No Bid Iraq Contractors

[Dan Conner]

Well, I just see the news out. Bush's great no-bid security contractor in Iraq, Blackwater, has charged the US taxpayers for the use of prostitutes. Isn't this a dichotomy for Republicans and the religious right?

[Matt Christianson]

Well, I just see the news out. Bush's great no-bid security contractor in Iraq, Blackwater, has charged the US taxpayers for the use of prostitutes. Isn't this a dichotomy for Republicans and the religious right?

No not at all. It's simply a private contractor bilking $$ from the US government and they will pay dearly I'm sure. I have no idea where you come up with such angles. Because there was a GOP presdent in power when Blackwater was hired that makes a difference in their actions or makes Republicans a bunch of hypocritical sexual deviants? You might as well have said that it's obvious that this would have happened because John Edwards, someone who cheats on his wife, was a senator at the time. That makes as little sense as your claim. Really you're reaching here with this arguement.

[Dan Conner]

No not at all. It's simply a private contractor bilking $$ from the US government and they will pay dearly I'm sure. I have no idea where you come up with such angles. Because there was a GOP presdent in power when Blackwater was hired that makes a difference in their actions or makes Republicans a bunch of hypocritical sexual deviants? You might as well have said that it's obvious that this would have happened because John Edwards, someone who cheats on his wife, was a senator at the time. That makes as little sense as your claim. Really you're reaching here with this arguement.Comeon Matt, get informed. Blackwater has already made billions of dollars off the war. They have hundreds of mi8llions of dollars in profits. I suppose according to your math that means they "paid dearly?" Hey, just pointing out some more hypocritical moments for the GOP. Man, the sins they have committed while hiding behind religion. They have waged great moral crusades in politics and we are only to find out they are probably worse than the rest of us.

Sometimes I think when the Republicans take a stand on the issues they really feel quite the opposite. I would even say they lie a bunch, but I wouldn't want to get Bob worked up.

Must be a day off....?

[Matt Christianson]

Comeon Matt, get informed. Blackwater has already made billions of dollars off the war. They have hundreds of mi8llions of dollars in profits. I suppose according to your math that means they "paid dearly?" Hey, just pointing out some more hypocritical moments for the GOP. Man, the sins they have committed while hiding behind religion. They have waged great moral crusades in politics and we are only to find out they are probably worse than the rest of us.

Sometimes I think when the Republicans take a stand on the issues they really feel quite the opposite. I would even say they lie a bunch, but I wouldn't want to get Bob worked up.

Must be a day off....?

I was said that "It's simply a private contractor bilking $$ from the US government and they will pay dearly I'm sure." When I said 'pay dearly' I meant for using government money to pay for prostitiutes. As in large fines, etc. Before you try criticizing try reading the worsds in my posts.

I wish I was sin-free like you and the Left. How I wish to some day be able to reach out and touch the hem of your robes.

And my work schedule is none of your business. I don't work 9-5 so keep your trap shut about how I spend my time. You seem to be on here a heck of lot more then anyone else.

[Dan Conner]

I was said that "It's simply a private contractor bilking $$ from the US government and they will pay dearly I'm sure." When I said 'pay dearly' I meant for using government money to pay for prostitiutes. As in large fines, etc. Before you try criticizing try reading the worsds in my posts.

I wish I was sin-free like you and the Left. How I wish to some day be able to reach out and touch the hem of your robes.

And my work schedule is none of your business. I don't work 9-5 so keep your trap shut about how I spend my time. You seem to be on here a heck of lot more then anyone else.I think I know what you meant by pay dearly, but I'll be switched if I can see how. They have made astronomical profits, so a fine will mean almost nothing. They have murdered in Iraq, but were acquitted only because it happened in another country. They are all now being kicked out of Iraq, and I don't blame the Iraqis. The worst that will happen is that they go out of business. However, the CEO/chairman of Blackwater (now Xe) will be able to walk away with a veritable forture. To me that's not paying dearly. Time behind bars would be.

How much do you think Halliburton paid for covering up the gang rape of one of their female workers in Iraq? I don't even know if they were fined. How about the GI's who were electrocuted in showers because of Halliburton faulty and substandard wiring? No punishment that I know of. How about the $9 billion dollars that Halliburton lost? No, I don't think they have paid dearly, but you and I have. It was our money. And Halliburton was so thankful for the billions of dollars in defense contracts it received, that they moved to Dubai. REAL PATRIOTS! I think too many of us are being duped by corporations and their leaders.

I don't claim to be perfect. I sin like the rest of us, but I don't feel my politiical party hides behind religion. The Republicans want to get into people's personal lives and police what people do with their own bodies. They are replete with religious charlatans who mandate a behavior for us, but they don't feel they have to follow. That is what I have long meant by hypocrits. How many Republican religious leaders have had affairs with women, other men, stolen from the congregations, but demanded a higher level of behavior for others. How about the Republican Congressmen all indignant about the sinful behavior of Clinton, but who were having affairs at that very time?

How about Republican Congressmen who have influenced the government of Uganda to enact laws making homsexuality a capital offense. How can any reasonable person justify killing someone else because they are homosexual? Too many Republican leaders have done the very things that they have destroyed other peoples' careers over. And now that the chickens are coming home, they wail and whine like baby cats. I think it is time to judge them by the standards they set for everyone else. Frankly, I think the Republicans have been unaccountable for so long that now they think the voting public is so ignorant and stupid, they can tell any lie, not matter how outlandish, and they expect a sizable percentage of people to believe it.

[Matt Christianson]

I think I know what you meant by pay dearly, but I'll be switched if I can see how. They have made astronomical profits, so a fine will mean almost nothing. They have murdered in Iraq, but were acquitted only because it happened in another country. They are all now being kicked out of Iraq, and I don't blame the Iraqis. The worst that will happen is that they go out of business. However, the CEO/chairman of Blackwater (now Xe) will be able to walk away with a veritable forture. To me that's not paying dearly. Time behind bars would be.

How much do you think Halliburton paid for covering up the gang rape of one of their female workers in Iraq? I don't even know if they were fined. How about the GI's who were electrocuted in showers because of Halliburton faulty and substandard wiring? No punishment that I know of. How about the $9 billion dollars that Halliburton lost? No, I don't think they have paid dearly, but you and I have. It was our money. And Halliburton was so thankful for the billions of dollars in defense contracts it received, that they moved to Dubai. REAL PATRIOTS! I think too many of us are being duped by corporations and their leaders.

I don't claim to be perfect. I sin like the rest of us, but I don't feel my politiical party hides behind religion. The Republicans want to get into people's personal lives and police what people do with their own bodies. They are replete with religious charlatans who mandate a behavior for us, but they don't feel they have to follow. That is what I have long meant by hypocrits. How many Republican religious leaders have had affairs with women, other men, stolen from the congregations, but demanded a higher level of behavior for others. How about the Republican Congressmen all indignant about the sinful behavior of Clinton, but who were having affairs at that very time?

How about Republican Congressmen who have influenced the government of Uganda to enact laws making homsexuality a capital offense. How can any reasonable person justify killing someone else because they are homosexual? Too many Republican leaders have done the very things that they have destroyed other peoples' careers over. And now that the chickens are coming home, they wail and whine like baby cats. I think it is time to judge them by the standards they set for everyone else. Frankly, I think the Republicans have been unaccountable for so long that now they think the voting public is so ignorant and stupid, they can tell any lie, not matter how outlandish, and they expect a sizable percentage of people to believe it.

Actually in my "etc' I muddily insinuated that these people who clearly abused their relationship with the government and used funds in such a mtter should not just be fined but pay the piper in the courtroom. How about treason? Probably doesnt fall in the definition of treason but it's terrible what some of these defense contractors got away with.
And everything else you speak of in this post doesnt seem to fit with the arguement. I'll agree that there are some scumbags out there...on both sides of the aisle but to try and narrowly define republicans in such a matter doesn't work for me.

[Dan Conner]

Actually in my "etc' I muddily insinuated that these people who clearly abused their relationship with the government and used funds in such a mtter should not just be fined but pay the piper in the courtroom. How about treason? Probably doesnt fall in the definition of treason but it's terrible what some of these defense contractors got away with.
And everything else you speak of in this post doesnt seem to fit with the arguement. I'll agree that there are some scumbags out there...on both sides of the aisle but to try and narrowly define republicans in such a matter doesn't work for me.I agree. The point I tried to make about Republicans in this was that Bush/Cheney went to unusual steps to circumvent normal contracting processes when making no-bid contract to Blackwater, Halliburton, KBR, etc. Democrats, and even defense department bureaucrats, were complaining about the administration abusing power. A Democratic Congressman (can't remember his name right now, but I think Kucinich) in the House attempted to pass legislation to stop this, bu the Republican leadership stiffled it and wouldn't even bring it to the floor. That's how Republican abused authority.

The President claimed war powers in making this decision, which was extremely unusual. This kind of power was rarely used in Vietnam and other much bigger wars. Bush was great for ramming things through over the top of Congress and the Republican Congress did all they could to assist him.

I believe there were serious indicators about the Republican party being party first over nation, when votes on the stimulus happened. When Bush first proposed the stimulus it was fine with Republicans, but in the transition to Obama it became unacceptable. THE SAME STIMULUS! Too many Republicans have said they wanted Obama to fail or see his Waterloo, or whatever. They were, and still are, so determined to ruin his Presidency, that they are willing to ruin our country to do it. That isn't patriotism to me.

So far, the stimulus spending has worked very well is staving off the greatest of all depressions in our country. The GDP grew at a 5.7% rate last quarter. That's extremely high, even in a wildly expansive period. Business seems to be getting better, along with the banking, but jobs are lagging. However, the President knew and stated far earlier that reducing unemployment would be a far slower process. Bernake, along with most of the economists, all said jobs would lag behind in the recovery, as they always do. The big thing is that the President has saved us from going over the cliff, at least for now.

Now the US needs to pass major bank reform, or it is likely we will still have the Great Depression ahead of us. Banks have to get out of the risky CSD markets and start loaning to business, but right now they are making billions in these gambling markets, not to mention their astronomical salaries and bonuses. All they want to do is bet on money. This will certainly lead to another bubble and eventual economic collapse. Banks have to be taken out of the investment markets. It's time for the Glass-Steagal Act again.

What seems so troubling these days is how so many people are putting their own greed above country. They have even had a scare, with our near collapse, but now banks are right back to doing what nearly collapsed us the first time. No-bid contractors are still stealing from taxpayers and Republicans are concentrating more on winning elections than trying to save our country. Everyone needs to focus on the country, or we will all fail.

[Bob Jentges]

If memory serves me right I believe the current administration has also awarded "no bid contracts", probably for the same reason the previous administration did i.e. no firms in the business was qualified to do the work other than the one awarded the contract. Unfortunate, but apparrantly that is just how it works sometimes whether the administration is Republican or Democrat.

However, I came across an article in the Los Angles Times this morning, not necessarilly about no bid contracts, but government awarded contracts non the less. If one is rightly concerned about no bid contracts, they should probably also be concerned about what the GAO found during a recent audit.


The Administrations web site, USAspending.gov, was alledgedly created to create more transparency in government spending on contracts. During a recent audit the GAO found "widespread inconsistencies" in what appears on the web site and what was contained in the agencies actual records. I think there were 15 contracts not reported on the web site that were actually granted.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-obama-web13-2010mar13,0,1749979.story

Who was the czar in charge of USAspending.gov?

[Bob Jentges]

If memory serves me right I believe the current administration has also awarded "no bid contracts", probably for the same reason the previous administration did i.e. no firms in the business was qualified to do the work other than the one awarded the contract. Unfortunate, but apparrantly that is just how it works sometimes whether the administration is Republican or Democrat.

However, I came across an article in the Los Angles Times this morning, not necessarilly about no bid contracts, but government awarded contracts non the less. If one is rightly concerned about no bid contracts, they should probably also be concerned about what the GAO found during a recent audit.


The Administrations web site, USAspending.gov, was alledgedly created to create more transparency in government spending on contracts. During a recent audit the GAO found "widespread inconsistencies" in what appears on the web site and what was contained in the agencies actual records. I think there were 15 contracts not reported on the web site that were actually granted.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-obama-web13-2010mar13,0,1749979.story

Who was the czar in charge of USAspending.gov?

The Obama Administration and "no-bid contracts".

http://www.human events.com/article.php?id=37046