Stealing the Silver While the Titanic Sinks

There were three types of people on the Titanic on that fateful night in 1912 when the “unsinkable” great ship slipped into the dark, icy waters; those who tried to save others, those who raced to save themselves, and those who tried to steal the silver before heading for the life boats.

.

Today, as America sinks further into economic depression, a rash of unpopular, career politicians from both parties are using their final months in office to grab as much in cash and prizes as they can possibly carry to the lifeboats.

.

In the “good old days” a high level politician like Connecticut Senator Thomas Dodd (Chris Dodd’s father) would simply pilfer their campaign funds and sail off into the sunset, a whole lot richer. With a little luck, any corruption whispers (or even convictions) would disappear over time and the “respected public representative” could eventually expect to have a school, park or even a stadium named after him.

.

While Senator Chris Dodd followed in his father’s footsteps into political prominence, the way to play the game today has changed. Why risk reputation and potential pesky legal complications by stealing when, with a little advanced planning, you can repay political and financial allies with public funds and create cushy, lucrative board positions for your retirement (and the rest of your family) in the process?

.

Dodd has excelled at this type of advanced planning. Whether he is repaying hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from AIG bigwigs, buying pardons for disgraced business partners, or providing “favorable environments” for mortgage companies like Countrywide, Dodd hasn’t been shy in insuring that he gets a lot of personal bang for tax payer’s bucks.

.

Now that his personal ship is sinking, Dodd is quickly grabbing up whatever loot he can and tying up loose ends in some impressively complex, cyclical schemes that both pay off political backers and create crony jobs and future board, lobbyist, and consultant positions for himself.

.

One of the most interesting schemes came to light (in part) this week, when Dodd political backers, The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, landed a much decried $54 million preferred loan. Mainstream media reported the loan was to be used to build a tribal library and community center, on the tax payer dime. But the headlines only gave part of the story.

.

Under Obama’s “stimulus” package, the US Department of Agriculture was allotted $168 million to fund rural development programs across the country. Designed to provide loans to farming and mining communities of under 20,000 residents, with the means to fund employment and regeneration projects, the preferred loans were to be awarded only when other means of financing were unavailable.

.

It was therefore a shock to find that one of the most profitable gambling companies on the planet, one which cleared over $1.3 billion in profits last year alone, had the audacity to apply for and had incredibly been awarded, over 1/3rd of ALL of the USDA Rural Development program funds. But thanks to the lobbying efforts of Chris Dodd and his former aide, Charles Burnell (the current Chief of Staff for the tribe) The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority was awarded not the $54 million reported, but a total of $74 million from the USDA program and over $2 billion from other “stimulus” programs combined.

.

So, what project could be so beneficial to a small community to warrant 1/3rd of the national budget for rural development? Surely it would be a project of far reaching economic significance, creating thousands of sustainable jobs for the region, right? Well… The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority will use the money to build a $54 million tribal executive office building, complete with a gym and library to be used by the tribal elders and the 300 tribal government employees who are already housed down the road at the tribes Crow Hill facilities.

.

The latest $54 million award comes on the heals of a previous $20 million awarded to fund the temporary jobs of 100 construction and plumbing union workers who had been contracted to the building project before it was put on hold. All in, this $74 million dollars will be used to build a replacement office building for one of the most successful and profitable gambling companies in the world; a company that already benefits from preferential treatment by both the state and federal governments due to Native American Indian sovereignty and just happens to be a major contributor to….Chris Dodd.

.

I appreciate that I don’t have a degree in mathematics, but I fail to see how spending $54 million to replace an office building that houses 300 people is a good financial bet. I have to guess that there are probably construction companies that could do the job for a little less than $200,000.00 per construction worker. Actually, why do the 1,700 recognized members of the Mohegan tribe NEED 300 employees to manage their affairs? All of this seems like a rather shady situation and certainly a bad return on investment to me. And apparently the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority agree, otherwise they would fund their own office building.

.

To add insult to tax payer injury, the entire office building plan had been shelved and was no longer considered to be a desirable project by the tribe. According to Lynn Malerba who was the chairwoman for the Mohegan Tribal Council, “Our preference would have been to stop the project, but the USDA financing was available now.” Malerba has since been rewarded with promotion to Chief For Life of the Mohegan tribe.

.

Chris Dodd, when asked why he would push for such a ridiculous use of tax payer money explained that the project would create 1,300 jobs. The USDA, when pressed for justification of such an abuse of their funds and bastardization of their purpose responded that the project would create 1,270 permanent, tribal jobs. However, when these figures were queried of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, Malerba clarified that they project would create only 114 permanent jobs. Whether the USDA and Dodd had been misinformed or had simply fudged the numbers to fit their agenda or cover their own backsides is currently unclear.

.

What is clear however is that while The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority members claim to “need” stimulus money to build their office, they don’t seem to need any help in funding their new $600 million casino just up the road in Palmer, Massachusetts or to cover the $50 million proposed state license fee to secure the gambling rights. Just last week the state Senate unveiled its plan to establish gambling regions in Massachusetts. The new state divisions would mean that the Mohegan Casino would be the only party bidding on the Western Massachusetts region, assuring that they are in effect, the only gambling operation in the area. It would also protect their Connecticut casino from having competition in its own backyard.

.

It is also clear that those whom this office building would benefit are not members of the groups that the USDA money was intended to assist. Aside from the $1.3 billion in 2009 profits that the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority reaped, each individual member of the tribe receives $30,000 annually in profit sharing. They also benefit substantially by virtue of their ethnic status. Since Obama’s “stimulus” came into effect, the 564 recognized tribes have shared in over $2 billion in federal cash and prizes.

.

This is not to insinuate that all tribes benefit in the same way. While 300 of the 564 recognized tribes own casinos, only 20 generate enough income to support their tribe. In fact, most tribes are struggling with desperate poverty and associated social, medical, and employment issues. So this tax payer funded 2.8% interest, 30-year loan for an executive office building to benefit one of the wealthiest casino owners in the world should be a huge insult, not only to tax payers in general, but specifically to the Indian community.

.

So what’s going on here? Of the 145 projects in 37 states that applied for funding through the USDA Rural Development loan program, why would the Federal Government deem a wealthy casino group seeking to build an office building not only deserving of funding, but deserving of the majority of the available funding?

.

Like so many questions concerning the activities and motivations of the Obama administration, the answer to this question exposes yet another effort to by-pass the Constitution in order to change fundamental American values and rights and move us one giant step closer to socialism, a borderless country, and a New World Order.

.

Doubt it? Call me a reactionary Right-Winger? Maybe, but the real question isn’t why did the Mohegan’s get millions, but instead, what do the Mohegan Indian payout, the Tohono O’odham Indian Tribe on the Arizona/Mexico border, blanket illegal immigration amnesty, $400 billion missing from the Federal coffers, and Obama’s campaign pledge to issue reparations to blacks all have in common? And who besides Dodd is running for the silver as the Titanic heads for the iceberg?

More tomorrow in:

Part 2 – Obama Holds the Indian Nations Hostage

Alexandrea Merrell

DNC Introdcues Obama "lite"

Poor Vic Rawl, the four-term South Carolina Senator and ex Judge can’t catch a break.

.

After being called out of retirement by the Democrat Party to run against Jim DeMint, an extremely popular, Republican incumbent, it soon became clear to Vic that his role was to be that of sacrificial lamb.

.

Even before the ink was dry on the filing application forms, the Democratic Party bailed on Rawl. By the day of the primary, Rawl had amassed less than $186,000 towards his Senatorial run, while DeMint had raised over $3.5 million.

.

Whether Rawl entertained some fantasy in which he could win against DeMint or he simply wanted to make a good showing, he used what little was made available to him to send thousands of emails and robo calls and clocked up over 15,000 miles on the odometer as he crisscrossed the state shaking hands and kissing babies in an effort to garner as many votes as possible.

.

So certain was Rawl of being awarded the Democrat nomination in the primaries that he had already organized a fund raiser for later in the week.

.

Willing to play a supporting role in the made for TV movie that is the Jim DeMint story, Rawl was certainly not prepared when a completely unknown understudy shoved his way into the spotlight, stealing the show. Enter Alvin Greene, stage left.

.

Now the Democrats seem to have a problem.

.

How do you get rid of a black candidate who would appear to be the Democrat’s political wholly grail (black, homeless, unemployed, and unknown) in favor of the very type of candidate that they have been rallying against for decades: old, white, establishment?

.

Clearly the Alvin Greene story is intriguing.

.

In the hypothetical Hallmark channel made for TV movie version, Greene is an “every man” who, perhaps inspired by Obama’s run, began saving his money in order to pay the nearly $11,000.00 filing fee to get his name on the ballot. A “simple” man of few words, Greene served his country for twelve years before seeking to serve his fellow man in the political arena. Can you hear the collective awwwwww?

.

Turn the channel however and Greene is a political pawn, a “planted candidate” being manipulated by forces unknown. In this hypothetical HBO version, Greene, who can barely string a handful of words together into a coherent sentence, claims to have saved the filing fee over a two year period…while homeless and unemployed. Of course it is difficult to find a job if you are spending your time hanging out at the local university computer lab trying to show teenage girls internet porn.

.

Neither version seems to set well with Democrats. In the first, the Democrat Party is virtually impotent. How could an unknown, unfunded, unsophisticated political no-body possibly win a primary without their help and influence? The second version is worse for the DNC. The South Carolina Republican ticket is so strong; there would be no benefit to planting a hand pick opponent. That only leaves non-Republican opponents to either the SC Democrat power structure or to Vic Rawl himself.

.

Rawl, a white, moderate Democrat who had been elected 4 times to the Senate and has served as Judge and prosecutor would seem to be the perfect candidate. Long term marriage, no major scandals, he has spent his career keeping his head down and voting the party line.

.

Now the DNC is playing perplexed. Carol Fowler, the SC Democratic Party Chairperson suggested that Greene had been successful in winning the primary because his name appeared first on the ballot. House Majority Whip Clyburn claims that Greene is a Republican plant. Even Rawls is using campaign money to launch and investigation into what he calls “voter irregularities.” The one group that hasn’t waded into the melee is the DNC itself.

.

It appears that the Dems have lost the use of their most valuable “Ace in the Hole” play, the Race Card. Or have they?

.

Clearly the DNC can’t come out in support of “white bread” Rawl against a black man without alienating the minority votes that they have counted on (successfully) for decades.

.

But an interesting thing is taking place. We are talking about it. The news is covering it. The pundits are speculating about it. And now, a race that DeMint had all but sewn up is back in the news.

.

In what may turn out to be the greatest Race Card play since Obama received 98% of the black vote, Alvin Greene is becoming a household name and the unofficial poster child of the black, poor, and disenfranchised. While the DNC half heartedly says “gee don’t run, you aren’t ready, we will give you your filing fee back,” major Democratic donors and personalities are lining up to offer Greene assistance. And black voters in South Carolina are paying attention too.

.

Where Obama had to overcome a perceived, elitist, intellectual, arrogance in order to appear “common” and appeal to some black voters, Greene has no such mantle to remove. His lack of sophistication has clearly been noted by voters throughout the state, where it seems to be viewed as a plus. Even black politicians in South Carolina aren’t convinced that Greene is fit to serve, Rep Rutherford, who met with Greene for the first time last week said, "I got the impression that maybe he doesn’t know what he’s dealing with."

.

South Carolina had been a virtually forgone conclusion as a Republican win. A favorite with Republicans and Tea Party members alike, certainly there were no Democrat candidates in the woodwork that could have come out and challenged DeMint in any effective way. So the DNC looks to the past. How do we get rid of a popular candidate when we have no one to challenge?

.

The DNC doesn’t have to look back far. When Democrat voter favorite Hillary Clinton was flexing her political muscle pre-primary, a Clinton win was almost a certainty. The powers that be at the DNC made no bones about their dislike of her and supported her as little as possible, yet the Clinton machine powered on. The only chance that the DNC had to regain control was to find a challenger who would be even more compelling to Democrats than the Clinton name. They had to find someone who would be more historic, gain more press coverage, and get out more voters. And they found him.

.

In what is fast becoming the DNC’s favorite play, Greene, is becoming South Carolina’s Obama “lite.” Greene’s background in both the Army and Air Force must have reassured the DNC that he wouldn’t have any of those pesky radical associations and missing years. Clearly being homeless and unemployed shows that he isn’t getting funding from some secretive source. But perhaps most importantly, Greene is getting news coverage across America in a race that was set to be a snooze fest as far as the national media was concerned.

.

All the while, poor ol Vic Rawl, mouth gaping like a Wall-eye, wonders just what the hell happened. The press is treating him like a sore loser and the DNC isn’t returning his calls.

.

Americans be warned, if the Dems can pull this off again, there won’t be an underpass, homeless shelter, or insane asylum in a contested state, free from DNC recruiters. And you thought Washington was bad now…..

Alexandrea Merrell

Helen Thomas & “Superior Opinion Syndrome” Destroy the 1st Amendment

Helen Thomas, a reporter since the Eisenhower administration and White House bureau chief for UPI, has resigned. After years of raising eyebrows (and ire) for her anti-Israeli statements, her tirade against Israel and Jews in general has ended a six decade long career.

.

Her career wasn’t historic simply because its longevity, Thomas, the daughter of Lebanese immigrants, was the first woman to be admitted to the White House Correspondents Association and later served as its first female President of the organization. She also broke gender barriers as the first woman officer of the National Press Club and the Gridiron Club.

.

But while she mastered arguably one of the most prestigious gigs for a reporter, she failed to understand the most basic job requirement. A reporter (no matter how high up the career ladder) is supposed to…report.

.

Thomas stopped reporting the news and events that shaped White House policy and practice and instead used her position to not only push her opinions, but bludgeon those who didn’t agree. Helen Thomas has long suffered from “Superior Opinion Syndrome” and she isn’t alone.

.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Sharing opinions is very valuable. Evaluating the informed opinions of educated and/or experienced people is a great way to understand different perspectives on issues and to develop our own opinions. As a political commentator, I express my opinions on a daily basis. But let’s be clear, at issue isn’t Helen Thomas’ personal opinions, she (like everyone else) is entitled to have personal opinions even if those opinions are offensive, ignorant, or just plain nuts. The problem is that her paid position as a reporter and White House correspondent required her to leave her personal opinions at home and report ONLY the facts.

.

But, Helen Thomas is like an ever increasing number of people across the country, who despite occupational requirements to be unbiased, to follow the letter of the law, or report facts alone, are turning their paid positions into pulpits and preaching their opinions as facts. These sufferers of “Superior Opinion Syndrome” believe that their opinions are so on-point, so important, so superior, that they can disregard the tenants of their occupations and use their positions and power to “correct” perceived inequities in society or steer policy and practice.

.

In classrooms, courthouses, and news rooms nationwide, the sufferers of “Superior Opinion Syndrome” supplant fact with radically distorted views of the world and our role in it. The evidence of their illness is all around us. It’s in the YouYube videos of public school teachers forcing grade school children to reveal who their parents support politically and then calling them racists for not supporting Obama. It’s in the court room when a pedophile is released yet again by a Judge who blames the child rapist’s upbringing. And it’s in print media and the evening news when the likes of Helen Thomas and Chris Mathews edit the facts in order to suit their agenda and beliefs.

.

Perhaps most frightening, because we expect those who teach, dispense justice, or inform us to be unbiased and professional, millions of people around the world simply accept the masqueraded opinions of those in positions of authority, believing skewed views to be factual and their own tainted positions to be centrist. This happens in the media on a daily basis and misinformation, slanted views, and outright lies are being regurgitated as truth, honesty, and sincerity. This powerful indoctrination force villianized one President and elevated another from obscurity. It reinvents history, makes victims into aggressors, and terrorists into martyrs.

.

And that’s the real crime. Helen Thomas has a right to her opinion. She even has a right to express her opinion. But when she puts on her reporter hat, she has an obligation and professional and ethical duty to report only the events. If she wants to express her opinion, because of her professional role, she must absolutely declare that what she is saying or writing is ONLY opinion. People in positions of power and influence must differentiate between their personal opinions, beliefs, and agendas and actual events. To do otherwise, to clothe opinion as fact and disseminate it among news outlets, further damages an already wounded news media.

.

After decades of indoctrination and manipulation, after broken promises, next day revelations, and double talk, many Americans know that they are being deceived; they simply don’t know who to believe. The body which once held businesses and the government accountable no longer functions properly and whether it is Chris Mathews and his tingly leg, Obama taking the stage at a free rock concert and later claiming that the tens of thousands gathered were there to see him, or Reuters editing out weapons to paint a sympathetic picture of murdering “activists,” journalism has become more about leading the masses and less about informing them.

.

Now Obama is poised to use America’s mistrust and anger at the biased media against the very organizations that made his meteoric rise possible. Obama’s love fest with some of the mainstream media has come to a rather abrupt halt, thanks in large part to his failure to run a transparent government as promised and failures in environmental and social reforms. While liberal owned media outlets continue to promote an Obama agenda, many are backing away from supporting Obama personally and are instead focusing on other liberal politicians to carry the flag.

.

This must have come as quite a shock to Obama who benefited enormously throughout his campaign as sufferers of “Superior Opinion Syndrome” in the media excused inaccuracies, covered up scandals, and dismissed genuine questions about his background, beliefs, associations, and financing.

.

His response to media disloyalty? Federalize the media. Yes Obama and the Federal Trade Commission are working on a plan to “reinvent journalism” and are using the very mistrust that Americans feel for the media in order to whip up support. In an effort to control what is reported and the way in which it reaches the masses, the Obama administration seeks to put all media under the control of the government and to end internet and independent media all together.

.

Not only would the Obama administration tax ISP addresses essentially taxing internet use by private citizens, the FTC proposal would require media outlets and journalists to be licensed and regulated AND facts and articles to be approved by….the government. As goes the First Amendment, so goes the Constitution.

.

Helen Thomas was a journalistic attack dog, calling out administrations and policies on both sides of the political spectrum for decades. To consider her one of the nodding, media, leftists who have salivated at the knee of Obama would be disingenuous. Thomas asked the tough questions of the President and has been critical of his failure on governmental transparency, the environment, and social and world policy issues. When she did her job, that of unbiased reporter sniffing out a story and pinning down a quote, she was terrific. But suffering from “Superior Opinion Syndrome” cost her her credibility as a journalist and destroyed her career. Now Obama is using her own failure to be a reporter and not an opinionista as proof that the media needs his control.

.

Hopefully those like Thomas, those suffering from “Superior Opinion Syndrome” will harken back to the professional and ethical standards that their jobs dictate and either clearly differentiate their opinions from facts or leave their opinions at home. Short of a return to integrity, the destruction of the First Amendment’s protection of the press falls on their shoulders.

Alexandrea Merrell