#ken silverstein

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

[Ken Silverstein]

A fitting sendoff

[thegrannyhill]

Bill is a stand-up guy ready to be first gentleman.

Neither Clinton has a concept of shame. Both are lacking in character, honesty, and care only about themselves. http://observer.com/2015/03/the-jeffrey-epstein-affair-imperils-hillary-clintons-presidential-prospects/

[thetorist]

As to those staff meetings, Pierre would sometimes attend in person in New York—or remotely by video. I think I only met him twice in person, but I remember invariably he would say during these staff meetings, “You probably want to know what I think” and then talk about something, usually how much he loves journalism and the First Amendment.

Ken Silverstein, Where Journalism Goes to Die

[rtamerica-blog]

Boom Bust with Erin Ade and Edward Harrison http://www.hulu.com/watch/686130 9/11 legacy and Prechter’s chief analyst sees market topping Erin speaks with Ken Silverstein, author of “The Secret World of Oil,” to talk about the relation between the oil industry and war. After the break, Erin is joined by Steve Hochberg to discuss how markets move in discernible wave patterns.

[bostonreview]

"Think tanks are not usually mentioned alongside super PACs and lobbying firms, but Silverstein argues that they are increasingly willing to help interest groups convert money into political power . . . In the most egregious cases Silverstein cites, think tanks have even done complete about-faces on policy in apparent attempts to please clients, as when the Heritage Foundation went from criticizing the Malaysian government to touting it as a beacon of democracy once 'Malaysian business interests' hired a consulting firm founded by Heritage’s president."

-Andrew Mayersohn on Ken Silverstein's book about the political power of think tanks

[rjzimmerman]

If you read the press, watch TV, go to movies or read novels about international financial scandals and corruption, this story isn't a surprise. But it has a few anecdotes about international lobbying games to be interesting.

[mediamattress]

Tea Party in the Sonora

By Ken Silverstein, Harper's (July 2010)

In 1897, when the Territory of Arizona was seeking to demonstrate its fitness for statehood, the legislature solicited bids to design a new capitol building and grounds in Phoenix. The winning entry was that of James Riely Gordon, the architect behind a number of well-regarded public buildings in Texas and Maryland. He drew up ambitious plans: an expansive dome, a grand rotunda, stately wings for each house. But funding fell short, and so the legislative wings were scrapped, and a diminutive lead-alloy top was chosen in lieu of Gordon’s more elaborate dome. Worse, in the building’s interior, a mosaic of the state seal was bungled by the contractor, who forgot to include the images of cattle and citrus, two of Arizona’s “five C’s” (the others being climate, copper, and cotton).

Despite much talk over the years of an upgrade—including a proposal from none other than Frank Lloyd Wright, who envisioned the addition of fountains, gardens, and reflecting pools—all plans were rejected as too expensive. In the 1960s, two new buildings were finally erected on either side of the capitol, one for the house and one for the senate; but these structures, which resemble Soviet apartment blocks, only made matters worse. Nowadays, the capitol’s dingy, unshaded plaza is bare save for a few small rosebushes and some patches of dry grass. The buildings themselves have been plagued by plumbing problems and leaks, making the complex “wholly inadequate” to Arizona’s future needs, according to a task force charged with studying the matter.

The general unsightliness of the capitol makes it a fitting home for today’s Arizona legislature, which is composed almost entirely of dimwits, racists, and cranks. Collectively they have bankrupted the state through a combination of ideological fanaticism on the Republican right and acquiescence and timidity on the part of G.O.P. moderates and Democrats. Although dozens of states are facing budget crises, the situation in Arizona is arguably the nation’s worst, graver even than in California. A horrific budget deficit has been papered over with massive borrowing and accounting gimmickry, and the state may yet have to issue IOUs to employees and vendors. All-day kindergarten has been eliminated statewide, and some districts have adopted a four-day school week. Arizona’s state parks, despite bringing in 2 million visitors and $266 million annually, have lost 80 percent of their budget, with up to two thirds of the parks now in danger of closure. The legislature slashed the budget for the Department of Revenue, which required the agency to fire hundreds of state auditors and tax collectors; lawmakers boasted that these measures saved $25 million, but a top official in the department estimated that the state would miss out on $174 million in tax collections as a result.

Read More

[bostonreview]

Progress!

Question: What do Abbott Laboratories, Amgen, Bank of America, Carefirst Blue Cross Blue Shield, Citigroup, Eli Lilly, General Dynamics, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Pfizer, The Carlyle Group and Verizon have in common?

Answer: They're all in favor of progress!  The Center for American Progress, that is.  Ken Silverstein has more about CAP's secret donors.