Call your Senators against war-profiteering

[Eric J in MN]

Reign in War Profiteering: Call Your Senator Today



CauseNET for June 15, 2004



Something is wrong. Every day, more information emerges about a disturbing trend in Iraq, private contractors enriching themselves at public expense. Just today, more stories emerged about Halliburton, including a report by auditors at the Pentagon that found serious problems with overcharging and waste on contracts presently worth over $4 billion. Next week, executives of the defense contractor are being called to testify before Congress on the growing scandal.



You CAN do something about it. Call your Senators and ask them to support the Leahy Amendment to deter war profiteering. You can reach the Senate switchboard at [phone].



On Wednesday, June 16, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) is expected to offer an amendment to the Department of Defense Authorization Bill (S. 2400) that will deter contractors from defrauding the government. Leahy’s anti-war-profiteering amendment would subject contractors working abroad for Uncle Sam with stiff penalties – up to 20 years in jail and $1 million in fines – if they overcharged, cheated, or lied to the government.



We need strong bipartisan support for this amendment and we need your direct appeals to your Senators to push this forward. So if you’re unhappy about contracting in Iraq, please call your Senators and ask them to vote for the Leahy anti-war profiteering amendment.



US Senate Switchboard: [phone].



For more information on the just-released audit of Halliburton, see:

http://www.sltrib.com/2004/Jun/06152004/nation_w/175543.asp



-or-



This story in the Boston Globe



Support Common Cause:

http://www.commoncause.org/support

[Eric J in MN]

1. kick

kick

[Hoping4Change]

2. Defense contractors CEOs: salary rose 79% between 01 - 02

Bigtree left this post on another thread:

According to the study by United for a Fair Economy, More Bucks for the Bang: ", the median CEO salary at the 37 largest publicly traded defense contractors rose 79% between 2001 and 2002 whereas overall CEO salary increased only 6%. In 2002, defense industry CEOs earned an average of $5.4 million - or 577 times as much as a private in Iraq - while other U.S. CEOs, on average, earned "only" $3.7 million."

http://www.ufenet.org/press/2003/BucksforBang.pdf

Quotes that preface the report:

“I don't want to see a single war millionaire created in the
United States as a result of this world disaster.”
— President Franklin D. Roosevelt

“In the councils of government, we must guard against the
acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or
unsought, by the military-industrial complex.”
— President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961

“Most of the guys are former military,
and you make a lot of money.”
— L-3 Communications Executive Gen. Jay Garner (ret.), 2003

[Eric J in MN]

3. Cool FDR quote.

Cool FDR quote.

You won't hear George W. saying anything like that.

[Hoping4Change]

4. Now that you mention it. It is cool.

Wouldn't it be great to have someone ask Bush if he agreed with FDR?

How much of a spasm would he have?

[0007]

6. No. But I'd like to see junior made aware of such statements

and also cheney!

[Eric J in MN]

5. kick

kick