Christmas Every Day! (For Corporate Campaign Donors in 2009)

[McCamy Taylor]

No, I am not talking about those of you who broke open your piggy banks in order to send presidential candidate Obama your nickels and dimes. For you every day is Bush engineered recession ( with depression level unemployment rates.)

The people who have benefited first and most from last year’s elections are those who paid for it. And presidential campaigns in this country do not come cheap. Due to the apathy of voters---who refuse to take an interest in the electoral process except on election day, when they throw a dart in the general direction of the most photogenic candidate---Big Business has turned the democratic process into something more akin to a private auction. The one willing to put up the most money wins. Bidding is fierce.

In January 2007, Federal Election Commission Chairman Michael E. Toner estimated that the 2008 race would be a $1 billion election, and that to be taken seriously, a candidate would have needed to raise at least $100 million by the end of 2007.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2008

One billion dollars. Oo la la!

Pop quiz. How many kids could be enrolled in SCHIP for one year for that one billion dollars?

Answer. One million.

Everyone has heard the phrase “Dance with the one who brought you.” Obama, like all wise politicians, lives by that rule. He has a re-election campaign to think about.

Here is another bit of timeless wisdom:

“Infidelity does not consist in believing or in disbelieving; it consists in professing what he does not believe.”

Thomas Paine The Age of Reason

I. Christmas Everyday for Exelon



Exelon is not just another energy company whose name begins with an “E”. Like Enron, Exelon has ties to a U.S. president.

Exelon and Obama go way back.

On July 4, 2007 , Jeffrey St. Clair & Joshua Frank wrote “Bartack Obama’s Nuclear Ambitions”

"Barack, for the second quarter in a row, has surpassed the fundraising prowess of Hillary Clinton. To be sure small online donations have propelled the young senator to the top, but so too have his connections to big industry. The Obama campaign, as of late March 2007, has accepted $159,800 from executives and employees of Exelon, the nation’s largest nuclear power plant operator.

"The Illinois-based company also helped Obama’s 2004 senatorial campaign. As Ken Silverstein reported in the November 2006 issue of Harper’s, ' is Obama’s fourth largest patron, having donated a total of $74,350 to his campaigns. During debate on the 2005 energy bill, Obama helped to vote down an amendment that would have killed vast loan guarantees for power-plant operators to develop new energy projects … the public will not only pay millions of dollars in loan costs but will risk losing billions of dollars if the companies default.'"

http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/07/barack-obamas-nuclear-ambitions/

Exelon is the largest nuclear power company in the U.S. and the third largest in the world.

http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf41.html

Those who knew about Obama’s ties to the company understood that he meant it when he professed to being a big advocate of nuclear power. The one form of protest which he did not tolerate at his primary campaign stops was that of the No Nukes crowd. They had their own “free speech zone”. And the internet was astroturfed with groups claiming to be minority voters for nuclear power. Because every minority community wants to have a radioactive waste dump next door.

Nuclear power disproportionately affects communities of color, from the mining of uranium on Native American lands, to the targeting of black and Hispanic communities for new uranium enrichment facilities to the targeting of black and Hispanic and Native American communities for so-called "low-level" nuclear waste disposal sites. All of the sites proposed for "temporary" and permanent storage of high level nuclear waste (nuclear reactor fuel rods) have been Native American lands, with over 60 Native communities having been targeted.

Snip

New nuclear power reactors are being proposed in the U.S., including an experimental one specially designed to produce hydrogen. One of the first three new nuclear reactors planned since the 1970s is to be located in Claiborne County, Mississippi, a county which is 82% African-American.
A 2009 study of the geography of currently-operating nuclear reactors shows that there is a high concentration of reactors in the southeastern U.S. and that the locations of the reactors tend to be in low-income communities.

http://www.energyjustice.net/ej/

So, what kinds of goodies has Santa Obama been leaving in Exelon’s stocking this year?

Has the nation’s biggest nuclear utility seen the light? Exelon announced on Apr. 22 (what a coincidence—that’s Earth Day) that it will construct the biggest urban solar-power project in the U.S., a 39-acre array of sun panels that will cost $60 million to construct on Chicago’s South Side.
Snip
Without federal loan guarantees, which will back 80% of Exelon's investment, O'Neill says the project won't be built. "It's as simple as that," he tells me. That's not all Exelon needs from the government. The company can claim a 30% tax credit on its investment under the stimulus bill. No tax break, no project. The tax credits expire at the end of 2009.

Oo! Solar. However, as the article goes on to explain

But, to mix metaphors, this project is a drop in the bucket. In 2010, if the facility goes online, Exelon will be generating 16 megawatts of electricity from the sun. It will be generating 16,000 megawatts from atomic power.

http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/next/archives/2009/04/has_the_nations.html

The FERC offered Exelon a sweet deal when it authorized the merger with NRG Energy, Inc.---which would have made Exelon the nation’s largest supplier of electricity. Can I get a round of “Too big to fail”?
http://business.cch.com/updates/energy/june2009.htm

Too bad for Exelon that NRC Energy Inc was not so sweet on the deal.

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/breaking/business_breaking/20090721_NRG_shareholders_reject_Exelon_takeover_bid.html

Cap and trade should provide Exelon with a windfall.

It’s no secret that meaningful climate change has been systematically undermined by powerful special interests, but while some of the usual suspects like Big Oil and Big Coal are stampeding Capitol Hill in an effort to maintain the energy production status quo, Big Nuclear is taking a slightly different approach to thwarting the transition to a clean-energy economy. Not only does the nuclear industry support a climate bill based on a cap-and-trade scheme, it has tapped key nuclear proponents to pack the legislation with gratuitous nuclear handouts and positioned the technology as a legislative deal breaker.

Snip

Exelon CEO John Rowe, in a recent conference call with financial analysts, provided insight into why the nuclear industry is so jazzed about cap-and-trade. Exelon “expects to see a $1.1 billion-and-growing annual upside to Exelon revenues from implementation of Waxman-Markey.” With 17 nuclear power plants, Exelon runs the largest fleet of reactors in the country. EnergyBizInsider explains the nuclear windfall if a cap-and-trade scheme is adopted to address climate change: assuming an initial carbon price at $7.50 per megawatt-hour in the unregulated market, where Exelon operates, “multiply Exelon’s nuclear generation of 132 million megawatt-hours by the price increase of $7.50 per megawatt-hour and – voila! – you get a revenue increase of $990 million. Call it a billion dollars. As time goes on and the carbon cap gets smaller, the price per ton should rise accordingly.” Interestingly, the current suite of subsidies and windfalls provided by cap-and-trade is not enough to put nuclear back on the market.

http://publiccitizenenergy.org/2009/12/15/nuclear-appeasement-is-not-the-solution-to-climate-change/

Now where have I heard about cap and trade recently? Oh yes.

Some environmental groups are arguing that the one bright side of Copenhagen’s ambiguous endgame is that it may lend a boost to the cap-and-trade bill in the Senate. The Obama administration was able to lock in one of the most important elements for the Senate: the cooperation of major emerging economies like China and India. At the same time, it did not prescribe specific actions for the US, leaving room for the Senate to develop their bill. "This puts it in the hands of the Senate to set the terms of engagement," said Fred Krupp, head of the Environmental Defense Fund. "That's what the Senate wants."

http://motherjones.com/politics/2009/12/copenhagen-decoded

Cap and trade is what Obama wants, too. If you do not believe me, watch him here in a special YouTube video created over a year ago, before he took office:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=IT&hl=it&v=hvG2XptIEJk

“Any company that is willing to invest in clean energy will have an ally in the White House.” Obama, 2008

II. Christmas Everyday for the Banksters



The Democrats (with the approval of then presidential candidate Obama) did not wait for the elections to deliver on the investments of the nation’s banking industry. Why? The title of this March 2008 LA Times article “Democrats are Darlings of Wall Street” says it all.

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/mar/21/nation/na-wallstdems21

For their investment, the banking industry got a bail out. A really big bail out. Which they have not spent freeing up credit. And they got to keep paying themselves bonuses. And Obama did not select his own Ferdinand Pecora to investigate the mess which lead to the mortgage meltdown, even though a number of people (including yours truly) suggested it and former New York Governor Spitzer has done everything short of wear a sign that reads Make ME Your Pecora.

Instead, we got Tim Geithner.

http://www.wegoted.com/news/detail.asp?newsID=2720

When will we see banksters doing the perp walk? When will the guys who stole our homes go to jail for robbery? Don’t be silly. Under Obama, they are still stealing our homes. Only now, they collect mortgage payments from us right up until the day they sell our houses out from under us.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/80867.html

III. More Wish Lists

Source Watch has a list of lobbyists who bundled money for candidate Obama (you know, the guy who boasted that he did not accept money from federal lobbyists). I chose a few at random to see how their clients were faring under the new, all Democratic federal government.

Solomont Bailis Ventures: More Medical Spending

These guys specialize in elder care services.

http://www.ncbcapitalimpact.org/documents/aalVII-07MgtAgentProfile.pdf

There is a little something in the Senate Health Care Bill for them.

The Senate on Friday turned back a Republican effort to eliminate a long-term care insurance program to help seniors and the disabled, saving the plan once championed by the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy in its health overhaul bill.

Snip

Known as the CLASS Act, short for Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act, the idea was originally pushed by Kennedy, the Massachusetts liberal who pursued the goal of health care for all through decades in public service until his death from brain cancer in August.
Workers would pay a modest monthly premium during their careers into the voluntary program. If they become disabled, they would get a cash benefit of at least $50 a day. That can help pay for a home care attendant, for supplies and equipment, to make home improvements such as new bathroom railings, or defray nursing home costs. A version of the plan was passed by the House. The Obama administration supports it.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091204/ap_on_bi_ge/us_health_care_overhaul

I am sure they do.

Oh, and Mr. Solomont gets an all expense paid vacation to Spain for the duration of the Obama administration. In other words, he bought himself an ambassadorship.

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2009/08/solomont_tapped.html

Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis : More Gas

If the last part of this firm’s name sounds familiar, that is because Abramoff used to work for them---before the merger.

Wow. Who do these guys not represent? I chose a topic at random—“health care” to see what they do and found a little of this a little of that---including hospitals and health insurers, two of the big winners in the Obama approved Senate HCB.

http://www.klgates.com/practices/ServiceDetail.aspx?service=25

And what’s this? Marcellus shale? Natural gas.

http://www.klgates.com/practices/ServiceDetail.aspx?service=111

Doesn’t our new energy secretary, Stephen Chu know a thing or two about natural gas?

Obama recently picked renown research scientist Stephen Chu for his energy secretary. This is the first time an energy secretary has not had some ties to the oil and gas
industry. Stephen Chu has worked on alternative research projects at Lawrence Berkely Laboratory which has conducted studies of "gas to liquids" technology to replace oil. While natural gas is still a fossil fuel it gives off much less carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, and pollution. Making it more or less a green fuel compared to oil. There has been a huge marketing campaign by Chesapeake Natural Gas company and oil man T. Boone Pickens to convert our cars and trucks to natural gas and also use gas to liquids technology to make fuel.
Some experts believe that there is enough natural gas contained in shale formations like the Marcellus Shale to completely eliminate our dependence on foreign oil.
One thing is for sure, with someone like Stephen Chu as energy secretary we are about to take a radically new course when it comes to how we power our country. It's about time, for the sake of our national security, to stop buying our energy from people that hate us.

http://www.xomba.com/marcellus_shale_and_obama_s_energy_plan_perfect_match

Anyone who wants to know some of the problems with fracture-drilling for gas in residential areas can check out my old journal about the problems in Texas.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5786208

Oh, well, we can conserve energy by reducing our need for night time lighting if we all glow in the dark.

Arnold & Porter: More Drugs



You will never in a million years guess who these guys represent. Never. Do not even try.

Phillip Morris.

I guess they think that Obama is a good spokes model for their product. But seriously, Arnold & Porter also represents pharmaceutical companies. You know, drugs that are supposed to be good for you.

http://www.arnoldporter.com/industries.cfm?u=PharmaceuticalMedicalDevice&action=view&id=323

And we all know what the current Congress thinks about the high cost of drugs. They love it!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34438653/ns/politics-health_care_reform/

There are more lobbyist-donors here at Source Watch.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Barack_Obama/Campaign_Financing#cite_note-16

What's that I hear in the distance? Is it Christmas carolers. No, it's DU singing "They All Do!" that tired old tune that the GOP uses whenever their politicians get caught with their hands in the cookie jar (or up someone's skirt). They all do it. So, why shouldn't Obama and the Congressional Democrats get their share of the money?

Enjoy your Christmas. And be sure to say a prayer for all the folks who will not be in their own homes this holidays and all who do not have jobs (or credit) and all the sick people who can not afford health care---because few people in Washington are giving them much thought.

[waiting for hope]

1. K&R

Three words: Campaign Finance Reform. That's my New Years wish ... too bad I won't see that in my lifetime.

[ChiciB1]

5. Nor In Mine! No Christmas Here Today... My Daughter & Son-in-Law Took Advantage

of an offer to work today because of the extra pay! The kicker is that they got "picked" because of seniority because too many other people wanted to work today too!

We celebrated our dinner and presents for "kids" only yesterday! So few houses decorated this year, so few people sending cards... to those of us who keep trying to stay aware, well we're the ones who will end up with MAJOR DEPRESSION before it gets worse. And it may get worse sooner than we think!

As a boomer, I may not be around to see some of the worst, but I have kids and grandkids and I feel fearful when I think about what may be coming! There was a time when I thought "after Christmas" sales were great, this year I won't even venture out. I've been passing over anything "extra" for a long time now! Even stopped going to garage sales so I wouldn't be tempted to buy something that's almost new, from a person who felt they REALLY needed it, only to have it end up at a yard sale for 1/4 or less of what they paid for it! Some stuff in original boxes! We as a people really need to SERIOUSLY wake up! Some will be forced to, but others will still blindly walk into the fray and think they just "need" to have something! Ergo, the RICH get RICHER... on and on!

I so wish I didn't feel so badly about Obama, I really wanted to see him succeed even though he wasn't my first choice. However, as time goes by, connecting the dots with him is very revealing! Trying to get the REAL story out is a crap shoot at best!

Too many people just vote for who BIG MONEY has decided is the "flavor" at the time!

Democracy?? NOT!! It has another name and perhaps one that we don't have a real definition for as yet!

[snagglepuss]

2. AAlot of people aren't going to be too happy when they open this post on Christmas Day

but I'm not one of them. Bookmarked. K & R

[inna]

3. KR

[D-Lee]

4. McCamy -- another great post -- best wishes for 2010!

Looking forward to more insightful posts and wishing you and yours the very best during this holiday season and the coming year.