It is apparent to everyone, except the Bush administration, that Vice-President Dick Cheney is hiding something. Even some Republicans concede that he is hiding something. Why else would he refuse to give details about his contacts with Enron officials while he was drafting the nation’s energy policy?
Cheney claims that he is protecting executive privilege, a heroic stand that will “preserve…future administrations.” Arguments that pertain to confidentiality of executive branch deliberations hold no ground when so many people were lied to and lost their life savings.
It is hard to choke down the Bush administration’s lack of care for these people, in favor of the crooks who did this to so many workers. If this lack of respect for the American people, most of whom have 401 (k) plans, is Cheney’s idea of preserving an administration that bases their logic on lies, cover-ups, and deceit, then the American people will respond with their votes come the next election.
Cheney’s actions will bear him no respite from the recent bombardment of accusations made against him. It is said that he will be forced to release the requested information anyway. Further indications that he was in Enron’s pocket is the recent revelation that he tried to lobby India on behalf of Enron. The more we look into this case, the more proof we will find that Cheney, and others in the Bush administration, did something terribly wrong.
Some argue that it is unfair to point our fingers at the Republicans because over 25% of Enron’s donations were directed at Democrats. The problem with this argument is that there is no suspicion, by anyone, that Democrats returned any favors for these contributions. Democrats charge that Cheney and his energy task force granted Enron executives unlimited access to the energy plan. Not only did they help to create the energy policy, they produced this industry-friendly plan in secret. There were as many as 17 provisions that benefited Enron in Cheney’s energy plan. His refusal to disclose information immediately and without restrictions makes everyone realize that he has something to hide.
The result of this fiasco will surely mean more regulations on big businesses. California’s energy deregulation mess is proof that these greedy corporations need to have someone looking over their shoulders.
Enron has shown us a worse case scenario of how corporate greed can lead to nation-wide suspicion of the Republican mantra: Deregulate big business. Big businesses cannot be trusted, any more than an administration can be trusted that refuses to give all the necessary information to unveil the corruption in the biggest corporate scandal and bankruptcy in our nation’s history.
