Hot Air

Amidst all this hot air about the Enron collapse, US media is focused on manufacturing consent by merely recounting the dry financial crimes of the lawless crooks and scoundrels that ran this Ponzi scheme company. Sure they were Dubya’s best friends, sure they bankrolled his election, but did this give Enron the right to pay corrupt police to beat up pregnant women in India? Did this let Enron shrug off the indignity of its very own Amnesty International investigation into its widespread human rights abuses? Did this gain it enough political influence to win contracts even thought Enron’s electricity was the most expensive option? Did this allow Enron to corrupt Indian politicians in one of the largest financial scandals in their history? Did this give Enron the right to squeeze California dry when it was vulnerable? Apparently, once you’re friends with Bush, anything is possible.