Cheney On Financial Mess: “Nobody Saw It”

This sounds like the post-9-11 excuse:

Cheney: “I don’t think anybody saw it coming”

Why not?

As with 9-11, people raised concerns, but were silenced; and/or the government and national leadership refused to respond or mitigate the risks. The same crew that bungled the pre- and post-9-11 oversight fell down on the economic front.

The US government took a hands off approach to FISA compliance, Geneva enforcement, and economic regulation and risk mitigation.

Allegations of US Government Malfeasance

The Ford Administration Archives show there was an “Economic Intelligence Board” linked with the National Security Council. Cheney well knew about the importance of monitoring economic conditions. Cheney’s name is listed as one of the attendees, and was Ford’s Chief of Staff after Rummy became Secretary of Defense.

We saw after 9-11 what government does when it over-reacts: Illegal NSLs, denial of habeas, unlawful FISA, and JTTF illegal surveillance. It remains to be seen how the financial institutions, in an effort to cover up their malfeasance, are over-reacting.

It’s an open question how the corporations — financial institutions involved with unlawful use of private banking information after 9-11, and the telecoms involved with FISA violations — could use this financial crisis as a smokesreen.

Failure of Indepent Branch To Conduct Oversight

Congress is still acting as the Administrative branch of the President, and not independently meeting its responsibilities. Congress, as it failed to do after 9-11, needs to review what broke down not just in the Executive branch, but also in Congress.

Impeachment process

Congress needs to explain how a supposed “independent” branch could miss the same issues in the Executive Branch, and not independently review and mitigate the risks. If Congress missed it, what have the credit rating agencies and others done or not done.

Here are some thoughts on what the public needs to Challenge Congress: Where were Members of Congress, and what happened in the “independent” legislative branch?

Related posts: Smallville bride, Glen beck, You on a diet, Fried oysters, Whitney port

Related posts:

• Place related post plugin php here...