🚀 go-pugleaf

"Another Bush, another Recession" wrote:
> 
> Enrongate Debate
> 
> 
> 
> By: Mike Hersh - 12/24/01
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> 
> 
> 
> 
>           A right winger writes:  We can only WISH that the federal
>           government had been run like Enron...we'd  probably be in
>           much better shape! (Maybe "better" is not the word. Maybe
>           "less bad")...
> 
>           I reply: How so? Enron ripped off consumers and employees,
>           and still went bust. How is that better?
> 
>           A right winger writes: Why can't you see that Enron is (run)
>           no worse than our government? The  government wastes
>           infinitly much more money and is in infinitly more debt.
> 
>           I reply: Because Enron *is* run much worse than government.
>           Much worse.  Enron existed to make a profit. Government
>           does not. Neither made a profit, but since only Enron was
>           supposed to, Enron failed.
> 
>           The government provides goods and services without a profit
>           motive. That's the whole point of rejecting the Enron model.
>           Also, government is in debt mainly because of the costs of war
>           and the failed economic policies of Reagan, Bush and Bush.
> 
>           A right winger writes: Imagine if Enron, instead of going out
>           of business, decided to break into  the houses of their workers
>           and investors at night and steal money to  remain solvent.
>           That's horrible, right?!? Why? What's so bad about it?  That's
>           what the government does. It would have gone out of business
>           long  ago if not for the power to take our money as it
>           pleases...
> 
>           I reply: Actually no. Government provides goods and services
>           to the people, and the people elect officials (when the
>           Supreme Court lets us) who set tax policy. While tax policy
>           favors the rich and powerful, that doesn't mean government
>           "breaks into houses at night." The concept of tax as theft is a
>           libertarian canard. Enron stole money. People who want the
>           government to emulate Enron should think about that.
> 
>           A right winger writes: Sure, some executives got rich at
>           Enron. But name me one Senator who didn't  leave office with
>           vastly more money then when they started in  Congress...and
>           they're supposed to be public servents! That's much more
>           disturbing, IMHO.
> 
>           I reply: It's possible for more than one thing to be "disturbing,"
>           but by defending Enron, people are defending corruption,
>           duplicity, and failure.
> 
>           A right winger writes: Re-read the article below substituting
>           "the government" for "Enron" and  "congressmen" for
>           "Enron executives."  It basically works.
> 
>           I reply: Except it doesn't really. Enron execs ripped off
>           consumers and employees, and now want us to bail them out.
>           SOME in government--Reagan, Bush and Bush--argued that
>           we should run government like Enron, and did so.  Like Enron,
>           they ripped off people, ran up huge debts, and failed. Others in
>           government reject the Enron model.
> 
>           A right winger writes: You would be hard pressed to find me
>           one Congressman who hasn't attached  pork to legislation for
>           their own self-interest. And that takes much more  money out
>           of your pocket than Enron ever could.
> 
>           I reply: One person's pork is another person's public hospital,
>           bridge or food for flood victims. Then again, grabbing for
>           yourself is the right wing / Enron model of government.
>           Defending both Enron and the failed right wing model of
>           government doesn't refute opposition to both.
> 
>           A right winger writes: By the way, I'm not trying to stand up
>           for Enron here...just pointing out  some similarities. It makes
>           me much more upset to see our elected  officials personally
>           gain than an executive.
> 
>           I reply: It sure looks like you're defending Enron, "We can
>           only WISH that the federal government had been run like
>           Enron." I can understand you want to deny that. To me, a
>           crook is a crook is a crook. Bush, Lay, Gates, DeLay.... All
>           crooks.
> 
>           A right winger writes: In the former case, it's everybody's
>           money and everybody's government. In  the latter, it's the
>           money of investors and the jobs of the employees. Bad  either
>           way, but much worse in the former case, IMHO...
> 
>           I reply: To me it's no defense of Enron to claim their cheating
>           and alleged crimes were of smaller scope than those of Bush
>           and Cheney whom Enron supported.
> 
>           Let's investigate the whole Enrongate mess as if Lay's name
>           were Lewinsky, tally up the total damage and crimes, and let
>           the prison sentences fall where they may?