hype racial/class tension, for example by pushing the idea of "looters" and "out-of-control violence." Yes, there was some violence, but I think they wanted the image, the terrifying image, to be far worse than reality. Again, they would benefit from the fear of the American public for perceived dangerous "enemies," this time domestic ones: our fellow citizens. In this scenario, any filmable, hype-able or fabricated "riots" around the country protesting the government's treatment of hurricane victims would be pure gold.

But the main plan, I think, was to set up a situation in which the hurricane damage and death toll was as severe as possible - delay relief and rescue, prevent levee maintenance or patching, block civilian aid. Fabricate, with the expected help of their Poodle Press, a story in which this was the fault of having civil authorities have too much power. Force a turnover of civilian power to the Pentagon (i.e., martial law), followed by a "miraculous" inpouring of organized relief as the order to stop blocking and allow the still-waiting military relief efforts under NorthCom to sweep in as dramatically as possible. Once again, you would have a situation in which the American public could be propagandized with the idea that only Pentagon-driven martial law (called something like "Operation Safe America") was capable of effective protection. Stirring up racial/class tensions, with hyped and fabricated stories of "out-of-control violence breaking out" would help this meme of needing the Pentagon's protection at the expense of surrendering to what would be in effect a military dictatorship.

There is a great deal of documentation supporting the view that the neocons have wanted more and more disabling of the Constitutional separation of powers and protections of civil liberties.

NorthCom, formed in April of 2002, represents a major threat to our civil liberties and most of us don't even know much about it.
Please read this thread and the linked articles throughout the comments:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all=104x4519574#4521111
Thread title: "Think about the implications of this: Nat'l Guard in Iraq, NorthCom HERE."

(Something to think about: The first NorthCom head, General Eberhard, was head of NORAD during the 9/11 attacks, when the hijacked planes were not intercepted because during their very long flights to their targets, air defense was coincidentally called off. Quite amazing, isn't it, that this catastrophic failure to protect US airspace under his command was REWARDED with promotion to head of the newly created NorthCom?)

I also suggest you read this article on NorthCom, written by a Canadian. (Don't be put off by the title; when you've read the article you will understand why he chose it.) http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO411C.html. It's a very long article and I think it's important to read it all. This is another helpful article: http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO504B.html There are more articles but this is a good place to start.

We are teetering on the edge of descent into a fascist military dictatorship. But bless the American people, it’s looking like this plan is backfiring. Instead of enhanced fear of natural disasters, blamed on failure of local and state authority, we are getting more and more stories of how the Bush Administration has DELAYED AND BLOCKED aid. We have Bush Administration officials caught in blatant lies about every aspect of this. Instead of race/class riots breaking out, we have the American people reacting with outrage at the monstrous treatment of the hurricane victims by their own federal government, which looks more deliberate every day. The American public is taking on the rescue and aid of the victims, whom they rightly see as abandoned to their death by Bush and his political hacks. Amazingly, the faithful Poodle Press, which has for so long licked all GOP Guccis in sight, is actually telling enough of the truth that the Bush Administration is not getting away with their usual spin. These are hopeful signs, both for the victims and the rest of the country.

One way or the other, this the turning point for our nation.

(Oh, and by the way, it’s not just the profits in rebuilding – just THINK of the lucrative deals they could make if they succeeded in clearing New Orleans for “redevelopment.” More oil refineries (maybe the Saudis would invest?), more shipping infrastructure, resorts, lots of extremely profitable building contracts and yet more profits from the results. Getting the poor people out of the way would make this possible for them, and they’ve never shown any aversion to theft or blood money.)

[kma3346]

151. They must be getting desperate by now

And desperate people take desperate measures. I'm really scared about what's going to happen next. And call me paranoid, but I'm nervous about the fact that tomorrow happens to be September 11th.

I watched C-SPAN last Thursday afternoon and felt like something major was taking place behind the scenes. Then, all day Friday, they just showed reruns, press conferences, etc. I kept wondering if the Senate and Congress were in session and if so, what was going on.

And the awful part about this is that the American public is only aware of a fraction of what is going on. And the ones like us who know something is going on only know a fraction of what that might be.

:scared:

[kma3346]

153. This is really weird

Whenever I try to view all of the messages in this thread by clicking "View All," I get the thread, "Bush lifts wage rules for Katrina." Then, when I look in "Latest Breaking News," I can't find this thread. What's going on?

[kma3346]

156. Never mind

I got confused. Sorry about that. I'm still a newby....

[Trevelyan]

169. Thank you for presenting a synopsis, I am going to paste it into 'neutral'

sites and messageboards like AOL's. The AOL Messageboard sometimes gives me error messages now when I try to post paragraphs and URL links to Truthsites but a number of people who are not FReepers, don't know where to go for the truth.

They are angry and suspicious but until you know about at least one Truthsite, many people do not know about the Alternate Media on the Internet.

Please post to AOL and if Yahoo Messageboards are up again, they had unbelievably racist remarks, obviously the number and visciousness which was new was a ploy by the Bush Regime.

Please post any other neutral sites that would be helpful in letting people who are middle of the road or newly angered conservatives know some sites to go to for the TRUTH!

[Trevelyan]

171. Nominated - Kick I cut and pasted your posts on Northcom and the stealing

of OUR NATIONAL GUARD and how it might play out with military with guns who don't have ties to the community whereas the National Guard does.

Go to Congress.org and protest the allowing of armed Mexican mercenaries into the US. THESE ARE NOT RESCUE WORKERS AND THIS IS A VIOLATION OF US LAWS.

Not just Infowars.com had news and photos of these mercenaries who are being allowed in our borders headed to the Bush war zone of New Orleans but DailyKos diary of Ptolomy had very good article.

I went to Congress.org to protest to my Congressmen and the heads of the Senate and House and it looks like very few people have been sending emails through Congress.org which will publish your email on the Congressional site and the main site for a while

I have used Congress.org when protesting the criminal cabinet members nominees and the obstruction of the Recount and these are the fewest letters I've seen published about the whole of the Katrina mass murder.

Please email Congress and media blast.

Anderson Cooper at the end of his very long transcript, latest, mentions the restraining order that has been obtained by CNN so reporters can tell the truth about the evaculation of people who do not want to leave and the real body count, please send Cooper a message of support.

Has anyone seen Shepard Smith and Geraldo Rivera on TV. I don't watch but someone on Kos was concerned and I could not get through on Geraldo's official site. Another error message.
Vid is still on Crooks and Liars but don't know how it downloads.

Though it says 0 comments there are more than a hundred if you click on comments.

[TankLV]

152. There are only about 300 million people in the US.

There are how many BILLIONAIRES? 100? 500?

How many MULTI-BILLIONAIRES?

There is enough concentrated wealth in very few individuals to give up to ONE MILLION DOLLARS to each and every american to clear all debt and STILL LEAVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE BILLIONAIRES - BILLIONAIRES!

Think about it - no more wasteful spending on INTEREST CHARGES!

I have been advocating this idea for a LONG time now.

CLEAN START for EVERY AMERICAN!

Imagine that.

[deacon]

40. He is rubbing salt in the wounds, unfreakinbelievable- horrendous n/t

[bklyncowgirl]

42. Disgusting

More taxpayer money in the pockets of contractors.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

43. You've got to be fucking KIDDING.

I know I shouldn't be surprised by this kind of thing any more... but I am.

[Demeter]

45. Is He NUTS??

In a word, yes!

[mrdmk]

49. Talk about Class Warfare, the Rich getting Richer

and the Poor getting Poorer

Excuse me, but this is money policy that started in the year of 1910 (namely aimed at Black People in the South in the beginning) and resulted in the Crash of 1929. Do these people know any history?

[freemen2005]

50. WTF - This guy has Mental issues

[Maggie_May]

51. Such compassion

[ladylibertee]

52. What a JACKASS....Oops....

My apologies to the DNC mascot. I meant what a DUMBO. hehehe

[melody]

112. He's got major wood now

What a bastard.

[Lerkfish]

53. this was predicted here on DU

I forget who brought it up, but one of us cagey folk did.

[SheepyMcSheepster]

55. how is "prevailing wage" determined? eom

[joe1991]

62. prevailing wage rate is

the average wage paid to workers in the occupation in the
same general location, based on employer surveys.

Louisiana is already below the national average,
I'm guessing the average construction worker pay
is $12-18 an hour there. Barely liveable as it is.

...Jeebus these guys are crooks.

[SheepyMcSheepster]

66. thanks

:hi:

[IndyJones]

143. Actually, I read today that it's only between $7 and $10 per hour.

[misha227]

148. The original article cited $9 and change...

but that was for highway construction. This is lower than it would be for carpenters, etc. working on rebuilding houses and businesses--those would earn more like $12-15 an hour (or more).

[Boris]

162. Sorry to disagree Joe

I'm pretty sure its the rate determined by collective bargaining. That would be, what the elected union officials and the appointed signatory contractors agree to as an hourly wage. I could be wrong though. I just know here in Chicago, a Union city, prevailing wage is set by each local branch of their given trades. It may be different in areas that aren't predominantly union. I'm kinda lucky I don't know. Edit: Papau clears it up below. These guys are bastards.

[romwriter]

167. prevailing wage in louisiana

I guess you didn't know louisiana is a right to work state (yeah, the right to work for less). No one has to join a union to get a job here. of course some of the bigger plants do have unions. construction crews around here are heavy with mexicans and i don't know if they are paid off the books and cheated or not. Don't know if they have worker visas or are illegal. But any way you slice it prevailing wages in this state are already some of the lowest in the nation and now this f***er wants to cut it even lower.
how about the ceo of Halliburton works for less than his prevailing wage?

mad in baton rouge!
romwriter

[Child_Of_Isis]

56. Wonder if they get health care,

or life insurance. They will need it. I am sure working in that toxic environment can't be too healthy.

[TankLV]

158. Naw - that's what the "medical savings accounts" are for, silly!

Where you can put all that EXTRA money you've got lying around the place that you don't need!

I mean, everybody's got all that EXTRA money just lying around waiting to be put into these savings accounts, right? Never mind the fact that once you tap into them for a medical emergency, YOU NO LONGER HAVE ANY MONEY LEFT that way either!

Besides, when you run out of this "free" money, you can just use you mom's birtday card list to hit up her friends for some cash, right?

I mean, doesn't everybody live like this?

[FreeStateDemocrat]

57. Bush, the racist, takes initial step to re-institute slavery

[bribri16]

59. We need signs about this at the DC 24 protest. We cannot back off! n/t

[shayes51]

61. Sounds like a good Republican.

[Omaha Steve]

64. So now the DPs that lost jobs will make less

Just brilliant!

[Bleacher Creature]

65. OK. So taking a loaf of bread when you are starving is looting.

And taking advantage of a natural disaster to cheat people out of their wages is the American way.

Great.

[redtapeblues]

67. Here come the Mexicans

to continue driving down wages...

[MisterP]

104. not Mexicans, executive orders!

[McCamy Taylor]

68. More union busting.

[Straight Shooter]

69. Well, there goes the "people are poor because they're lazy" argument.

Regarding the Grapes of Wrath in college, bush responded to his professor that, "People are poor because they're lazy."

Some people are in poverty because they're lazy, some people are in poverty because of illness or accident. But I contend that most people in poverty are in that vicious cycle because they've been exploited by people like george Worthless bush.

[Bo]

70. The asshole strikes again

Is there anything they have done to help the less fortunate?

[McCamy Taylor]

71. It's all about keeping unions out of the South. If people joined them

as part of the rebuilding effort they would stick with them later. * is making sure that southerners dont get a chance to join them now in order to protect southernern businessmen and keep southern working class poor.

[volitionx]

72. Halliburton's Contracts Are For Naval Base Cleanup...

in Mississippi, according to the Houston Chronicle article here:

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/printstory.mpl/business/3335685

Apparently, Halliburton has NOT (yet) been chosen to work on the levees or on the rest of New Orleans.

Supposedly, they got the Naval base contract in 2004.

As far as the wage reduction is concerned, I'm NOT EVEN SLIGHTLY SURPRISED. Of course the contractors are going to hire illegal immigrants from Mexico to do the work. Naturally. I bet the houses will be rebuilt like CRAP, too. They'll probably fall down in the next minor storm, or at least they'll look like shit after a couple of years.

I'm sure Halliburton will get more contracts as the cleanup progresses.

[Shakespeare]

73. He is perpetuating the very problem that made this disaster so bad.

The very poorest could not evacuate, so let's pay those who rebuild below the prevailing wage to keep 'em that way.

These people are evil.

[rateyes]

77. "Disgusting" is an understatement to say the least....

This is pure, unadulterated EVIL. If anything, Bush should be pushing for a considerably LARGER minimum wage with mandatory health-care benefits.

Bush makes Ebenezer Scrooge (prior to conversion) look generous. Pickles said yesterday that the claim that her husband "doesn't care about black people" is disgusting.

Well, Pickles, look at what hubby is doing to the poor, mostly black folk who will be hired by these contractors to rebuild NOLA---and, then tell us who is the "disgusting" one. And, since your daughters won't go and fight in Iraq...why don't you encourage them to go to NOLA, and get one of those below minimum-wage jobs to rebuild NOLA.

I'd bet my life savings you won't see any of that!!

And, if the DEMS don't scream bloody murder about this---all of them---they deserve to be kicked out of office--we need to open a can of "whoop-ass" and get this donkey kicking in the primaries.

[Roland99]

79. That's the latest meme the RNC is pushing.

I've seen the word "disgusting" being tossed about in other political boards and we've heard Pickles use it of late, too.

[DJ MEW]

80. so now the poor people that lost everything

have also lost their hope of being able to rebuild their lives.

I would think that if anything they should being paying hazard pay. How is the area supposed to rebuild when the money flow to the people of the area is a slow trickle.

Trickle down economics in action again.

[mopinko]

81. if this is the first you have heard of the 1931 Davis-Bacon Act

this has been a thorn in the side of corporate america since the day it was passed. the raygun administration did everything they could to skirt and destroy it. i was in the construction business in those days. it is a big thing. really big.

edited to say, tho- i don't think you can do anything to block an executive order.

[wryter2000]

82. Jesus on a trailer hitch

Who won't he screw?

[savemefromdumbya]

83. The Republicans got their bankrupcy law through just in time

just in time for a disaster like this when thousands of people have lost their livelihoods, property, relatives etc GOP=tyranny!

[snappyturtle]

86. Another sign....

that Edwards was right....if this doesn't PROVE there are two Americas I have no idea of what will. God help us. :cry:

[ninkasi]

85. Inexcusable greed...

as another poster mentioned, this won't save a cent in costs, it will only ensure that the big shots at Halliburton and other firms get even richer. I'm retired, but a lifetime member of the CWA. I truly believe that the only chance we have for ever taking back any economic advantage for the average worker in this country is to have a strong union force.

Kick...and recommended.

[daleo]

87. There should be a big demand for labor

Which ought to drive prices up. But, I suppose a lot of people in the area will be out of work, due to businesses that were wiped out by the flood and desperate for cash.

Halliburton executives will do alright, though.

[Extend a Hand]

88. kick people while they're down

unbelievable.

[papau]

89. Bush Suspends Pay Act In Areas Hit by Storm(Highway labor less than 9.26/h

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/US/09/07/news.update/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/08/AR2005090802037.html

Bush Suspends Pay Act In Areas Hit by Storm

By Thomas B. Edsall
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, September 9, 2005; Page D03

President Bush yesterday suspended application of the federal law governing workers' pay on federal contracts in the Hurricane Katrina-damaged areas of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The action infuriated labor leaders and their Democratic supporters in Congress, who said it will lower wages and make it harder for union contractors to win bids.

The Davis-Bacon Act, passed in 1931 during the Great Depression, sets a minimum pay scale for workers on federal contracts by requiring contractors to pay the prevailing or average pay in the region. Suspension of the act will allow contractors to pay lower wages. Many Republicans have opposed Davis-Bacon, charging that it amounts to a taxpayer subsidy to unions.

In a letter to Congress, Bush said he has the power to suspend the law because of the national emergency caused by the hurricane: "I have found that the conditions caused by Hurricane Katrina constitute a 'national emergency.' "


http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=52963

Pelosi released the following statement this evening in response to President Bush's executive order

FROM THE ABCNOTE;President Bush signed a proclamation suspending the minimum labor standards contained in the Davis-Bacon Act for construction projects in the affected areas of the Gulf Coast region, prompting AFL-CIO President John Sweeney to accuse the White House of "taking advantage of a national tragedy" to get rid of a protection for workers that the President's "corporate backers" have "long wanted to remove."

The Davis-Bacon Act set certain minimum labor standards for workers employed in federal contract construction: notably, that contractors must pay their employees not less than the locally prevailing wage for the various crafts in four different types of construction — commercial buildings, highways, residential, and heavy construction.

In Louisiana, for example, the prevailing wage for a general laborer engaged in highway construction is $9.26/hour plus $1.14 in fringe benefits. Suspending Davis-Bacon will allow federal contractors in the region to pay below that level.

[JuniperLea]

90. How low can he go?

Bastard.

[papau]

93. At less than 9.26 an hr the folks should qualify for Food Stamps - so

under Bush logic he is helping those laborer's families - right?

He is a bastard......

[Helga Scow Stern]

91. They are so efficient at relieving the suffering of their own. Recommended

[etherealtruth]

94. ... swift and effective alleviation ...

... of any suffering that could be endured by huge corporations or the nations wealthiest 5%.

Makes me proud :sarcasm:

[bballny]

92. Remember

cheap labor conservatives is their name and impoverishing people is their game. They hate paying for labor.

[bluedeminredstate]

95. How do they spin this?

I don't understand how this is necessary because of a natural disaster. I know why this appeals to repugs, but how do they explain that they're not just heartless shits who would take advantage of cheap labor so their contractor buddies get more profit? Scottie's got to have an outraged response to the questions. What will it be?

:dilemma:

[Toots]

96. There should be a Nation-Wide walkout of all Unions

If there was ever a time to stand up for something now is that time. If they don't then what the fuck good are they? Push has come to Shove and now for America's workers the time has come to "Shit or get off the Pot"..

[MercutioATC]

97. Let me get this straight..We're going to pay top dollar for reconstruction

(tax dollars to Halliburton and other companies) and they get a waiver whereby they can pay workers less?

:eyes:

[Ksec]

105. sneaky basturd uses death to slip his union busting shit in

[OregonBlue]

98. Every one of us need to email CNN. I just did. Why no coverage of

this outrage. Also emailed Lou. Guess he's one of the fat, rich, white guys he's been pretending to criticize for so long. Where's his outrage over this rip off of taxpayer. Same bunch of thugs that have been ripping us off in Iraq.

[paulk]

100. everything - every disaster is used to promote the Conservative agenda

these people -

there is no word that comes to mind that encompasses how low they will go.


they're not human.

[savemefromdumbya]

101. OIL FIELDS under New Orleans

what if?

quote: What everyone is overlooking is the oil-field underneath New Orleans. This was not a badly planned rescue; it was a neo-con-planned attack on the residents of New Orleans, who are now every bit as much victims of Bush-Oil as the Iraqis are. FEMA has not only procrastinated in delivering aid, it has refused offers of aid from american business, and actively prevented such aid arriving when parishes have organised it for themselves. It is in the interests of oil companies, who have provided 95% of Bush's election funding, to have the area "depopulated", and it will be interesting to see what happens to householders and Parish leaders who attempt to recreate their communities.

Also more proof that Bush's 'relief visits' were staged....

http://www.progressiveindependent.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=printer_friendly&forum=152&topic_id=8

[12345]

159. I had the same thought, but I couldn't find any confirmation.

[OneForLuck]

102. You have got to be kidding me!?!?

I swear... Every time I think I am as shocked and outraged over this entire tragedy as I can possibly be, something else comes along and I want to start crying all over again. This administration's complete disconnect with what this country needs and more importantly, what it deserves amazes me. They should be ashamed of themselves. Maybe the saddest part of all is that they never will be.

[FighttheFuture]

106. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) was speaking about this on Thom Hartman today...

during his Friday "Brunch with Bernie" segment (11-12 CST. A great show by a real progressive genius that you can stream from http://www.thomhartman.com/.

They have been trying to overturn Davis-Bacon for years and this is they saw an opening to weaken it tremendously. This will drive higher paying jobs, such as construction, to the bottom, with only the minimum wage putting a brake on it.

My theory is Bu$hitCo will soon sign another order calling the importation of the cheaper Caribbean and Mexican labor so close to that region because there's a shortage of "jobs" for rebuilding New "No Poor Allowed" Orleans. We all know how "great" the job market is here in the US, especially with millions of displaced citizens!

[classics]

110. Theres a fucking poke in the eye.

Hey sorry you lost your house Mr Worker, but dont plan on getting paid for any work from now on, profits you know, profits!

[liberal hypnotist]

111. Davis Bacon

Any senator with balls will start screaming. Any union member with balls will start screaming. At least the Arabian horses will be safe.

[underpants]

113. Welcome to DU-- Davis Bacon link

http://www.gpo.gov/davisbacon/

[namvet73]

114. He's just a damned PRICK....

PERIOD

[redqueen]

115. They're worse than evil.

All that pork going to businesses who don't need it, but he fucks over the workers.

What a shock.

[derby378]

116. If you voted for Nero, you voted for this

Kisses!!

[HockeyMom]

118. Bush would like nothing more to END the Minimum Wage

PERIOD - All over, for EVERYBODY. Welcome to the New World Order of Barons and Serfs.

[Cobalt Violet]

119. Poor paying jobs are part of what caused this disaster.

At least that was part of the problem. No talk about how to make the poor less poor at all.:mad: :mad: :mad:

[superconnected]

120. enter late so there's more victims

give the clean up job to your buddies at Halliburton
and drop minimum wage so Halliburton can really profit off this tradgedy. Somehow I know there are kick backs behind the scene. Papa bush lined them up, I'm positive.

The bushes are like a blood suckers waiting for an accident, to feast off it. And here they come.

[DBoon]

121. Bush suspends 13th Amendment, allows slavery

that would be one way to deal with the crises.

Just use forced conscript labor

We are halfway there already

[Wizard777]

124. STATE of Emergency. No emergency here in Baltimore, Maryland Hon.

Well except for having the Anti Christ in the White House. THAT is the "National Emergency." Send him back to Hell!

[buzzsaw_23]

126. In the Meantime

Exxon's $10B fill-up: Cashing in on crunch
By Brett Arends
Wednesday, September 7, 2005 - Updated: 04:27 PM EST

Oil companies came under new fire yesterday when it emerged that ExxonMobil's profits are likely to soar above $10 billion this quarter on the back of the fuel crisis.

     That's $110 million a day, and more net income than any company has ever made in a quarter. It's also a stunning 69 percent increase over the same period a year ago and a 34 percent jump from the $7.6 billion Exxon made just last quarter.

     ``Do you realize President Bush has just given a tax break to ExxonMobil?'' thundered Rep. Ed Markey (D-Malden). ``Of all the companies in the history of the world that needed a tax break, this month, ExxonMobil should be at the bottom of the list.''



     The law gives incentives to producers such as Exxon to expand production, such as for drilling for new wells in deeper waters in the Gulf of Mexico.

http://business.bostonherald.com/businessNews/view.bg?articleid=101320

[0007]

127. The world must be laughing their ass off over the action of

this fucking cheap piece of shit.

[Amonester]

130. We're not laughing... We're:

:mad:

[Amonester]

131. And we're:

:cry:

[Laelth]

128. There's only one answer.

Bush is rubbing our noses in the turd that is his supreme power. He's just reminding us that he's still the Prez, and he can hurt us worse if he wants. In fact, this might be shrub's idea of a threat. You damn libruls keep it up, an' I'm gonna git reeeal nasty wit ya!

Sadly, he's probably right. Democrats and the media will probably cower and compromise soon enough. Only time will tell.

-Laelth


Edit:Laelth--bb code error corrected.

[namvet73]

132. "UHMO"

"I'm gonna git reeeal nasty"

Actually, the word is "uhmo." I heard him use it on TV.

"UHMO git reeeal nasty"

[Laelth]

135. hehe

Thanks for the correction, namvet73. It's better to laugn than to cry.

:)

-Laelth

[LincolnMcGrath]

129. Republican UNION MEMBERS listen up.

Take your medicine! You too RayGun Democrats! Take your medicine, bitter as it tastes.

Cheap Labor Conservatives win again.

[struggle4progress]

134. Well, the devastated working wo/men won't get any of the billions.

[VegasWolf]

137. Silly rabbit, money is for millionaires. nt

[No Blood for Hubris]

140. Lifts the rules?" Haw haw haw. "Screws the poor." Again.

As usual.

Ptui.

[MaryBear]

145. Despicable!

So the very poor get to die, lose everything, and then those that survive get to work for less than the minimum wage that didn't support them before they lost everything.

And the plan moves forward, using whatever excuse can be pretended to allow it. Decriers of class warfare move in for the objective: Stomp them and make them think it is a good thing.

Cheap labor, on tap! Move on in and take advantage of it, capitalists! Money's ready to be made, if you're quick and not squeamish.

[misha227]

146. Interference with the free market...

What a hypocrite. And the CATO Institute should be ashamed of itself. Isn't the 'free market' supposed to be the cure for all that ails us? He doesn't interfere with the law of supply and demand when we're talking about gasoline prices...but construction contracts, hey, that's another story. This is absolutely outrageous.

[misha227]

147. At least we know who to blame on this one...

Only one signature at the bottom, folks. Can't pass the buck here.

[PinkyisBlue]

149. Bush lifts wage rules

A couple of comments:

First, I'm horrified but not surprised. These people are working hard to carry forward their agenda, so expect more soon: privatization of Social Security (they haven't given up, there's a lot of money there for them to loot), cuts to Medicaid/Food Stamps/etc., repeal of estate tax with further tax cuts for the wealthy (they haven't given this up, it's just delayed a bit), etc.

Second, this lifting of the prevailing wage comes on the heels of our Labor Day holiday. For any of you who don't know what Labor Day celebrates, it commemorates the gains made by workers/employees regarding improved labor conditions and wage benefits. Huh, Bush can turn back in 5 years gains that took a century to evolve. And the lifting of prevailing wages is another way to bust unions.

I have only disdain for anyone in the middle or lower class who voted for this jerk.

[TankLV]

161. And don't forget it was placed in August because the repukes couldn't bear

the thought of holding it on MAY DAY - may 1st - which every other fucking country in the world does! Can't get anything "socialist" in there, ya know!

[Hardknock]

150. RECALL BUSH NOW!!!! RECALL BUSH NOW!!!!!!

fucker

[AngryWhiteLiberal]

155. I WANT TO SEE NATIONAL TV ADS ON THIS!!!!! NOW!!!!

Hey Moveon.org! Here's a wonderful issue ad to run nationally. Do it now, then re-run it before the 2006 elections.

JB

[rodeodance]

164. Ted Kennedy has always fought for the poor--He will now also.

"President Bush should immediately realize the colossal mistake he has made in signing this order and rescind it and ensure that America puts its people back to work in the wake of Katrina at wages that will get them and their families back on their feet," Miller said.

"I regret the president's decision," said Kennedy.

"One of the things the American people are very concerned about is shabby work and that certainly is true about the families whose houses are going to be rebuilt and buildings that are going to be restored," Kennedy said.

---

[kma3346]

165. Kick

[Joey Liberal]

166. Slave Trader Bush

Fucking republicans are filled with joy at this news.

[Doris32r]

168. Not all of them.

I've been having bad feelings about the republican party for some time now. Bush's actions with the hurricane were the final straw. I always thought Dem's and Rep's wanted the same thing... they just had different ideas for how to get there. I'm sitting here now... and I'm thinking I was wrong. And I'm not the only republican who has left the party in the last week. I have been stunned so many times in these past few weeks over what Bush is doing. I think more and more people (Republican and Democrat) will wake up from their slumber and see what Bush is doing. I hope Nancy Pelosi keeps at Bush. The Dem's haven't lost by a long shot.