49 Days until Inauguration - And Wall Street is the focus AGAIN without consideration of the USA need for expanding labor.

Speaking of Commerce Secretaries...I thought this was interesting. Don Evans left the Bush cabinet after the 2004 elections. What fond friends he has in the international market place, huh?


Vice-Premier Wu Yi meets with and holds a banquet for Donald L. Evans (click here), US secretary of commerce, in Beijing, January 13, 2005. They both attended an IPR roundtable yesterday and later exchanged views on the prospects of bilateral trade and commerce. (newsphoto)

According to Bush's Commerce Secretary, the monies for the emergency BAILOUT (S) need to stay in the financial sector and not be distributed among businesses such as auto makers. He believes every business in the country has an interest in a bailout and that isn't where the AMERICAN TAX DOLLAR should go.

Since when does a Secretary of Commerce become an expert on the USA Treasury. Quite frankly, the idea that the Federal Reserve is outdated and exploitive is more the reality and the businesses of the country that pay taxes to the USA Treasury that support this government with active interest in its well being SHOULD be speaking out. They have stockholders and if they feel giving money to Wall Street isn't helping the USA economy, business sector or work force they need to address that loud and clear.

After all, according to Paulson and Bernanke this bailout was supposed to establish much needed credit to create liquid assets again. So. Like. Where are the loans?


Sep 14th, 2008
(AFP/File) - US Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez speaks at a trade event in late June in Washington, DC. The USA and China are set to hold cabinet-level trade talks in California this week amid tensions over China's massive export surplus and worries about the slowing global economy.(AFP/File/Mandel Ngan)

Ford would sell the corporate jets in bankruptcy anyway. I am concerned the auto manufacturers are more interested in obtaining loans for foreign investment rather than the investment of American labor and products the American consumer seeks. I sincerely believe the panel hearings from the auto manufacturers are 'one sided.' The unions and pensioners involved here should be heard from as well.



United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger addresses the media at a news conference at the UAW Solidaridy House to announce an agreement with General Motors was reached in Detroit, early today.


UAW and GM reach tentative pact, strike ends (click here)
by The Associated Press
Wednesday September 26, 2007, 7:39 AM
...The deal means UAW workers will head back to their jobs at around 80 GM facilities across the nation, including about 2,000 unionized employees at the Willow Run Powertrain plant in Ypsilanti Township. Some were to return as early as Wednesday afternoon. The union went on strike at 11 a.m. Monday when talks broke down, ending GM's production and causing layoffs and shutdowns at parts factories....

UAW may reopen pacts (click here)
It's a way to make case for U.S. loans
BY BRENT SNAVELY
FREE PRESS BUSINESS REPORTER
December 1, 2008
UAW President Ron Gettelfinger signaled Sunday that the union is willing to reopen its contracts with the Detroit Three as a way to help the domestic automakers win support for federal loans as long as the companies and its executives also make sacrifices.
"We're prepared to go back to the bargaining table," Gettelfinger said during an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer.
Gettelfinger said the UAW agreed to health care and wage concessions in contract negotiations in 2005 and 2007, but conceded more may be necessary.
"We have put these companies in a competitive position," Gettelfinger said.
Gettelfinger emphasized that the $25 billion that the automotive industry has asked for is not a bailout.
"It's a bridge loan that's going to be paid back by these companies," he said....



...The automaker (click at title to entry - thank you) said it hopes to avoid tapping the financing and doesn’t anticipate a “liquidity crisis” in 2009, barring a competitor’s bankruptcy or more severe economic slump. Ford plans to sell five corporate jets and would pay Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally a $1 annual salary if the loan is used. General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC were to submit plans later today....

Whatever came of the 911 Commission?

The politics of the day overshadowed the best interests of the country. The Commission was used in some ways to try to exonerate the illegal actions surrounding the invasion into Iraq, but, there was considerable amount of 'good' that came out of the Commission's findings. How much needs to be achieved is yet to be realized, but, it was the Democrats that 'acted' on the findings and took action to protect the citizens of the USA against further harm.


Sally Regenhard, mother of a victim of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, holds up a sign Tuesday proclaiming her disagreement with testimony during the 9/11 commission hearings in New York. (click here)


Christopher Brodeur shouts from the audience as an unidentified woman, left, is removed by security personnel as they disrupt the end of testimony by former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani before the Sept. 11 Commission. (click here)

This panel is very important and I hope it is used to its maximum SCOPE. The Iraq War was engaged because of exploitation of the issue of WMD. I sincerely hope the Commission on WMD will not only estimate aggressions by terrorist networks, but, also work to eliminate the danger to the civilized world by these global elements that seek the 'clout' of an attack with such weapons.

I believe any country knows they can fall to the power of these weapons if they were ever to enter into the hands of terrorists and that is a global deterrent alone. However, the expertise of the commission and 'range' of its knowledge should not end with estimates, but, should extend into 'tracking' of any potential of proliferation of these weapons with knowledge of the 'ingredients' that lead to WMD experimentation (research and developement), as we have witnessed in al Qaeda video tapes. The Commission's findings today, should be exploited to build an extensive knowledge base that will lead to the end of these threats against civilization.

Such a Commission could add a great deal of security to other countries if they cooperate with intelligence by tracking 'potential' weapon proliferation in the wrong hands. And the NRA won't like this, but, there needs to be global tracking of guns and other paraphenrnalia of war. The United Nations knows all to well how inappropriate sales to rebel elements in other countries leads to instability and the death of citizens. It is always argued whether such sales are actually beneficial to 'freedom and democracy,' but, that is an inappropriate mandate of these elements of war and the United Nations and the World Court is supposed to be an entity of human rights and an ear to the needs and complaints of many.

I believe the Commission which began its work this year has provided a good beginning, but, needs to be supported to do more and expand its expertise and work. There might be some duplicity between them and the intelligence agencies, but, given the Valerie Plame incident it would seem there needs to be strong oversight of such antics to protect the lives and well being of our intelligence agencies anyway.

It might be appropriate for the Commission to hold additional hearings with the original 911 Commission members if that level of insight is beneficial to 'track' their progress and allow family members and victims to that day to continue to have a voice.

Panel: Bio attack likely in neAssociated Press - December 1, 2008 8:23 PM ET
(click here)
Associated Press - December 1, 2008 8:23 PM ET
WASHINGTON (AP) - A report obtained by The Associated Press says the U.S. can expect a terrorist attack using nuclear or biological weapons in the next five years.
Vice President-elect Joe Biden will be briefed tomorrow on the report from the Commission on the Prevention of WMD Proliferation and Terrorism.
The panel says the incoming administration should focus on the threat and recommends that one official on the National Security Council should exclusively coordinate U.S. intelligence and foreign policy on combating the spread of nuclear and biological weapons.
The report finds terrorist groups still lack the ability to make weapons out of pathogens or nuclear bombs. But it warns that gap can be easily overcome, if terrorists find scientists willing to share or sell their know-how.
1 of the leaders of the commission, former Florida Senator Bob Graham, says "time is not our ally."