December 08, 2008

An Open Letter to the United States Congress:

   Demand Real Bailout Transparency!

Dear Member of Congress:

We, the undersigned advocates for open and accountable government, are writing to express our deep concern that the executive branch has provided no transparency into how taxpayer money is being spent and the decision-making process behind the financial bailout initiatives. We are also concerned that Congress has to date provided little oversight of these initiatives.

We applaud your decision to turn down the Treasury Department's request for a blank check, but nearly half of the $700 billion fund for the Troubled Assets Relief Program, or TARP, has already been distributed with very little transparency and almost no oversight. Recently, the public learned that an additional $800 billion is being spent by the Federal Reserve, which as an independent entity does not need congressional approval to lend money to banks or, in "unusual and exigent circumstances," to other financial institutions. To date, the cumulative commitment of taxpayer dollars to financial rescue initiatives is estimated to be $8.5 trillion.

We urge you to use your oversight authority to make the financial bailout more accountable to the American public, and your legislative authority to make it more transparent. We ask that you work with Congressional leadership to ensure that there is effective legislative oversight over the entire program.

Any credible solution to the economic crisis must be grounded in transparency and to ensure full accountability must include best practice whistleblower protection for public and private employees connected to the bailout. As suggested in a recent opinion piece in Legal Times, "the best way to protect the interests of taxpayers is by ensuring that what is done is fully disclosed to the public." Currently, however, the Department of the Treasury has been slow to notify the public of bailout money dispersals and has neglected to require recipients of bailout money to disclose how the money is used. We request that you direct that all reports mandated by the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 be made publicly available in a usable format, whether the law currently specifies public disclosure or not.

Under public disclosure laws, citizens can only gain access to information actually collected by the government. Therefore, public accountability necessitates that you enact changes in law to require the Department of the Treasury, the Federal Reserve, and any other government entities involved in the bailout, to begin collecting information on certain aspects of how bailout aid is spent by recipients, including:

• all lobbying/business contracts for firms benefitting from bailout aid;
• all lobbying/business contract details for firms servicing bailout transactions; and
• any securities or other instruments used as collateral for loans through the Federal Reserve.

We urge that Treasury and the Federal Reserve, and any other government entities involved in the bailout, be required to make such information available to the public in a usable format.

Bipartisan language to improve transparency and strengthen oversight of the bailout already exists. We urge that, as Treasury has modified its strategy away from primarily purchasing troubled assets, the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIG-TARP) be directed to conduct oversight on areas of the Treasury's program not related to the purchase of troubled assets and that you grant the SIG-TARP the authority to set up an office and hire staff. Legislation by Senators McCaskill and Grassley would expand the SIG-TARP's authority to conduct oversight of the Treasury Department's actions and expedite its staffing process.

Additionally, the Accountability for Economic Rescue Assistance Act, introduced by Senators Feinstein and Snowe, would bring some welcome improvements to transparency and accountability in the bailout by banning the use of bailout money for lobbying and political contributions and requiring firms receiving bailout money provide publicly-available detailed reports outlining how federal funds have been used. The bill would also require the establishment of corporate governance standards to ensure that firms do not waste taxpayer money on lavish expenditures and penalties for firms that violate those standards.

We ask that you build on these existing proposals to strengthen oversight and require greater transparency to enact legislation in the taxpayer's interest, including best practice whistleblower protection for public and private employees connected with the bailout.

The public deserves vigorous, timely, and easily-accessible disclosure of all details surrounding any government decisions regarding financial market problems. We ask that you honor this by making sure that robust and effective oversight occurs and that all relevant records are collected and publicly available.

Sincerely*,

Patrice McDermott
OpenTheGovernment.org

Duane Parde
National Taxpayers Union

Mary Alice Baish
American Association of Law Libraries

David A Keene
American Conservative Union

Lynne Bradley
American Library Association

Tom DeWeese
American Policy Center

Tim Phillips
Americans for Prosperity

Grover Norquist
Americans for Tax Reform

Timothy Wise
Arlington County (VA) Taxpayers Association

Prudence S. Adler
Association of Research Libraries

Roy H. Stewart
Bedford Taxpayers Association
Granite State Taxpayers

Chip Pitts
Bill of Rights Defense Committee

Terry Francke
Californians Aware

Terrence Scanlon
Capital Research Center

J. Bradley Jansen
Center for Financial Privacy and Human Rights

Sandra Fabry
Center for Fiscal Accountability

Timothy H. Lee
Center for Individual Freedom

Mark R. Spengler
Center for Law and Social Strategy

Barbara Anderson
Citizens for Limited Taxation

Anne Weismann
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington

Doug Bandow
Citizen Outreach Project

Bob Edgar
Common Cause

Matthew J. Brouillette
Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives

Thomas Schatz
Council for Citizens Against Government Waste

Sue Udry
Defending Dissent Foundation

John Richard
Essential Information

Amber Gunn
Evergreen Freedom Foundation

John Hallman
Florida Taxpayers Union

Conrad Martin
Fund for Constitutional Government

Mark Cohen
Government Accountability Project

Malia Zimmerman
Hawaii Reporter

Gary Wolfram
Hillsdale College

Jon Coupal
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (CA)

John Tillman
Illinois Policy Institute

Jim Murtagh, MD
International Association of Whistleblowers

Karl Peterjohn
Kansas Taxpayers Network

Andrew Davis
Libertarian National Committee

David A. Brady
Libertarian Party of Illinois

T. Lee Horne III
Libertarian Party of Louisiana

Patrick Dixon
Libertarian Party of Texas

Michael D. Ostrolenk
Liberty Coalition

Mark R. Caramanica
Marion Brechner Citizen Access Project

Richard Falknor
Maryland Center-Right Coalition

Ellen Smith
Mine Safety and Health News

Howie Morgan
Mississippi Forward

James Landrith
The Multiracial Activist

Stephen M. Kohn
National Whistleblower Center

Charles N. Davis. Ph.D.
National Freedom of Information Coalition

Tom Blanton
National Security Archive

Doug Kagan
Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom

Jerry Cantrell
New Jersey Taxpayers Association

Brandon Dutcher
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs

Sean Moulton
OMB Watch

Larry Siems
PEN American Center

Susan Maret
Progressive Librarians Guild

Danielle Brian
Project on Government Oversight

David Arkush
Public Citizen

Don Racheter
Public Interest Institute

John Judge
Real Democracy Project

Lucy A. Dalglish
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

William Westmiller
Republican Liberty Caucus

Paul Gessing
Rio Grande Foundation

John W. Whitehead
The Rutherford Institute

John Tsarpalas
Sam Adams Alliance

Samuel M. Slom
Small Business Hawaii

Dave Aeikens
Society of Professional Journalists

Douglas Newcomb, CAE
Special Libraries Association

Frances Brigham Johnson
Strategic Planning Initiatives

Ellen Miller
Sunlight Foundation

John K. Roberts
Taxpayers Union of Louisiana

Ben Cunningham
Tennessee Tax Revolt

Dane von Breichenruchardt
U.S. Bill of Rights Foundation

M. Royce Van Tassell
Utah Taxpayers Association

Toby Nixon
Washington Coalition for Open Government

Bill Will
Washington Newspaper Publishers Association

Rose Bogaert
Wayne County (MI) Taxpayers Association

Rafael DeGennaro
WhyCongressCantRead.com

*Organizations listed for identification purposes only

 For Immediate Release

Monday, December 8, 2008

For Further Information, Contact: Pete Sepp or Natasha Altamirano, (703) 683-5700

78-Group Coalition Led by Nation's Largest Taxpayer Organization Demands Greater Bailout Transparency

(Alexandria, VA) – Before another penny of the estimated $8.5 trillion in taxpayer money backing various bailout initiatives is spent, Congress must act to make the process more transparent to the public. That's the message a coalition of 78 organizations, assembled and led by the 362,000-member National Taxpayers Union (NTU) and OpenTheGovernment.org, sent in a letter to Congress today urging more accountability and oversight of financial rescue funds.

"We, the undersigned advocates for open and accountable government, are writing to express our deep concern that the executive branch has provided no transparency into how taxpayer money is being spent and the decision-making process behind the financial bailout initiatives," the letter begins. "We urge you to use your oversight authority to make the financial bailout more accountable to the American public, and your legislative authority to make it more transparent."

The signatories include representatives from groups across the political spectrum, including the American Conservative Union, Public Citizen, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Sunlight Foundation.

The letter notes that nearly half of the $700 billion committed to the Troubled Assets Relief Program has already been distributed with very little transparency and almost no oversight – in addition to another $800 billion being spent by the Federal Reserve. The letter recommends requiring that the Department of the Treasury, the Federal Reserve, and other government entities involved in the bailout collect and make available to the public information on certain aspects of how bailout aid is being spent by recipients.

To expedite these improvements, the signatories suggest that Congress build upon existing legislation, such as a bill sponsored by Sens. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) that would ban the use of bailout money for lobbying and political contributions. It would also require firms receiving tax dollars to provide publicly accessible detailed reports outlining how federal funds have been used.

"The public deserves vigorous, timely, and easily-accessible disclosure of all details surrounding any government decisions regarding financial market problems," the signatories conclude. "We ask that you honor this by making sure that robust and effective oversight occurs and that all relevant records are collected and publicly available."

NTU is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded in 1969 to work for lower taxes, smaller government, and economic freedom at all levels. Note: For more information, visit www.ntu.org or http://www.beyondbailouts.org.

-30-

108 North Alfred Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314 Phone: (703) 683-5700 Fax: (703) 683-5722 Web: www.ntu.org

 

As long-time readers know, I am a rape survivor and only recently began to work on healing from that long ago trauma that I had repressed for nearly two decades. In late June, I told my story publicly online in the hopes that it would help me heal and possibly assist another person who had not yet found their voice.

Today, I received an email from a female rape survivor that I wanted to share with my readers:

"Hi, you don't know me but after reading your story and learning a bit more about you I wanted to know how brave and inspiring I think you are. As a female survivor I've only just started to tell people who don't have to know after 6 years. I know how hard that's been for me and I know how much ignorant people can add to pain with their wrong and often stupid opinions. I can only guess that a male survivor feels the same things a female one does and then some more because of social ignorance. I think you have shown extreme strength in sharing your story with the whole world. You are helping to raise awareness in a much denied area. You story will help survivors (male and female) everywhere,it will also help the loved ones of survivors understand that these things don't always happen how people expect. I am greatly moved by your actions,if you can be brave enough to tell the world then maybe I can be a little braver in my daily life. I had lots of issues with naming my rape,but I doubt I had as many as you. I also had to deal with doubt and the judgement of uninformed idiots,I imagine this has been more so for you. I think you are a very strong and brave person. I think you are an inspiration. I hope one day I can be as brave as you and do something to help raise awareness of this disgusting crime (I need to get a lot stronger first!). You are an amazing survivor and I wish you well on your healing journey."

On the days when I feel violated all over again and just want to scream at the top of my lungs at the inhumanity of worthless, victim-blaming rape apologists and enablers, I get a message like the one above.

And it makes my day. This is why I told my story publicly. This is why I endured the shamers, emasculators and apologists. This is why I will not cower in silence any more.

My correspondent has no idea how much her message means to me. When I spoke out, I was speaking for me. I was speaking for her. I was speaking for hundreds of thousands of silent survivors who have not yet found their voice.

And after 18 years of silence, I refuse to shut up for anyone anymore...

Also posted at:

http://remodel4life.blogspot.com/2008/11/inspiring-letter-from-survivor.html

http://jameslandrith.com/content/view/3293/79/

 

Yesterday, I participated in a panel discussion on domestic violence and sexual assault. The event, titled "Our Love Should Not Hurt" was sponsored by the Alpha Chapters of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity at Howard University in Washington, DC. About 75 or so Howard University students were in the audience. Quite a few secondary survivors were there for their friends or significant others. About 1/3 of the audience was male. There were 5 female panelists and 1 male (me). Domestic violence was the first topic and I was happy to see it covered quite well to even include violence perpetrated by women against men and also verbal abuse. Several of the male students were very interested in the verbal abuse portion of the discussion. Been there, done that...

One young woman spoke about her friend who had emailed her about an attack she had endured several years prior. The survivor asked her friend not to ask her about the email or even acknowledge it in person in any manner. She just wanted her to know it had happened. The young woman broke down in tears several times while asking the panel how she can help her friend. I got a few minutes to speak to her after the event. She thanked me for speaking out. I thanked her for believing her friend. That part is so important - the believing. So many people are so willing to assume that someone they know would lie about being raped.

One of the questions was directed at me with regard to how a man would know if he had been raped. I told my story - the Cliff's Notes version - as part of the answer. I was not prepared for the audible gasps from both the audience and other panelists. I've gotten used to the idea of a female rapist as it happened to me, but I forget that it is not what people expect when they hear from a male rape survivor. They expect the rapist to be another male.

I was extremely nervous as this was the first time I spoke publicly about the rape. Everyone was supportive and after I was particularly touched by the kindness one of the other RAINN speakers showed me. This was surprisingly therapeutic (while simultaneously draining emotionally) and I look forward to working with RAINN on future outreach efforts.

Also posted at:

http://remodel4life.blogspot.com/2008/11/recap-our-love-should-not-hurt.html

http://jameslandrith.com/content/view/3273/79/

Here we go again - triggered and angered by the television.

I was watching one of my favorite shows - Life on Mars (new U.S. version of a BBC program). The plot very quickly went in a direction I didn't expect.

The main character, Sam, ends up being drugged and raped by a woman. She, like my rapist, presented herself as a "damsel in distress". He, like I, informed her that nothing but sleeping was going to happen as he, like I, was in love with someone else.

She then drugged him, restrained him and raped him while he was barely conscious or unconscious - that part is unclear. His memories of the night were shown in a drug addled haze of confusion and hallucinations meant to be both humorous and bizarre. While he was shown as disturbed (at least on some level) by the event, it is unclear whether he viewed it as rape.

Of course, the show didn't treat it like a rape in the slightest. His fellow cops - both male and female found it funny. Yes, getting drugged, restrained and then forced into sexual contact is just hilarious. While it was a plot device and not the focus of the show, it was still completely mishandled. This was an opportunity to make an important point, but it was instead used cheaply and badly.

Sadly, this is a recurring theme in movies and television. Recent examples include the rape of men by women in the movies "Wedding Crashers" and "40 Days and 40 Nights". All three examples ("Life on Mars", "Wedding Crashers" and "40 Days and 40 Nights") treat the actual rape like a joke. Why should I expect anyone else to treat it like the crime it is when that is message Hollywood sends?

Strangely enough, I was less triggered than angered by it. It so closely resembled my own rape that I very quickly connected to it. How could I not? To top it off, some of the reactions from other characters on the show mirrored some of the responses I've received.

Folks, possessing a vagina does not absolve a person for their actions where unwanted sexual contact is involved. Having a penis does not mean you can not be raped. Erections do not = consent. A woman forcing herself on a man does not = getting lucky.

WHY IS THIS SO DAMNED HARD TO UNDERSTAND?????