I've held Democratic Senator and Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad in contempt for many years. Certainly his evasion of corruption charges and jail time for accepting bribes from now-disgraced former Countrywide CEO Angelo Mozilo earned him that. Conrad and fellow financial services sector oversight Senator Chris Dodd both enjoyed sweetheart mortgage deals from the firm they oversaw into near-bankruptcy.
Now Conrad is faithfully shilling for Wonderboy, calling for $1T of new taxes to try to fill the deficit hole that his party has created with its spending orgy. Never mind that Conrad's committee hasn't managed to actually write or pass a budget for a couple of years.
Basically, Conrad, a former state tax collector, is the same for his party on the national level, as well as an overall team lackey. Whatever mindless, senseless line the party takes, Conrad will dutifully mouth it.
I've never understood why some in the conservative media think Conrad is moderate or thoughtful. He's not.
He was hip-deep in taking favors while turning a blind eye to at least one firm's questionable mortgage lending practices during the runup to the recent financial crisis. And escaped without punishment.
How is it that this type of tainted Senator is lauded in the press and given a free pass to wreck the US economy?
Showing posts with label Conrad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Conrad. Show all posts
Monday, July 18, 2011
Monday, August 23, 2010
More Congressional Deception Re: Countrywide Sweetheart Loans
It's recently been revealed that the Senate Democrats, in a parting gift to Chris Dodd, the resigning Democrat from Connecticut, covered up just how many sweetheart mortgage loans he received as a "Friend of Angelo" Mozillo.
It's been known for some time that Dodd and Kent Conrad received such loans, though both continually denied knowing so.
Now, it's become public that Dodd received, according to the Wall Street Journal,
"as many as six VIP loans, including refinancings, from Countrywide Financial, not just the two in 2003 that triggered the investigation."
We apparently won't know whether Kent Conrad was similarly favored, because the ethically-challenged Republican Senate leadership made a deal to submarine any more details of the Countrywide VIP program.
As much as many of us loathe the Democrats in Congress, this deal makes it clear why we also have plenty of that hatred left for Mitch McConnell and John Boehner, too.
It's been known for some time that Dodd and Kent Conrad received such loans, though both continually denied knowing so.
Now, it's become public that Dodd received, according to the Wall Street Journal,
"as many as six VIP loans, including refinancings, from Countrywide Financial, not just the two in 2003 that triggered the investigation."
We apparently won't know whether Kent Conrad was similarly favored, because the ethically-challenged Republican Senate leadership made a deal to submarine any more details of the Countrywide VIP program.
As much as many of us loathe the Democrats in Congress, this deal makes it clear why we also have plenty of that hatred left for Mitch McConnell and John Boehner, too.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
What Democrats Like Kent Conrad Don't Get
This morning held some big political news if you are a conservative. Two of the most-hated most liberal Democratic Senators, Dodd of CT and Dornigan of ND, announced their retirement.
Dornigan's fellow Democratic Senator from ND, Kent Conrad, made an absolute fool of himself this morning on CNBC, waxing on about how great a loss for the country it is that Doddering Chris Dodd, bribe-taker extraordinaire, is leaving the Senate.
Now, Conrad himself is also implicated in the 'Friends of Angelo' Countrywide sweetheart mortgage loans. But it was stomach-turning to listen to him extol Dodd's "institutional memory" and being so crucial to the financial sector.
Honestly, if it weren't for Dodd, perhaps we wouldn't have even had the financial meltdown. Dodd was key in letting Fannie and Freddie loose to bulk up by securitizing risky mortgages.
That Conrad can't see Dodd, or himself, as the problem, and actually thinks Dodd added value while in the Senate, shows how big a problem we have in Washington.
Conrad is so clueless as to fail to see how Dodd's own constituents have finally had enough of him. He's only "retiring," of course, because he faced a pasting from the wife of the owner of the World Wrestling Federation.
I guess that was going to be too much for Dodd to handle.
Dornigan's fellow Democratic Senator from ND, Kent Conrad, made an absolute fool of himself this morning on CNBC, waxing on about how great a loss for the country it is that Doddering Chris Dodd, bribe-taker extraordinaire, is leaving the Senate.
Now, Conrad himself is also implicated in the 'Friends of Angelo' Countrywide sweetheart mortgage loans. But it was stomach-turning to listen to him extol Dodd's "institutional memory" and being so crucial to the financial sector.
Honestly, if it weren't for Dodd, perhaps we wouldn't have even had the financial meltdown. Dodd was key in letting Fannie and Freddie loose to bulk up by securitizing risky mortgages.
That Conrad can't see Dodd, or himself, as the problem, and actually thinks Dodd added value while in the Senate, shows how big a problem we have in Washington.
Conrad is so clueless as to fail to see how Dodd's own constituents have finally had enough of him. He's only "retiring," of course, because he faced a pasting from the wife of the owner of the World Wrestling Federation.
I guess that was going to be too much for Dodd to handle.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Kent Conrad's Arrogant Remarks
Two Representatives from opposing parties, Brian Baird of Washington and Greg Walden of Oregon, have proposed a bill to require a 72 hour waiting period before Congress can vote on any non-emergency legislation. Such bills would be posted, in final form, on a publicly-accessible website for a minimum of 72 hours before Congress could pass such bills.
Predictably, Frisco Nan Pelosi has shunted the bill aside. It now lays in a limbo from which it will not exit, unless a discharge petition is signed by 218 members, or a majority of the House. Nan has placed aides of the Democratic House leadership on the floor to intimidate members from signing the petition.
This is all bad enough. But it gets worse. Much worse.
We've all seen, by now, Michigan liberal Democratic Representative John Conyers famously admitting, on camera, that he had no intention of reading the stimulus bill. That it would take him and two lawyers more time to read it than he had before the vote.
Thus, the two Representatives' proposal.
But liberal doofus and Senator from North Dakota, Kent Conrad, weighed in on the matter. Remember, this is one of the guys who received favorable treatment from Countrywide Credit's
Angelo Mozillo, but denied he knew of it. Never the less, Conrad helped make it very easy for Countrywide to participate in the process that gutted residential real estate finance last year.
Conrad, according to the Wall Street Journal, claims that Baird's and Walden's proposed bill won't matter because,
"only 5% of Americans will be able to understand the legalese in bills."
The Journal quotes Politico as quoting Conrad further saying,
"Anybody who thinks that is going to be transparent to the American people is really not telling it like it is."
Can you believe Conrad's nerve?
Maybe we voters don't want Congress writing bills we, their paymasters, don't understand.
Maybe we don't want Congress passing laws for which we will all need to hire attorneys to determine when and how we will be in compliance.
It takes a pretty arrogant public service to essentially say that it's not worth trying to let voters understand the laws their elected legislators pass. That few care, and few could possibly understand these matters, anyway.
Boy, I wish I were running against Conrad in his next election. I can't believe North Dakotans want to return a Senator who is so arrogant, grafted-up, and pompous.
Predictably, Frisco Nan Pelosi has shunted the bill aside. It now lays in a limbo from which it will not exit, unless a discharge petition is signed by 218 members, or a majority of the House. Nan has placed aides of the Democratic House leadership on the floor to intimidate members from signing the petition.
This is all bad enough. But it gets worse. Much worse.
We've all seen, by now, Michigan liberal Democratic Representative John Conyers famously admitting, on camera, that he had no intention of reading the stimulus bill. That it would take him and two lawyers more time to read it than he had before the vote.
Thus, the two Representatives' proposal.
But liberal doofus and Senator from North Dakota, Kent Conrad, weighed in on the matter. Remember, this is one of the guys who received favorable treatment from Countrywide Credit's
Angelo Mozillo, but denied he knew of it. Never the less, Conrad helped make it very easy for Countrywide to participate in the process that gutted residential real estate finance last year.
Conrad, according to the Wall Street Journal, claims that Baird's and Walden's proposed bill won't matter because,
"only 5% of Americans will be able to understand the legalese in bills."
The Journal quotes Politico as quoting Conrad further saying,
"Anybody who thinks that is going to be transparent to the American people is really not telling it like it is."
Can you believe Conrad's nerve?
Maybe we voters don't want Congress writing bills we, their paymasters, don't understand.
Maybe we don't want Congress passing laws for which we will all need to hire attorneys to determine when and how we will be in compliance.
It takes a pretty arrogant public service to essentially say that it's not worth trying to let voters understand the laws their elected legislators pass. That few care, and few could possibly understand these matters, anyway.
Boy, I wish I were running against Conrad in his next election. I can't believe North Dakotans want to return a Senator who is so arrogant, grafted-up, and pompous.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
