Bush to make Enron victims pay for his tax cuts for the rich

[MSgt213]

Just a few years ago, President George W. Bush’s cronies at Enron stole billions of dollars from average Americans by gaming the energy markets. In Washington State, for instance, the company raked in almost $2 billion through illegal profiteering. Enron traders were caught on tape laughing about being “in the mood to screw with people” and “want to see what pain and heartache this is going to cause.”

But apparently for the Bush administration, consumers didn’t get fleeced enough. In his 2006 budget, the president is pushing to raise electricity rates in many of the same regions that were bilked by his friends at Enron. Specifically, Bush is pushing to make the Bonneville Power Administration (a network of publicly-owned dams and power plants) raise its electricity rates in order to help cover his tax-cut-induced deficits. It is a classic example of how Bush wants to rob average Americans (aka. electricity ratepayers) to finance his plans to pay off the rich.

http://www-nocache.thinkprogress.org/index.php

Smith opposed to Bush's BPA budget provisions

February 7 - WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR) responded to provisions in President Bush FY 2006 budget which would gradually force Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) ratepayers to pay market-based rates rather than the cost-based prices currently in use.

“If this plan is implemented, it would cost the Northwest hundreds of millions and possibly billions of dollars,” Smith said. “BPA’s customers are still recovering from the West Coast energy crisis and a sluggish economy. They’ve already been hit with rate hikes and they can’t afford any more. I am going to exhaust every right and privilege I have, as a Senator, to kill this proposal.”

http://www.bend.com/news/ar_view%5E3Far_id%5E3D21059.htm

[whistle]

1. There has been redistribution of wealth alright, the wealth of...

...this nation distributed into the hands of the few!

[tabasco]

2. I suppose the people must be reduced to paupers ...

before they see they have been willing victims of a crooked cabal. The idiots that support this regime will probably blame it on Clinton when the house of cards collapses. The rich will be safe in their gated compounds, with their war profits. The rest of us will be left with a devastated economy.

[Tux]

3. Nope

Once our economy fails, they'll blame liberals, pagans, gays, feminists, professors, communists, and my neighbor's cat for not obeying god's will. Once our nation falls, it's back to burning people as taught in the Bible.

And yes, I do have a beef with Christians. If any would stand up to the Evangelicals, if they would realise they don't own religion, if they could, for a moment, understand that people are people, if they would stop basing my employment on church, I might actually have some respect for them.

[BanzaiBonnie]

4. Enron traders were caught

on tape laughing about being “in the mood to screw with people” and “want to see what pain and heartache this is going to cause.”


These are the guys who should be subject to torture. They are traitors and scoundrels of the worst order.

[Massacure]

5. Higher electricity rates increase conservation.

I'd rather see the price raised through a electricity tax rather than give it to the greedy adminstrative people.

[deek]

6. Arnie complicit in this scam

Where is the outrage?