Larry Summers: “We should not oppose offshoring"

[think]

59. The tax code should be changed so corporations who outsource

pay additional taxes since much of our military function is protecting the overseas assets of multinational corporations.

There should also be a code of ethics for standards and conditions to protect workers in those countries.

Workers in those countries should be able to form unions without fear of persecution & death.

But with Eric Holder at the helm of the DOJ fat chance. He'll help the companies that pay to hire mercenaries who murder union leaders like he did for Chiquita:

Lawyer for Chiquita in Colombia Death Squad Case May be Next U.S. Attorney General

Dan Kovalik

USW Counsel, Workers Uniting Colombia Committee
Posted: November 6, 2008 05:12 PM

Read Dan Kovalik's original post from 11/6/08, below:

In its recent report entitled, "Breaking the Grip? Obstacles to Justice for Paramilitary Mafias in Colombia," Human Rights Watch (HRW) had specific recommendations for the U.S. Department of Justice. Specifically, HRW recommended that, in order to assist with the process of ending the ties between the Colombian government and paramilitary death squads, the U.S. Department of Justice should, among other things, "[c]reate meaningful legal incentives for paramilitary leaders [a number of whom have already been extradited to the U.S.] to fully disclose information about atrocities and name all Colombian or foreign officials, business or individuals who may have facilitated their criminal activities," and "[c]ollaborate actively with the efforts of Colombian justice officials who are investigating paramilitary networks in Colombia by sharing relevant information possible and granting them access to paramilitary leaders in U.S. custody."

Do not expect these recommendations to be carried forward if Eric Holder decides to forgo his lucrative corporate law practice at Covington & Burling and accept the U.S. Attorney General position for which many believe he is the top contendor. Eric Holder would have a troubling conflict of interest in carrying out this work in light of his current work as defense lawyer for Chiquita Brands international in a case in which Colombian plaintiffs seek damages for the murders carried out by the AUC paramilitaries - a designated terrorist organization. Chiquita has already admitted in a criminal case that it paid the AUC around $1.7 million in a 7-year period and that it further provided the AUC with a cache of machine guns as well.

Indeed, Holder himself, using his influence as former deputy attorney general under the Clinton Administration, helped to negotiate Chiquita's sweeheart deal with the Justice Department in the criminal case against Chiquita. Under this deal, no Chiquita official received any jail time. Indeed, the identity of the key officials involved in the assistance to the paramilitaries were kept under seal and confidential. In the end, Chiquita was fined a mere $25 million which it has been allowed to pay over a 5-year period. This is incredible given the havoc wreaked by Chiquita's aid to these Colombian death squards....

Full article:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-kovalik/lawyer-for-chiquita-in-co_b_141919.html

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=405x9608