Thursday, May 25, 2006

Today is one of those days when those who have been done unto get to take some solace in watching those who lorded it over them come crashing back to earth. Today, Ken Lay and Jeffrey Skilling of Enron, were found guilty on all charges brought against them in the collapse of that company.

The collapse of the company was a calamity. What it did to the people working under the umbrella of Enron was much more. It was criminal.

Those who had worked hard for years to make a good life for themselves in retirement found out in a matter of days that they had absolutely nothing. And, while they were being encouraged to dump all the money they had into the company, Ken and Jeff were busy selling huge lots of stock.

So, this afternoon, when I heard Ken going on about how Godly he was, I couldn't help but wonder what kind of a God this man hangs with. A perverted son-of-a-bitch there can be no doubt. And, of course for those of us who are athiest to start with, the bastard was just mouthing bullshit in the same way he did while he was running Enron into the ground.

Ken and Jeff will no doubt do their time in a cushy prison somewhere in the hills of New York. But, we can all take comfort in knowing that they'll likely die on the concrete floor of a prison cell, surrounded by their cell mates.

My only fear is that their buddy George will pardon them and they'll ride off into the sunset with whatever of their fortunes remains intact. And, I certainly would not put it past him, since they are of the same ilk.

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Borders

It is truely a mess. There are people who are impoverished trying desperately to get into this country to try and build a better life for themselves and their progeny. There are lots of people pointing fingers and laying blame. Most of which is not useful. So, shut the fuck up.

The fact of the matter is, the problem would not exist if the people streaming across the borders weren't hired to do the jobs that they do. Cleaning houses, picking produce, construction and meat and poultry processing. I hear lots of rhetoric about how they all by god should be rounded up and deported immediately. Businesses, those who support G.W. specifically, aren't about to let that happen anytime soon. They depend on cheap labor to keep profits up, all the while keeping labor costs as low as possible. If all of those who are doing those jobs were to be suddenly deported, those who would demand higher wages would take their place and the cost of doing business, not to mention the cost of those products, would rise sharply.

That of course would lead to whining and moaning about how much everything costs. Well wake the hell up people. We have had cheap food for a very long time. If we are willing to pay more for the food we eat, then by all means lets get started at the deporting game. However, if you like that cheap food, you'd better shut your goddam mouths and push Bushco to actually hire the Border Patrol Agents they promised to hire last December. To refresh your memories, Bush promised last December that we would be hiring 10,000 Agents over the next five years. Then of course came time to pay for them and he wasn't forthcoming with the cash. So instead, we will be hiring about 210. Anything pop out at you here?

Now he decides since the political winds are blowing up his ass and freezing him to death, that the National Guard is the way to go. Put them into desk jobs and let the Border Patrol do it's job. What are the Governor's of those border states saying? All oppose the idea. Error, Perry does what he is told. So he will go along. However, the others are waving a red flag. And, there is this little matter of hurricane season looming in the background promising to suck the National Gaurd another direction. And, lest we forget, there is the little Iraq thing that takes up a lot of their time and effort.

Got an idea George. Put up the money and hire the Border Patrol folks we need to stem the tide. Kick your buddies who are hiring all of the immigrants in the ass and hold them accountable for their actions. Fine them in amounts that will make it unwise to hire them. It's called leadership George. Even though you have never shown any inclination in that department, this might be a real good time.