$450 million slush fund for Bush from Canadian lumber deal. . . . .

[donsu]

$450 million slush fund for Bush from Canadian lumber deal, just in time for the mid-terms

http://www.correntewire.com/450_million_slush_fund_for_bush_from_canadian_lumber_deal_just_in_time_for_the_mid_terms




Yes, it seems that Bush has indeed wangled himself and Unka Karl $450 million smackeroos in a slush fund they can get their paws on right now and do anything they want with. Surprise! The story has a lot of detail, but the bottom line is simple: The terms of the Softwood Lumber Agreement with Canada will give Bush complete control of an escrow account with $450 million in it, controlled by a board that Bush appoints, and which can be used for any purpose whatever, with no Congressional oversight

-snip-

For our purposes, important thing is that the conflict may been resolved through the Softwood Lumber Agreement (SLA) between the United States and Canada, which leaves certain monies (the $450 million) to be disbursed. How that money is to be disbursed is the key point at issue.

(For the Canadians, the key point is the SLA itself, not the possibility of Bush’s slush fund. the The SLA has not yet been approved by Parliament. The vote will happen in “the fall,” and it’s huge: Prime Minister Harper’s minority government will fall if Parliament doesn’t approve the deal.)

-snip-

First, on April 7, the United States Court of International Trade ruled that the U.S. industry was entitled legally to no money. None of it. It was not surprising then, that 20 days later, the U.S. coalition said that it would take $500 million. It was hardly a negotiating triumph to persuade them to take $500 million, when they had become legally entitled to not a penny.

-snip-

So, here we have the government of Canada requiring that Canadian private parties sign over $450 million to an escrow fund slated to be conveyed to the White House.

-snip-

The agreement does not mention Congress, and the Bush administration says that Congress will not be involved in any way with this agreement.

-snip-

There is only one date certain in the deal: that the planned expenditure of the $450 million must be determined by September 1.

-very long snip-

Appendix: The political context
The political context: Both Bush and Harper (the Canadian Prime Minister) are authoritarians desperate to hold onto power. From what NAFTA and the WTO say, Harper is selling out Canada by giving the United States $450 million that the United States couldn’t win in court. Why? It’s late, and I’m foily, but I’d say that Harper gets his cut with a kickback from Bush out of the $450 million, to help him pass the SLA in Parliament, and win his vote of confidence. Then Bush gets the rest.
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you have to read the snips to see how the scam is being pulled off

Canada is complicite