[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14401]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                SERIOUS CRIMINAL DEEDS MUST BE PUNISHED

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MAJOR R. OWENS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 23, 2002

  Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, the massive suffering being inflicted on 
millions of employees and investors by corporate thieves is still 
difficult to comprehend. Members of Congress have a duty to clarify the 
murky ``infectious greed'' scenarios unfolding everyday. Stealing by 
very sophisticated means is still thievery. When an executive is 
granted a 400 million dollar loan, there is no way to explain it as a 
rational business decision. Congress must confront this dirty business 
by pushing harder for the confiscation of stolen money. We must 
establish a system for restitution to swindled employees, current and 
retired. And Congress must push for greater criminal penalties.
  The very rich insiders must be forced to confront their crimes. 
Deprival of liberty by sentencing corporate crooks to prison is a 
necessary step to foster deterrence and restore confidence in our 
financial systems and markets. Already our constituents are ahead of 
the lawmakers in demanding justice. Those members who are soft on white 
collar crime will pay at the polls. It is the Great American Middle 
Class that is now being victimized. The following RAP poem summarizes 
their sentiment:

                     Message to the Republican Mob

     Before you merely mauled welfare mothers,
     But now you're messing with
     The Great American Middle Class;
     We'll kick your rear!
     Grandfathers are full of fear,
     New anger after every tear,
     Our pensions down the drain,
     No shelter from old age rain;
     O say Newt can you see
     Pain and suffering you contracted for me?
     Chisel swindle in the great greed spree,
     Criminals still strutting free,
     Lock up that mugger
     With the 400 million dollar loan,
     Tell the crook building that
     Multi-million dollar home
     You'll shoot if he lays another stone.
     Stage a raid
     On all the board room whores
     Hiding behind fancy carved doors;
     Bring out the hand cuffs,
     Shine bright lights in haughty faces,
     Drag them through drug pusher paces;
     Grill Martha and the Hamptons crowd,
     Make them confess
     Early and loud.
     Special prosecutors to the front lines.
     In 2002 we have real crimes,
     Whitewater was just kid stuff;
     Let's play Harkin and Halliburton bluff:
     At each turn
     Take ten million and run--
     Insiders have all the fun,
     A tax break bonus
     For each step you mount,
     Ordinary dumb investors
     Can't follow the count.
     Chisel swindle in the great greed spree,
     O say Newt can you see
     Pain and suffering you contracted for me?
     Before you merely mauled welfare mothers,
     But now you're messing with
     The Great American Middle Class;
     At the November showdown
     We'll be kicking your elephant (bleep)!

     

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