Never Forget What Enron Cost Us In California

[Rose Siding]

"Ken Lay and Jeffrey Skilling, more than anyone, are the reason I'm talking to you now from this law firm." (said Gray Davis on the occasion of Ken Lay's death)

Enron's market scams and the blackouts of 2000-01 staggered the state and its governor....

"It's justice of a sort: poetic justice, not pure justice......In many ways the victims of his fraud were shortchanged. Watching Ken Lay go to prison would have brought closure to a lot of people…. People were looking for closure and they never got it."

He shakes his head. Lay and Skilling "could have made a fortune legally. But that wasn't enough for them."
...
Before the state energy crisis, Davis' approval rating hovered near 60% in public opinion polls, and he was on knowing lists of presidential prospects. A booming economy during his early years as governor made it possible to sharply increase education spending and reduce car license fees.

Los Angeles Times
July 7, 2006

The ripple effect of the fall of Enron is so far-reaching that the damages done by its business practices are at risk of becoming overshadowed. The governorship of blue CA, with the most electoral votes in the nation, where a year earlier a Democratic governor was hailed internationally for signing Kyoto-like legislation, fell to Republican hands.

It's enough to give credence to Intelligent (though devious) Design!

Over these last few years the exhaustive efforts and treasure of California's powerful progressive organizations have all been spent just keeping their heads above water.

And now, with some election year hocus pocus and the flashing of his pearly whites, an oiled up Arnold's on top again. Poof! He's moderate. Poof! He's socially liberal practically.

Won't it be ironic if Republicans use the same social wedge issues that they use in red states, and by inverting curry favor for the governator?

[RobertSeattle]

1. How many people died during the Enron black/brown outs?

Seconds matter when there is a medical emergency - how many people died because traffic lights were out? Elevators out?

[partylessinOhio]

2. Also never forget the money from Ohio that is lost forever to Enron.

Millions of dollars of PERS and STRS pension funds were invested in Enron and lost and never recovered.

We should never forget the money invested by Ohio cities in Enron.

Also, we should never forget the money lost by individual investors in Enron.

The greed of Enron has impacted the lives of all Americans.