wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Comments

• [1] Aaron from Berlin, Germany June 20, 2008 - 11:04AM

  We have a growing difference between the haves and have-nots in the US. I think this one case is probably the tip of the iceberg in the US. I often ask myself why are cities and states so often having financial problems when the US is supposed to be the richest country in the world? How are we to really deal with larger problems such as poverty, climate shift, and so forth if our most successful citizens refuse to do their part?

  
  
• [2] j from nyc June 20, 2008 - 11:06AM

  wow! the same UBS that Phil Gramm, John McCains' economic advisor was working for? [and the same Phil Gramm that put through the Enron Loophole legislation thus deragulating energy and housing markets?]

  think there's a connection between that and say, how much McCain says he doesn't know anything about the economy? Shocking!

  
  
• [3] Lloyd from Manhattan June 20, 2008 - 11:34AM

  Yes, sir. Phil Gramm is Vice-Chairman of UBS AND is McCain's chief economic advisor. How's that for sleaze?

  
  
• [4] Robert from NYC June 20, 2008 - 11:34AM

  Well j, interesting that Phil Gramm--who should go to prison--had to have help in the congress to get these things passed. We HAVE TO exam our candidates much more closely, the media aren't doing it. We have the internet now and we have to get the info out on everyone before we put them in office and we've got to get the disengaged/disenchanted re-enchanted and re-engaged in the total voting process to because it is they (we) who are the majority.

  
  
• [5] superf88 June 20, 2008 - 11:35AM

  what exactly is the difference betwn his activities and those of the big 4?

  usually with these scandals the real outrage -- untreated -- is not which laws were broken but which ones did not exist.

  (such as enron and its offshore entities, which were legal and remain so).

  
  
• [6] Robert from NYC June 20, 2008 - 11:35AM

  Common folk use also have Swiss bank account too, Brian, lots of common folk have them.

  
  
• [7] superf88 June 20, 2008 - 11:38AM

  nothing this guy has described is remotely illegal.

  quick example:

  deloitte and touche's creative tax strategies dept:

  http://tinyurl.com/4luqde

  missing the story here somehow...

  
  
• [8] World's Toughest Milkman from the_C_train June 20, 2008 - 11:56AM

  The internet is a "public space" you're fooling yourself if you think it isn't.

  
  
• [9] j from nyc June 20, 2008 - 02:46PM

  i don't know if i want to waste anymore of my taxpayer money on phil gramm, to be honest, but if he and the wife had to pay back all they made from those deals WITH INTEREST, and then go on with their lives not being able to work as lobbyists or in gov't ever again, including as contractors, i could live with that.

  as for help in congress, sure - but gramm did insert that legislation for the enron loophole written BY enron, in a midnight session of congress, and by way of neglect, and not reading the whole bill and not knowing it was there [much like the so-called patriot act], he had 'help' from the rest of congress.

  finally, most people in this country are basically mathematically and scientifically illiterate, almost as a badge of honor - and most members of congress are mathematically and scientifically illiterate as well.

  i got a college level science degree, my father worked as a high-level mathematician, and we're both dyslexic, so what's everyone else's excuse?