Troops suffer while Bush cronies make out like bandits

[joeunderdog]

In the world of top dogs and underdogs, the Bush administration has made it clear that it stands with the ''haves and have mores'' that the president called ''my base.'' So we have ''trickle down'' tax cuts -- with millionaires pocketing tens of thousands of dollars every year while most taxpayers get less than $100.

That was, perhaps, to be expected. But amazingly, that same lack of concern about workaday people is at display in Iraq -- and the young men and women whose lives are on the line are paying the price.

snip

Item: Reservists and National Guard members were called up for three months, and then told their tour would be a year. Many are now being told they won't return until 2005. Across the country, traditional, pro-military families are now petitioning the Pentagon to honor a one-year tour of duty and bring the troops home.

Item: If and when the soldiers make it home, this administration isn't exactly on their side either. The president promised that we would ''provide the best care for anybody who is willing to put their life in harm's way.'' But on the same day, his administration announced it was cutting off access to its health care system for 164,000 veterans.

snip

The Center for Public Integrity reports that the ''stench of political favoritism and cronyism surround the contracting process in both Iraq and Afghanistan.'' Politically wired companies with few or no credentials have landed multimillion-dollar contracts.

more
http://www.suntimes.com/output/jesse/cst-edt-jesse04.html

Disgusting, absolutely disgusting. Not surprising, just disgusting.

[Mari333]

1. A GREAT ARTICLE.

be nice to see the TV media whores bring up the subject/
wheres the outrage?

[Bandit]

2. Politically wired companies with few or no credentials have landed

multi-million dollar contracts without bids. This is the story we need to keep hammering on. It is simple cronyism and easy to understand by all.

[ConcernedCanuk]

3. "cutting off access to its health care system for 164,000 veterans."

. . I repeat what was said above

. . Disgusting, absolutely disgusting. Not surprising, just disgusting.

Hope anyone considering enlisting is aware of how the WH treats it's vets -

(sigh)

[ignatius]

4. Jesse can most always cut through the bs and get to the heart of the

matter.

Give 'em hell, Jesse. Keep working to invigorate the trampled on who are victims of this cabal.(which includes most of America)

[lovedems]

5. Finally this is getting more coverage!

My husband and I have been bitching for months about this. Screw the WMD's bu$hco. has some big campaign contributors to pay back! Does anyone want to guess that is why Syria and Iran are on the list and if they are elected in 04 we will do the same? It is like these idiots are telling the corps. give me money to get elected and I will pay you back with no bid contracts worth billions. Isn't war profiteering against the law?

[Bridget Burke]

6. From today's Houston Chronicle

Their cartoonist is generally pretty mild-mannered--not very exciting. But even he's getting the message--and getting the message across.

[aeon flux]

7. Why the hell aren't the dems/dem candidates raising hell about this

They could destroy Bush with this material.
Effing spineless whores.