This actually has some Cypherpunks/crypto/digital money relevance. (Not
that general comments about Iraq and statism are "off-topic.")
For many years we have talked about the many alternative ways to make
payments without violating tax codes or similar rules. A classic
example is that of selling something covertly to a company, e.g.,
Tessier-Ashpool, and then collecting the payoff by being hired as a
"consultant" at an outrageous rate. Or by selling something covertly to
T-A and then having T-A buy very publicly some _other_ item at an
inflated price. (Mundanely, this can be a work of art. Less mundanely,
a company. It's best to buy items that have less "liquidity." So,
buying a privately-held company for $5 million is better than buying a
3-bedroom house in Phoenix for $5 million.)
Or a senior government official can deliver something of value to a
company, perhaps a company like "Halliburton," and then receive his
payment by being made its president and being given lucrative stock
options. (And he can pick up further bonuses and stock options by
promising to deliver to Halliburton lucrative future business, such as
handling the oil wells and systems in Occupied Iraq.)
Besides the aforementioned example, consider what the payoff route is
for Tom Daschle's vigorous support for a "bailout" (actually, for
_another_ bailout, and _another_) of the inefficience airlines in
America.
He is quoted today:
"Airlines have a lot of supporters in Congress. Sen. Tom Daschle, the
leader of the Senate minority, said on Monday he favored including it
in the Iraq war spending package."
<http://asia.reuters.com/
newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=2438228>
(This does not do full justice to his vigorous campaigning for a
bailout. Cf. Google for many more articles.)
Is he being paid-off by the failing American airlines?
The back-channel payoff is through his wife, Linda, according to many
news accounts. A sampling:
<http://www.laweekly.com/ink/03/09/news-ireland.php>
<http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/june01/2001-06-06-daschle-
linda.htm>
Now, of course I am not going to argue for McCain-type limitations on
what people may earn (McCain is the champion of profoundly
unconstitutional restrictions on free speech in campaigns). The way to
solve these problems is crystal-clear: no bailouts whatsoever under any
circumstances for airlines, car makers, electronics companies, etc.,
period, finis. None. And no massive-spending state. (I won't elaborate
on this obvious political stand.)
It's all pigs at the trough.
And as with the "empty consulting" way of paying off politicians, in
full compliance with tax laws. (Ha.)
--Tim May
"To those who scare peace-loving people with phantoms of lost liberty,
my message is this: Your tactics only aid terrorists." --John
Ashcroft, U.S. Attorney General
