jw076
June 7th, 2009, 6:06 am
I’m Shocked, Shocked to Find that Profiteering is Going On in Here!
By John W. Willoughby
The title is a line from yet another cheesy remake of the classic 1942 Humphrey Bogart film. In this version, the part of suave, debonair Rick is played by the Defense Contracting Industry and the part of the weasley little Nazi-sympathizing Vichy gendarme Captain Louis Renault is played by Congressman Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii).
The title -- Casablowhard.
This remake parallel’s the original film’s theme with Captain Neil (regaled in full uniform and the little hat) storming into Rick’s Café American under orders from his superiors to shut him down for contributing to and aiding promoters of freedom and democracy. In this version though, Rick’s is a popular establishment where lobbyists and political action committees gather to contribute billions of dollars to advance their interests.
Captain Neil’s superiors direct him to wield the War Profiteering Prevention Act as a weapon against these revolutionaries though they are the very same that have contributed millions of dollars in campaign contributions to him through the years. As he rebukes the Defense Contractor character with the shocking revelation that “profiteering is going on in here,” a political toady slips behind and presents him with hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions which Captain Neil unscrupulously stuffs into his oversized pockets while he orders the place closed.
Enter Congresswoman Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) playing the part of the coquettish waif willing to sell her virtue for a piece of the Defense Contracting pie. As the place empties, the dashing Rick casually peels off several hundred thousand dollars and presents the cash to her with a peck on cheek, then sends her back to Congress -- virtue intact -- to resume her role as an aloof, virtually ineffective legislator.
The problem with this production is that the third-rate cast doesn’t have the “star power” of Senator Chris Dodd or Representatives Barney Frank or Charlie Rangel. Mr. Abercrombie does however turn in an Oscar Award caliber performance and the scenery is spectacular.
Unfortunately, in this case of life imitating art, it is we taxpayers who get caught between reality (the world in which we live, taxes we pay, etc.) and illusion (the responsible and accountable representation we expect to receive). Mr. Abercrombie is very adroit at playing two sides against each other and swaying the outcome just as he did in the case of the now defunct Hawaii Superferry. On the one hand, he accepted tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from Superferry Officers and Board Members John Garibaldi, Admiral Thomas Fargo, Dr. John Lehman et al, Hawaii Superferry Inc., J.F. Lehman & Company, and several Superferry Political Action Committees. On the other he was taking money from the Sierra Club and other Superferry opponents and extreme environmental activists. He simply brushed off any hint of impropriety or conflict of interest by claiming that both sides knew they would get fair, just and impartial representation.
While testifying to a Judicial Committee on the War Profiteering Prevention Act, Mr. Abercrombie was quoted by his spokesman Dave Helfert claiming that “some government contractors have declared open season on the U.S. taxpayer.” After the initial “pot calling the kettle black” moment, we immediately recognize this as yet another feeble, transparent attempt by Mr. Abercrombie and the majority party in Congress to misdirect criticism away from the gargantuan government spending spree and refusal to accept accountability for their own role in the AIG bonus fiasco. Perhaps Mr. Abercrombie should concentrate less on “shaking down” Defense Contractors who have contributed millions of dollars to him and more on the profiteering associated with totally uncontrolled and unmonitored stimulus package pork projects and the bloated federal budget he has sponsored and facilitated.
It stands to reason that we the people expect to receive a fair price and quality product from any industry, company or contractor (defense or otherwise) with whom our delegated military and civilian representatives deal. Likewise the servicer expects to receive a fair profit (not subject to the whim of politicians) for services rendered. It is incumbent upon the agencies contracting for and/or receiving these goods and services to monitor the cost and quality and pursue any improprieties to the fullest extent of laws and conventions already on the books. However, if Mr. Abercrombie wishes to sponsor a Stimulus Profiteering Prevention Act to hold accountable violators of the public trust, I’ll be the first to sign on. In the meantime, we can anticipate Gubernatorial Candidate Abercrombie to bring the same sort of hypocrisy and double standard, or in his words, “change from Washington to Washington Place (Hawaii Governor's residence).”
Oh by the way, to learn the identities of the heroes in our little remake, we’ll have to wait until the 2010 elections.
By John W. Willoughby
The title is a line from yet another cheesy remake of the classic 1942 Humphrey Bogart film. In this version, the part of suave, debonair Rick is played by the Defense Contracting Industry and the part of the weasley little Nazi-sympathizing Vichy gendarme Captain Louis Renault is played by Congressman Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii).
The title -- Casablowhard.
This remake parallel’s the original film’s theme with Captain Neil (regaled in full uniform and the little hat) storming into Rick’s Café American under orders from his superiors to shut him down for contributing to and aiding promoters of freedom and democracy. In this version though, Rick’s is a popular establishment where lobbyists and political action committees gather to contribute billions of dollars to advance their interests.
Captain Neil’s superiors direct him to wield the War Profiteering Prevention Act as a weapon against these revolutionaries though they are the very same that have contributed millions of dollars in campaign contributions to him through the years. As he rebukes the Defense Contractor character with the shocking revelation that “profiteering is going on in here,” a political toady slips behind and presents him with hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions which Captain Neil unscrupulously stuffs into his oversized pockets while he orders the place closed.
Enter Congresswoman Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) playing the part of the coquettish waif willing to sell her virtue for a piece of the Defense Contracting pie. As the place empties, the dashing Rick casually peels off several hundred thousand dollars and presents the cash to her with a peck on cheek, then sends her back to Congress -- virtue intact -- to resume her role as an aloof, virtually ineffective legislator.
The problem with this production is that the third-rate cast doesn’t have the “star power” of Senator Chris Dodd or Representatives Barney Frank or Charlie Rangel. Mr. Abercrombie does however turn in an Oscar Award caliber performance and the scenery is spectacular.
Unfortunately, in this case of life imitating art, it is we taxpayers who get caught between reality (the world in which we live, taxes we pay, etc.) and illusion (the responsible and accountable representation we expect to receive). Mr. Abercrombie is very adroit at playing two sides against each other and swaying the outcome just as he did in the case of the now defunct Hawaii Superferry. On the one hand, he accepted tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from Superferry Officers and Board Members John Garibaldi, Admiral Thomas Fargo, Dr. John Lehman et al, Hawaii Superferry Inc., J.F. Lehman & Company, and several Superferry Political Action Committees. On the other he was taking money from the Sierra Club and other Superferry opponents and extreme environmental activists. He simply brushed off any hint of impropriety or conflict of interest by claiming that both sides knew they would get fair, just and impartial representation.
While testifying to a Judicial Committee on the War Profiteering Prevention Act, Mr. Abercrombie was quoted by his spokesman Dave Helfert claiming that “some government contractors have declared open season on the U.S. taxpayer.” After the initial “pot calling the kettle black” moment, we immediately recognize this as yet another feeble, transparent attempt by Mr. Abercrombie and the majority party in Congress to misdirect criticism away from the gargantuan government spending spree and refusal to accept accountability for their own role in the AIG bonus fiasco. Perhaps Mr. Abercrombie should concentrate less on “shaking down” Defense Contractors who have contributed millions of dollars to him and more on the profiteering associated with totally uncontrolled and unmonitored stimulus package pork projects and the bloated federal budget he has sponsored and facilitated.
It stands to reason that we the people expect to receive a fair price and quality product from any industry, company or contractor (defense or otherwise) with whom our delegated military and civilian representatives deal. Likewise the servicer expects to receive a fair profit (not subject to the whim of politicians) for services rendered. It is incumbent upon the agencies contracting for and/or receiving these goods and services to monitor the cost and quality and pursue any improprieties to the fullest extent of laws and conventions already on the books. However, if Mr. Abercrombie wishes to sponsor a Stimulus Profiteering Prevention Act to hold accountable violators of the public trust, I’ll be the first to sign on. In the meantime, we can anticipate Gubernatorial Candidate Abercrombie to bring the same sort of hypocrisy and double standard, or in his words, “change from Washington to Washington Place (Hawaii Governor's residence).”
Oh by the way, to learn the identities of the heroes in our little remake, we’ll have to wait until the 2010 elections.