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European Union's 2007 Registration, Evaluation, | Congress, deep conflicts of interest and revolving doors Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) law, — within the US military-industrial complex. which requires the disclosure of all chemicals sold in the On January 21, 2009, Obama signed an executive order EU in quantities of more than one metric ton per year. Of hat issued more stringent ethics rules prohibiting the 267 chemicals on the potential REACH list, only one- obbyists from serving in agencies they have lobbied in third have ever been tested by the US Environmental he previous two years. Just two days later, the White Protection Agency and only two are regulated in any form House announced that these rules wouldn't apply to the under US law. nominee for Deputy Secretary of Defense, William Lynn. He was Senior Vice President for Government Operations 6. Lobbyists Buy Congress and Strategy at defence giant Raytheon and a registered According to a study by The Center for Responsive Raytheon lobbyist until July 2008. Politics, special interests paid Washington lobbyists Also newly appointed, Robert Hale, Undersecretary of USS3.2 billion in 2008—more than in any other year on Defense (Comptroller), served as Assistant Secretary of record. This was a 13.7 per cent increase from 2007 he Air Force in the role of Financial Comptroller from (which broke the record by 7.7 per cent over 2006). 994 to 2001. He was responsible, along with Lynn, for Health interests spent more on he management of Department of federal lobbying than any other Defense funds. economic sector. Their $478.5 million Admiral Dennis Blair, Obama's pick guaranteed the crown for the third o head National Intelligence, which year, with the finance, insurance and Q oversees all 16 intelligence agencies, real estate sector a runner-up, This all speaks to was Commander of Military Forces in spending $453.5 million. The the fact that the he Pacific under President Clinton. pharmaceutical/health products He played a critical role in backing the industry contributed $230.9 million, governmental- ndonesian occupation of East Timor eee mh ae Soe over military-industrial alta dictator Suharto spender among industries was electric organism isa This all speaks to the fact that the utilities, which spent $156.7 million on 0 iG g governmental-military-industrial lobbying, followed by insurance, which symbiotic union of organism is a symbiotic union of self- spent $153.2 million, and oil and interest, greed and lust for power gas, which paid $133.2 million. on a level never before seen in Pro-Israel groups, food processing history. companies and the oil and gas industry increased their expenditures the most (as a percentage) between 2007 and 2008. Finance, insurance and real estate companies have been competing to get a piece of the $700 billion bail-out package which Congress approved in late 2008. self-interest, greed and lust for power on a level never before seen in history. 8. Bailed-out Banks and America’s Wealthiest Cheat IRS A 2008 study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that 83 of the top publicly held US companies have operations in offshore tax havens. Fourteen of these companies, including AIG, Bank of America and Citigroup, received money 7. Obama's Military Appointees Have Corrupt Past rom the government bail-out. President Obama's retention of Robert Gates as The GAO also reported that activities of the Union Bank Secretary of Defense makes Gates the first appointee of Switzerland (UBS) are directly connected to tax from an outgoing administration of the opposing party to avoidance. UBS has enabled wealthy Americans to use be kept in the position. Over the last two years of the ax schemes—some of which are illegal—to cheat the previous administration, Gates was a key implementer of nternal Revenue Service (IRS) out of over US$20 billion President George W. Bush's Iraq War "surge"—after he __ in recent years, according to the Department of Justice. A replaced Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who had sponsor of the prestigious Art Basel Miami Beach show, opposed the escalation. UBS uses the show to find clients looking for advice on Obama's appointees to the Department of Defense and ax shelters and how to take advantage of bank secrecy to National Intelligence embody many of the worst rules. European Union's 2007 Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) law, which requires the disclosure of all chemicals sold in the EU in quantities of more than one metric ton per year. Of the 267 chemicals on the potential REACH list, only one- third have ever been tested by the US Environmental Protection Agency and only two are regulated in any form under US law. This all speaks to the fact that the governmental- military-industrial organism is a symbiotic union of self-interest, greed and lust for power on a level never history. 7. Obama's Military Appointees Have Corrupt Past President Obama's retention of Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense makes Gates the first appointee rom an outgoing administration of the opposing party to be kept in the position. Over the last two years of the previous administration, Gates was a key implementer of President George W. Bush's Iraq War "surge"—after he replaced Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who had opposed the escalation. Obama's appointees to the Department of Defense and o National Intelligence embody many of the worst elements of US national security policy over the past hree decades. The valued "decades of experience" these eaders bring are filled with ethical breaches, lies to For corporations, the process of geographic tax avoidance is fairly simple. A US corporation will sell at reduced rates, even at a loss to their own offshore NEXUS ¢ I5 before seen in DECEMBER 2009 - JANUARY 2010 www.nexusmagazine.com