Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Friday, November 30, 2012

Report: 70 Percent Of Retired Generals Took Jobs With Defense Contractors Or Consultants

A report released Monday by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and the Brave New Foundation found that 70 percent of retired three-and-four star generals took jobs with defense contractors or consultants, a figure that has actually declined in recent years.

The report found that 76 out of 108 top generals took such jobs from 2009 to 2011, and a few continued to advise the Department of Defense while on the payroll of contractors. The report cited Gen. James Cartwright, who was elected to a paid position on Raytheon's board of directors while serving on the Defense Policy Board. Adm. Gary Roughead also served on the board while joining the board of Northrop Grumman, earning $115,000 per year.

Eighty percent of generals retiring from 2004 to 2008 took such jobs, according to a 2010 Boston Globe investigation.

The report didn't find a causal link between the revolving door and specific contracts. However, the report cites statistics showing 2011 spending at the five largest defense contractors -- Lockheed Martin, Boeing, General Dynamics, Raytheon and Northrop Grumman -- at $100 billion, with at least nine retiring top generals and admirals taking positions at the firms.

The report comes at a period of unusual scrutiny on the rarefied lives of generals in the aftermath of the resignation of Gen. David Petraeus over an extramarital affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell. The Washington Post reported Sunday on the perks that come with the job, noting that Petraeus was once escorted by 28 police motorcycles to Jill Kelley's mansion in Tampa. Kelley contacted the FBI after she said she received threatening emails from Broadwell.

Gen. William "Kip" Ward was stripped of a star and ordered to repay $82,000 after spending thousands on unauthorized traveling and expenses.

The Associated Press calculated that five generals had been investigated or reprimanded in the past few weeks.

But none of the allegations that CREW mention made the list. Indeed, the report did not find that any generals were breaking rules, but said that ethics codes are "riddled with loopholes."

Original Article
Source: huffington post
Author: Luke Johnson

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