Error: Unable to create directory /home/demockra/public_html/wp-content/uploads/2010/09. Is its parent directory writable by the server? Ah, the Sweet Smell of Corruption

Republicans hate regulation, but they love corporate welfare, unaccountability, and opacity. How best to give big businesses a bunch of money while at the same time not solving any real problems and preventing anyone from questioning your actions? A $700 billion blank-check bailout request, that’s how!

Sure, that covers corporate welfare, and it definitely covers hatred of regulation, because, after all, a whole bunch of money isn’t going to fix the problems that caused this mess to begin with! But will this proposed legislation be outside the realm of any possible oversight? 

Wait for it … wait for it … yes! As it turns out, the legislation contains this proviso: “Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency.” So not only would Congress be handing Treasury a check for $700 billion, to do with what it will, but Congress will simultaneously be surrendering any oversight — at all, in perpetuity, throughout the universe — over the money or the decisions made by Henry Paulson.

That’s unaccountability I can believe in! I was concerned for a second there that the Republicans would leave the door open for someone to question Paulson’s decisions in the future. After all, the best way to go about resolving crises is to give people unquestionable emergency powers.

You’d better believe no one will be reporting on this aspect of the legislation. Instead, they will be talking about the “compromise” that consists of George Bush telling Democrats what to do, and Democrats eagerly complying.