The Bush family of course heads the list of American oligarchs and kleptocrats for no other reason than their visibility. That visibility provides a screen for a lot of oligarchs who prefer anonymity. George H.W. Bush (aka “41″ for his presidency, and “Poppy” for his Afghanistan agricultural efforts) is the current patriarch, carefully nurturing and orchestrating the careers of his offspring.
Wikipedia provides a fine set of hyperlinks that describe a family network with influence in Nazi Germany, connections to Orlando Bosch and Operation Condor, relationships with anti Castro terrorist organizations and Russian organized crime, and of course the CIA.
Under what conditions would this family’s wealth have been forfeited and would family members been tried and convicted under criminal law? What kind of a government would have been required to adequately punish Neil Bush for his involvement with the billion dollar Silverado S&L scandal that cost him a $50,000 fine? As an oligarch, he was immune to criminal prosecution. That’s a dramatic example of oligarchic power, but “Jeb” Bush projects his power more subtly in western hemispheric right wing politics. The influence he exerted to free Orlando Bosch, the backstage role he plays supporting the enemies of the Chavez government in Venezuela, and the heavy handed influence he used to throw his state’s electoral votes to his brother in 2000 are all shamefully self interested oligarchic acts. What kind of government would be required to check the excesses of “Jeb” Bush in support of assassins, terrorists, and right wing dictators throughout the hemisphere?
And what about Marvin? WTF?
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