Bechtel to rebuild Iraq / RECONSTRUCTION: Politically connected S.F. firm wins bid
The headline pretty much says it all. Here’s how I see it: Republican-led administration bombs the hell out of Iraq and its infrastructure to the tune of $70 billion (American taxpayers pick up the tab); Republican-friendly (and, ironically, San Francisco-based) construction company is awarded a $680 million contract to rebuild said infrastructure. Only U.S. companies were even considered. Who says American corporations with close ties to the government aren’t profiting from this war?
6 responses so far ↓
1 Jose Luis // Apr 18, 2003 at 1:41 pm
Dude you must be feeling guilty now, Some of that money may go to the purchase by Bechtel of AutoDesk product licenses and end up being your next raise. How ironic.
2 gabe // Apr 18, 2003 at 1:56 pm
Shit. You got me on that one, man. But then again, my taxes are also paying for the war and the damage it’s caused, even though I don’t support it, so I suppose it’s only fair that one of my employer’s customers gets paid to rebuild said damage. As a taxpaying American citizen, it’s hard to avoid this cycle.
3 gabe // Apr 19, 2003 at 12:18 am
Another thought I had about this and why I DON’T feel guilty: It’s actually not Bechtel and the construction business with which I have the problem. Rather, it’s the way about which the contract was won…close political ties to the Republican party…no bid….negotiations held in secret…open only to U.S. companies. And all that jazz.
4 Jose Luis // Apr 19, 2003 at 1:49 pm
I wasn’t intending for you to feel guilty. I was being sarcastic; there is nothing to feel bad about my friend. I probably hit a soft spot in your conscience 😉
Of course open only to U.S companies, it would be a great mistake to do otherwise; we are trying to get things done here.
Since when is lobbying exclusive to the Republican Party, c’mon get real here, even the communist party in China gets lobbied by interest groups.
I am coming to the conclusion that no matter what you will never be happy with any process anyway. If they had held an open bidding process you would probably be complaining about the making process too long and too bureaucratic. There is no winning here.
You see half empty I see half full.
5 gabe // Apr 19, 2003 at 3:37 pm
re: “I am coming to the conclusion that no matter what you will never be happy with any process anyway.”
Nope. I just understand how politics work. Money = influence = policy/favors. It’s all about money. It’s no secret that Republicans cater to the rich (tax cuts, offshore bank accounts that avoid taxes, etc.). They also take significant campaign contributions from the oil ($1,889,206), auto ($1,272,497), contracting ($1,530,188), and construction ($938,321) industries, which then makes them accountable to these industries. We scratch your back, you scratch ours. Compare the above Bush campaign 2000 numbers to those of Gore: oil ($0), auto ($0), construction ($379,976), contractors ($364,976) and maybe you can begin to see my point in all this.
Why in God’s name would anyone (Bush) NOT want to support the Kyoto Treaty, which would make the air better for all of us to breath?? You know why? Because then the auto & oil industries don’t have to spend more money (and cut into their profits) to make cars more efficient and less dependent on oil (which, by the way, they easily could do); they don’t have to explore alternative energy sources.
Have you ever compared these charts of campaign contributions?
Bush:
http://www.opensecrets.org/2000elect/indus/P00003335.htm
Gore:
http://www.opensecrets.org/2000elect/indus/P80000912.htm
re: “You see half empty I see half full.”
You couldn’t be more wrong about me, my friend. This goes to show how little you really know me and how much you are missing my point. Suggest this to anyone who does know me and they’d find it laughable.
I believe in a better future, as most liberals do. We must. But I think that our leaders are corrupt and I want to do what I can to fight that corruption. If you’ve never read Tony Kushner’s speech from the Vassar 2002 Commencement (3 years after I graduated from there), I’d highly recommend it (click on link below). Here’s the part that best sums up how I feel:
“But hope isn’t a choice, it’s a moral obligation, it’s a human obligation, it’s an obligation to the cells in your body, hope is a function of those cells, it’s a bodily function the same as breathing and eating and sleeping; hope is not naive, hope grapples endlessly with despair, real vivid powerful thunderclap hope, like the soul, is at home in darkness, is divided; but lose your hope and you lose your soul, and you don’t want to do that, trust me, even if you haven’t got a soul, and who knows, you shouldn’t be careless about it.” –Tony Kushner at Vassar College Commencement 2002
Believe me. I have a soul driven by hope. And it is aflame with passion for making the world a better place.
6 Jose Luis // Apr 20, 2003 at 12:36 am
RE: “Nope. I just understand how politics work. Money = influence = policy/favors.”
You got it, I never doubted you understood. My point is that regardless of which political party is in power the story is the same. Just look at our fine governor.
RE: “You couldn’t be more wrong about me, my friend.”
I meant your political orientations, you tend to see the worst in people. I didn’t mean it as your overall outlook in life.
RE: “I believe in a better future, as most liberals do.”
I know you people mean well, you’re just a bit misguided, :0 LOL
RE: “Believe me. I have a soul driven by hope.”
Hey same here, just from a different view. Thats it for this post, no more energy to argue… going to bed now. Happy easter