Alright! Snowe, Kerry get congressional investigation of WH's 9/11 loans

[blm]

that were directed to companies that weren't qualified for the loans (Bush?Cheney cronies). They want it investigated now so the abuse of the program doesn't happen to the Katrina money.

I hope the Dems hit Bush from every direction on his cronyism and corruption.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050909/ap_on_go_co/sept11_lax_loans

WASHINGTON - Congress will investigate the "flagrant abuse" of a federal loan program designed to help businesses recover from the Sept. 11 attacks and make sure such problem don't occur with Hurricane Katrina relief, a key Senate Republican announced Friday.

Sen. Olympia Snowe (news, bio, voting record), R-Maine, chairwoman of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, announced the investigation in response to an Associated Press story Thursday that showed the federal program was so loosely managed that it gave low-interest loans to companies that didn't need terrorism relief
...
Sen.
John Kerry of Massachusetts, the committee's top Democrat, joined in the call for an investigation.

"This was a deliberate attempt to cover up White House budget gimmicks that left the SBA's largest loan program underfunded and on the brink of shutting down," Kerry said. "The administration asked SBA employees to bend the rules and steer regular loans through the program aimed at helping businesses impacted by 9/11."

>>>

[Mass]

1. Here is the link

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050909/ap_on_go_co/sept11_lax_loans

[ginnyinWI]

2. kick

;)

[maine_raptor]

3. Olympia has been pissed ever since

the Club for Growth tried that "french" ad up here. I would not surprise me if, and it's a BIG if, she jumped parties.

[blm]

7. Maybe the discoveries of corruption will be even too much for her.

.

[Prodemsouth]

12. Keep dreaming and keep making up excuses to support Snowe.

She needs to go! She is useless now! Only useful during Clintons impeachment, (now I think his aquitial may have not been that good of a thing to happen for the Dems). Hagel is the only Repug threat to Bush that really effectively challenges him from time to time. Snowe could get away with more bucking of the Administration if she wanted to. Because she is a woman(with a pleasant friendly appearence) and throws a couple of bones to Social Liberals, people around here are ready to bow and worship. Then they bash Lieberman who has far higher ADA ratings than Snowe, Chaffee, or Jeffords (who still signs on to nearly all of the Bush economic agenda).

[FreedomAngel82]

21. I don't trust Hagel myself

He has ties to ES&S machines and how he got elected is fishy and he's a twenty year something friend of the Bush family and was Bush's orginial choice for VP. He makes me nervous.

[Lecky]

31. Only reason I like him is because

he seems to be standing up against the neocons (AKA deathsquad) about the war in Iraq. I like anyone who stands up to these people because I consider them to be the biggest threat to our country and the world...

That machine story is fishy though...

[MADem]

27. I'd frankly prefer her to be a spy within their ranks

I've always liked her. Met her once. A decent soul, her party notwithstanding.

She's far more left than some of the crazies who call themselves Dems, e.g. Screamin' Zell Miller...

[GreenPartyVoter]

30. I don't think that would go over well with her hubby

------------------------------------------------------
Ditch Bu$h and save the Gulf: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=106&topic_id=22507&mesg_id=22507

Then save the nation!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/electionreform.htm

[maine_raptor]

36. Well

She could always roll over the other way in bed and ask Susan.

[GreenPartyVoter]

38. *lol*

------------------------------------------------------
Ditch Bu$h and save the Gulf: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=106&topic_id=22507&mesg_id=22507

Then save the nation!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/electionreform.htm

[second edition]

4. This is good news! n/t

[elfin]

5. Cronyism and corruption is the core

of this misadministration. Franken concentrated on it in the last day or so. This is the "big picture" which even the sheeple might understand.

Now we need somone to forcibly communicate the general theme, followed by specific examples along with investigations and lawsuits. Kerry's is a start - but unless it is part of a coordinated attack of other abuses with the overall theme, it will be lost on page 22 of MSM.

[blm]

6. I agree. The other Dem committee heads have to follow through.

Undergod knows there's plenty of abuse by BushInc in every area.

[Gabi Hayes]

8. thanks! forgot about this ....been posted already.

this is exactly how they get away with EVERYthing: it's a constant avalanche of venality, greed, avarice, illegalities, treason; you name it, they do it CONstantly

it's impossible to keep up

and this is just the stuff that's gotten out there so far

can you imagine what they've been able to keep the lid on?

[BlueIris]

9. Senator Kerry? Please make out with me.

As always, apologies to Mrs. Heinz Kerry, but--!! I love him so.

[FreedomAngel82]

22. Hear hear

:loveya: Please allow me to worship you.

[roseBudd]

10. voted it up n/t

[EVDebs]

11. Just heard Obama's looking into H'burton deals just made

while Cheney was down there

[blm]

15. Great. Cronyism and corruption at the taxpayers' expense.

That is a great theme to pound at every opportunity.

[Im with Rosey]

17. Anymore info about this?

It sickens me that this is going to turn into money machine for pigs!

[EVDebs]

32. Related links

Story on Halliburton contracts
http://usliberals.about.com/b/a/200985.htm

I heard about Obama and investigations from Air America today

Obama's link
http://obama.senate.gov/

Also heard Rep George Miller D-CA was looking into this too.

[OneGrassRoot]

43. thanks......I just sent them both a letter of encouragement n/t

[FreedomAngel82]

23. Oh good!

I'm glad someone remembered that! It was mighty strange how it happened so close after the event.

[indepat]

13. Ho hum: just another example of pillage by this Administration to benefit

their patrons. Nothing here, move on.

[Prodemsouth]

14. Yeah a posing Repug "moderate"( or maverick or whatever the

media call them to fool people)and a defeatist elitist Dem are going to really stur it up in Washington.:sarcasm:

[blm]

16. Care to revisit a history book? You can't name one lawmaker

who has investigated and exposed more government vorruption than Kerry has during his time in the Senate.

But you're welcome to try.

[Prodemsouth]

18. You maybe right but Kerry didn't let anyone else know. I guess

it maybe me... but Bush and the Repugs sure seem to get away with a lot of questionable activity.

[blm]

19. Actually he did. The entire DC powerstructure was turned on him and

he was mocked as a conspiracy theorist and a camera hound just trying to get attention. They planted stories regularly about him wherever they could.

Unfortunately, many Dems even tried to get Kerry to stop investigating both IranContra and BCCI because of their own negligence and business associations at the time.

Kerry got out as much as he could for the public record. BushInc fought him tooth and nail...especially on BCCI.

There are several books on BCCI and the congressional record. Know this - if BCCI's full revelations had been known, it would have nipped the entire issue of terror and its funding at the source. A 9-11 would NEVER have happened.

BTW...Kerry also wrote a book about the funding of terrorism based on what he learned in the ten years he spent examining documents and tracing the institutions and financiers who supported the terrorists. It was published in 1997. Too bad so many refused to listen. Not sexy enough.

[FreedomAngel82]

25. Exactly

Kerry should be thanked for all his work and not dissed. I wish they talked about this more during the campaign to show how Kerry knows terrorism better than anybody. *sigh* This is one reason why I am a huge supporter of him and always will be and have faith in him.

[MADem]

28. I'll add my righteous indignation to yours

Could not have said it better myself. Good synopsis, blm.

A lot of people do not get the guy. He's OK with me. And I am hard to please.

[Prodemsouth]

33. I am sorry if Kerry was an effective communicator he would be

able to get around this. He was slow in his response to Swift Boats. Many media people were pro Kerry they said he did not aggressively challenge accusations and he was not a fighter when discussing him in private. They thought his campaign was a joke. You hire a nine time loser, Bob Shrum to run things for you, you must not be serious about being President. (That is all most as bad as Bush and Brownie, but not the loss of life these two freaks caused ) Kerry did not communicate well and ran a very poor campaign. I know I heard it myself CNN is not that far down the road from me. Not everything can be blamed on the "DC Power( )structure" Sometimes Candidates run a poor campaign.

[ClassWarrior]

35. Are you telling the poster not play "The Blame Game?"

:rofl:

NGU.

[blm]

39. Get the story straight. I'm talking about his investigations and how the

entire DC powerstructure was united against his investigations and tried to take him down.

I'd like to see YOU or ANY lawmaker take on all of DC on your own, and pursue the investigation for FIVE YEARS and SURVIVE, let alone effect the historic record.

Sorry, but KERRY was the one who won the man to man matchup against Bush. It was the DNC that failed against the RNC, and it was the left leaning media that got their ASSES handed to them DAILY by the RW media who stayed on message.

The leftleaning press was mostly IGNORANT of their own candidate and his VERY REAL accomplishments while the RW media crafted a heroic image of Bush that was made up out of whole cloth.

[FreedomAngel82]

24. Yes

God bless Kerry. Him and Kennedy are the best Senators. Kerry is a hero. :loveya:

[FreedomAngel82]

20. Yes!

Go Kerry!

[rumpel]

26. * also is discontinuing the SBA Microloan Program next year.

Bush to Terminate Microloan Program in 2006
Van Nuys, CA – Despite 13 years of success and the creation of over 60,000 jobs President Bush is once again targeting the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Microloan Program for elimination in the 2006 Fiscal Year budget. The SBA Microloan Program is the largest source of funding for microenterprise businesses in the country and its loss would be a big loss for America’s smallest businesses.

Businesses like Big Boy Burger’s in South Central Los Angeles, whose owner, Kenneth Gould, would not be making sales of $6,000 a week at his fast food restaurant without the SBA Microloan. Gould, an African-American with 17 years of fast food experience, wanted to open a restaurant of his own. To that end he took his lifesavings and purchased a commercial building on the corner of 108th Street and South Central Avenue. When it came time for Gould to buy equipment for the business and needed financing, he went to the bank -- where his loan request was denied. A low credit score and his being a start-up business made him undesirable to lenders. That’s when Gould called the Valley Economic Development Center (VEDC), applied for and received a $35,000 SBA Microloan. With the money he was able to open his doors. In business since January, Big Boy Burgers currently employs 21 people, and is fighting off McDonalds--who would like to take his location.

The SBA Microloan Program provides ten-year loans to non-profit intermediary lenders which in turn utilize the funds to provide short-term, fixed rate loans of up to $35,000 to qualified small and disadvantaged businesses. In addition to loans the program also provides technical assistance to microentrepreneurs. This assistance includes financial and business planning, management and marketing assistance and ongoing support; support critical to the success of microbusinesses.

http://www.vedc.org/Press_Room/pressRelease2005/Bush%20to%20Terminate%20Microloan%20Program%20in%202006.htm

On the main page is a dowloadable letter on the right side under the title:
Help Save the Microloan Program

This program was designed for the Mom and Pop stores, which is obviously not of interest to *.
Everything * does is to steer federal money to his "needy" friends

[ClassWarrior]

29. Send a donation to Howard at the DNC - and let him know why.

That you're thankful the Dems are acting.

NGU.

[blm]

41. I really think it's time for the Pile on to begin.

They may need the extra dough right now to pull it off.

[jillan]

34. Let's see how many investigations we can get against this admin at once!

Go Kerry and Snowe!

Kerry doesn't let anything slide by these days.:toast:

[ClassWarrior]

37. I like that idea.

NGU.

[blm]

40. Exactly what needs to be done.

Massive corruption hunt on every level.

[AirAmFan]

42. Only 11 percent of one $5B 9/11 fund went to NYC- and DC-area applicants!

This was a REAL scandal, partly involving "outsourcing" by Dubya's cronies, presumable to help other cronies and to reimburse GOP bribe-givers. As in Watergate, maybe having a criminal prosecution underway will help with legal discovery of criminal hanky-panky going all the way up to the White House, plus a juicy White House cover-up scandal.

From http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050909/ap_on_bi_ge/sept_11_lax_loans;_ylt=AjDbv7chaVB6LKeFzlF6tkes0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b2NibDltBHNlYwM3MTY- :

AP: 9/11 Recovery Loans Loosely Managed (9/9/2005)

By DIRK LAMMERS and FRANK BASS, Associated Press Writers

The government's $5 billion effort to help small businesses recover from the Sept. 11 attacks was so loosely managed that it gave low-interest loans to companies that didn't need terrorism relief „ or even know they were getting it, The Associated Press has found.... "I had nothing here," said Shirla Yam, who runs a clothing store in the former shadows of the twin towers that got a $20,000 grant from a local advocacy group but no federal aid after Sept. 11. "I don't know if I'll be here next month."... And while some at New York's Ground Zero couldn't get assistance they desperately sought, companies far removed from the devastation „ a South Dakota country radio station, a Virgin Islands perfume shop, a Utah dog boutique and more than 100 Dunkin' Donuts and Subway sandwich shops „ had no problem winning the government-guaranteed loans. Dentists and chiropractors in numerous cities, as well as an Oregon winery that sold trendy pinot noir to New York City restaurants also got
assistance....

In all, the government provided, approved or guaranteed nearly $4.9 billion in loans, and took credit for saving 20,000 jobs. That would put the average cost of saving a job at about a quarter million dollars each. Of the 19,000 loans approved by the two programs, fewer than 11 percent went to companies in New York City and Washington, according to an AP computer analysis of loan records obtained under the Freedom of Information Act....

SBA officials acknowledged ... the Supplementary Terrorism Activity Relief (STAR), LEFT BANKS ON AN HONOR SYSTEM TO DETERMINE WORTHY LOAN RECIPIENTS. "One lender could have been really strict and specific about the borrower providing the documentation to prove that they were affected by the Sept. 11 attacks, and another banker may not have, or may have had ulterior motives for approving loans," said SBA spokeswoman Carol Chastang. SBA documents obtained by AP show banks had a strong incentive to approve as many loans as possible from the terror program. The banks profited from the interest while incurring little risk because the government guaranteed 75 percent to 85 percent of each loan....

"They had personnel at our conference stand up and say if you cannot find a reason to move the loan over to the STAR program, contact us and we'll help you find a reason to move it over," recalled Tony Wilkinson, president of the National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders." Thousands of businesses far from the devastation had no trouble getting SBA loans, simply submitting short applications that linked their slow business to the widespread economic fallout caused by Sept. 11. For instance:
--Karl Grimmelmann, general manager of KBFS-AM "Hit Kickin' Country" in Belle Fourche, S.D., borrowed $135,000 from SBA's disaster program after learning about it from a news release. He said his station was forced to pay more money to cover national news and also lost advertisers. "Everybody started holding onto their money, plain and simple," he said.
--Margie Olson, co-owner of the Torii Mor Winery in McMinnville, Ore., said her business needed a $125,000 loan because it couldn't sell high-end pinot noir to Manhattan restaurants that had closed. "Everyone started hitting the heavy stuff," Olson said, laughing.
--Melva Kravitz, co-owner of the Little Dogs Resort & Salon in Salt Lake City that offers boarding and grooming services for small dogs, said people stopped taking vacations and boarding their pets after Sept. 11, requiring her $50,000 loan. "It was awful," she said. "You just couldn't go on."
--Christine Hilty, co-owner of Violettes Boutique on St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, said the perfume shop lost 60 percent of its business overnight as tourism stopped. She got a $169,500 loan from SBA. "Would we have closed our doors? It was close," she said. "Everyone was afraid to get on a plane. Tourism was totally halted."