As a former reporter, I remember the first rule of investigations: follow the money. And the money Bezos would gain from a Hillary Clinton (or even most of the Republicans) administration is jaw-dropping.
Who would have ever guessed we’d see these two people on stage together?
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos will announce the global launch of the “Kindle Mobile Learning Initiative” on June 20 in Washington, D.C., the U.S. State Department said today.
This initiative “will create a global e-reader program that introduces aspects of U.S. society and culture directly to young people, students, and international audiences in new ways and expands English language learning opportunities worldwide,” according to the State Department.
Earlier this week, we outlined why the U.S. State Department picked Amazon’s Kindle over other tablets and e-readers, including Apple’s iPad and Barnes and Noble’s Nook, among others. The State Department attributed their pick to the Kindle’s text-to-speech requirement, long-lasting battery life and ability to access free Wi-Fi worldwide, among other key factors like portability and durability.
The five-year contract is worth $16.5M, with an initial Kindle order of 2,500 from the government, but it ultimately has the potential to put “tens of thousands of Kindle electronic readers in educational centers around the world,” as previously reported.
http://www.geekwire.com/2012/bezos-secretary-clinton-announce-amazon-kindleus-gov-deal/
What explains the Post’s indefensible position on the TPP? Well, the paper was never the liberal champion some on the left and right have made it out to be. But, there can be little doubt that every editorial in favor of the TPP puts a smile on its new owner’s face. The company that made Bezos over $20 billion and allowed him to purchase the Post for 1/80 of that amount is a global behemoth. Successful execution of Amazon’s business model depends on low wages and the cheap and easy flow of goods across natural and man-made borders. Personally, Bezos has expressed strong libertarian leanings with a particular preference for deregulation, anti-labor, and other business-friendly policies.
In sum the Post’s editorial page is championing a trade pact that, if enacted, will lead to job loss, hurt wages, and increase the wealth gap. It is doing this by attacking labor and those Democrats willing to stand up to corporate interests. The Post’s influential opinion page is arguing that our government, which represents 350 million Americans, should ignore the interests of the many and do that which is urgently desired by one multi-billionaire who just happens to own the paper.
http://halginsberg.com/the-tpp-and-the-washington-post/
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