California - Grey Davis was sacrificed on the Enron altar. Don't let it happen to Obama

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

When you think back, Enron gamed the electrical grid, backed by their Republican cronies like Phil Gramm and W. Then Republicans managed to use their (Enron) immoral, unethical, if not illegal practices to toss out a Democratic Governor who drew all the blame onto himself, throw the state in chaos, have a carnival of an election process, and then elect a COMPLETELY inexperienced actor/business to further the death spiral. TWICE.

And it really all can be traced back to the Commodities Futures Modernization Act. Amazing if you think about it. They screwed Grandma Millie to line their pockets and took down the 7th largest economy in the world. They always say, as goes California, goes the country. Words to think about. God, I hope not, but there are awful similarities.

[timeforpeace]

1. What can you do against an entity that can plan and execute such a complex, long term plan like that

You make them seem omnipotent.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

3. What they did was facilitate a criminal transfer of wealth (in my opinion)

Benefit from it, and then blame all the resulting predictable chaos on the poor chump sitting in the driver's seat who couldn't see for the shit hitting the windshield.

Our job is to remind people ALL THE TIME that our economic problems and deficits result from 8 years of Bush and not 1, 2, 3, or 4 years of Obama.

He can save himself by ramping down the wars ASAP and giving the Amnerican people a healthcare plan good enough and implemented fast enough that they will be grateful and happy and keep him in office and punish Republicans who tried to keep it away from the citizens.

We've learned on this very board that it's a lot easier to criticize from a minority position than it is to actually govern. I think he's made some mistakes, but he can save the game for a long time with a good healthcare reform.

[inna]

2. supporting links, please?

i just rec'd this thread because i'm very interested in this topic, but does anyone have links that describe the Enron connection?

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

4. Here - this gives a pretty comprehensive overview. There's lots about the Enron connection

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_electricity_crisis

[Deja Q]

9. Ah yes, wikipedia - where conjecture and inference turn into fact.

And like Midas turning everything into gold, there comes a point where wikipedia does itself in too...

[ColbertWatcher]

11. Perhaps you can provide as better alternative.

It's much too easy to bash the factonistas at Wikip*dia.

[blondeatlast]

6. "Enron The Smartest Guys in the Room" Great documentary, won busckets of awards.

Explains it all. If you have the time, I also suggest the book of the same title. $15 at Barnes & Noble.com

http://video.barnesandnoble.com/DVD/Enron-The-Smartest-...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0413845 /

[tinrobot]

5. Obama is not Gray Davis

Obama has a strong popular mandate and the force of a strong personality.

I still can't figure out what Gray Davis' personality was...

[ColbertWatcher]

8. LOL! True, Davis is/was very much a nerd! Oh, and thank you for spelling his name correctly. n/t

[salguine]

7. If Obama keeps putting Goldman Sachs executives (another one today!) and Monsanto executives

in charge of everything, I'll be perfectly happy to see it happen to Obama. In six months this administration has gone so far away from what I voted for I don't want four more years of it.

Flame away.

[Vidar]

13. No flames here. Obama is selling his enormous potential to Wall Street banker by banker.

[DJ13]

10. Im sorry, but for Obama it may be too late

His administration is being "Enron'ed" by the financial sector, chiefly Goldman Sachs, as he fills every important economic slot with another GS crony.

Goldman Sachs is doing to our national economy what Enron did to California.

I dont know who's advising Obama on his economic appointments ( <cough>......Summers......<cough> ), but they are abusing their relationship to the President to pad their former employer's accounts, and Obama needs to rid himself of these leeches ASAP.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

12. He needs Reich and Krugman to counter the Summers and Geithners

and Howard Dean to counter Rahm and his brother.

I agree that he is at great rsik for listening to people who have a history of self-enrichment at the expense of others and who have fought off or ignored necessary regulation and oversight.

Pres O seems to read a lot. I hope he is reading the Matt Taibibi articles about Goldman Sachs. Like I said, he is the one who takes the fall, regardless.