Think Progress

ETHICS -- WATCHDOG SCRUTINIZES 'BLUE DOGS' FOR ATTENDING AT&T PARTY IN DENVER: The Associated Press reported this week at telecommunications giant AT&T has been "virtually everywhere" at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, "wining and feeding delegates and members of Congress with a relentless schedule of luncheons and evening celebrations." On Monday, the company "threw an exclusive party for the Blue Dogs, the House's moderate and conservative Democrats." Among the guests was House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), "who in June led Blue Dogs in crafting a compromise bill that shielded telecommunications companies from lawsuits arising from the government's terrorism-era warrantless eavesdropping." Hoyer helped secure retroactive immunity for the telecommunications companies (including AT&T), thereby condoning their participation in Bush's illegal spying program. CQ reports today that an ethics watchdog group has said the event was "out of line with the ban on lobbyist-sponsored parties for individual lawmakers." A spokesman for Public Citizen said "the party violated the spirit of the law, at minimum," adding, "it's not right that they have not fully disclosed all the sponsors."

ECONOMY -- U.S. WORKERS 'ANXIOUS' ABOUT ECONOMY, VIEW CURRENT JOB MARKET AS SIMILAR TO THAT OF 2001 RECESSION: A new survey conducted by Rutgers University finds that "American workers' confidence in the job market is as low as it was during the 2001 recession." Sixty-five percent of workers believe that the current economic conditions make this a "bad time to find a quality job," and "one third of workers said they often don't have enough money to make ends meet." In addition, the survey found that "about one-third of respondents say the amount they owe on credit cards exceeds their retirement savings." Asked who is responsible for helping laid off workers, just 27 percent said "workers were responsible for helping themselves," down from 52 percent in June 2003. "This is a startling amount of change in a major area of people's lives over a very short period," the survey, entitled "The Anxious American Worker," explained. While "91 percent of workers say they're 'very' or 'somewhat satisfied' with their jobs," just "55 percent of hourly workers are satisfied with their health and medical benefits." USA Today reports today that the sluggish U.S. economy "might unravel" last year's increase in the number of Americans with health insurance. "We see a picture of economic and job insecurity framed by worry and uncertainty over what the future holds," the report concluded.

AFGHANISTAN -- TWO-PAGE NOTE SETS RULES FOR U.S. FORCES IN AFGHANISTAN: According to the Washington Post, "For the past six years, military relations between the United States and Afghanistan have been governed [only] by a two-page 'diplomatic note,'" which gives U.S. troops a "virtual carte blanche to conduct operations as they see fit." The note "devotes only a few sentences" to the conduct of military operations, but gives U.S. troops diplomatic immunity and exemption from Afghan legal authority. In 2005, President Bush pledged to draft a formal agreement on the U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, but since then "no such agreements" have been made. After a U.S.-led operation last week killed 90 civilians in Afghanistan, Karzai called for a "review of the presence of U.S. and NATO troops in the country" and an outline of the "authorities and responsibilities" of international troops. Karzai has also called for a formal status-of-forces agreement with the U.S., "along the lines of an accord being negotiated between the United States and Iraq."

"The United States is spending more money than ever on private security contractors in Iraq as thousands of troops return home amid steady declines in insurgent attacks." Over $1.2 billion will have been spent this year on "contractors, who protect diplomats, civilian facilities and supply convoys."

A Washington law firm "filed a lawsuit yesterday against KBR, one of the largest U.S. contractors in Iraq, alleging that the company and its Jordanian subcontractor engaged in the human trafficking of Nepali workers." The firm says 13 Nepali men were recruited for kitchen work in Jordan only to have their passports seized upon arrival and "told they were being sent to a military facility in Iraq."

CNN reports that the number of people and businesses heading to bankruptcy court has spiked. "Bankruptcy filings surged 29% in the 12 months that ended June 30, according to government figures released Wednesday."

Prosecutors for the Department of Justice "asked federal judges in Washington and Florida to shave years off the sentence" of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, "citing his work in an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation that sent numerous people to prison and contributed to the Republican Party's loss of Congress."

The Iraqi Embassy in Beijing said "China and Iraq have signed a $3 billion deal revising an earlier agreement for China’s biggest oil company to help develop the Ahdab oil field." The deal was signed yesterday by Chinese officials and Iraq's Oil Minister and restores "a project canceled after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq."

House Democrats are scheduling a Sept. 11 hearing "that would put former White House counsel Harriet Miers under oath." Justice Department lawyers "said they would go to court as soon as today to block a ruling by U.S. District Judge John Bates that forces the White House to cooperate" with the attorneys scandal investigation.

Speaking to the American Legion yesterday, Vice President Cheney defended the administration’s use of "tough interrogations." "The policies of our country comply with our law, which prohibits torture. We’re proud of our country and what it stands for," he said.

"Private contractors account for more than one-quarter of the core workforce at U.S. intelligence agencies," according to new numbers released by the government. The figures illustrate "how much of the nation's spying work has been outsourced" since 9/11.

And finally: Some lawmakers have "buyer's remorse" over ethics rules they passed last year. "It's a pain in the ass!" said Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA)."Members of Congress used to not have to worry about finding lunch or dinner at convention," notes The Hill. "I bought my own fried chicken and french fries instead of gong to a catered event," said Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ).