Greenwald: Bailout follows the 10 normal principles for how our Government functions

[Truth2Tell]

As always, Glenn Greenwald at Salon nails it:

The word being used most frequently to describe the bailout package that is about to pass is "extraordinary…" but the process by which this is all happening is anything but "extraordinary." All of the "principles" that drive how our Government functions in general -- what explain the last eight years at least -- are perfectly evident in what has happened here:

(1) Incredibly complex and consequential new laws are negotiated in secret and then enacted immediately, with no hearings, no real debate, no transparency…

(2) Those who created the crisis, were wrong about everything, drive the process. Experts who dissent from the prevailing Washington orthodoxy, particularly ones who were presciently warning about what was happening, are simply ignored -- systematically excluded from the process…

(3) Public opinion is largely ignored, as always, and public anger is placated through illusory, symbolic and largely meaningless concessions…

(4) The Government begins with demands for absolute power so brazen and absurd that anything, by comparison, seems reasonable…

(5) Wall Street, large corporations and their lobbyists own the Federal Government and both parties, and (therefore) they always win…

(6) The people who run the Washington Establishment are drowning in conflicts of interest…

(7) For all the anger over what Wall St. has done, the Government -- as it bails them out -- isn't doing anything to rein in their practices…

(8) When the Government wants greater and greater power and wants to engage in pure corruption, it need only put the population in extreme fear and it gets its way in every case…

(9) On the most consequential and fundamental questions that define the country, the establishment/leadership of both political parties are in full agreement, and insulate themselves from any political ramifications by acting jointly…

(10) Whenever you think that the Government has done things so extreme that it can't top itself -- torture, theories of presidential lawbreaking, a six-year war justified by blatantly false pretenses -- it always tops itself…

More http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/09/29/bailout/index.html">here.

[calmblueocean]

1. I wish Obama was making these points.

I know he's between a rock and a hard place -- if he criticizes the bailout plan too strenously, he risks being made to look unserious, not ready for the job, not understanding how grave the crisis is.

Whereas, if Obama votes for the bailout now, and gets elected, he has the opportunity to restructure the whole process however he sees fit when he is president.

Still, to see him going along with this bailout without articulating the same kinds of principles Greenwald is here really saddens me. I was so getting ready to leave the Bush Mentality behind, and in this one case, he's coming off as More of the Same.

[Truth2Tell]

2. Obama can't make these points any more than he could actually

campaign on a peace platform.

Fear Propaganda rules all in America. Get with the program or lose. Even on DU.

[yurbud]

3. Pic of Kucinich shows why he can't. If a politician strays too far off the reservation, he will be

mocked until the public doesn't take him seriously or simply ignored.

Someone who is a serious progressive would have to lie and dance between rain drops to get into office.

[moodforaday]

4. One more vote please! It deserves

the Greatest page. Fantastically concise and accurate analysis.

And I'm sure Glen Greenwald is watching a flock of airborne pigs passing quietly outside his window right about now, as for the first time in 7 years the Congress did not cave to the BFEE.

[malaise]

5. Perfectly stated

Greenwald nails it as usual.

[Kolesar]

6. Greenwald doesn't understand the politics of this

...and I don't see any evidence that he understands "the issue" (even at the salon.com article). Funny is that he called the vote all wrong. It was a narrow loss. What lost it was the politics of the RW-rage set, who have learned to strike fear into the gop legislators.

I will listen to economics professor Paul Krugman if I want financial advice.

edit: what does this have to do with torture or the military commissions act?

[Truth2Tell]

7. what does this have to do with torture or the military commissions act?

Answer: They were both passed by appealing to fear and with no real information on which to base a decision. Miss the point much?

[Kolesar]

8. thin

[OneBlueSky]

9. bravo! . . . Greenwald is exactly right . . .

this particular bailout bill brings new meaning to "throwing good money after bad" . . .

start over, Congresspersons -- and to a better job this time . . .