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Solyndra Bankruptcy Raises Questions About Federal Loan Guarantees

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How did products in competition with Solyndra become so cheap? Commodifying silicon represents some actions on the part of people in a position to do so. That means there is a history buried in events that no one is reporting. Who shot Solyndra and why?
What market manipulation changed the cost landscape? Are markets for competing solar panels free or are they stuctured to result in a faked-up control to deliberately destroy competition? Was Solyndra dump-chumped into bankruptcy?
When government guaranteed loans are negotiated, who accepts responsibility for identifying collateral seizable if unfair competition is discovered? Who accepts responsibility for investigating market corruption?
We know every four to eight years a transfer of power in Washington is predictable. What continuity exists built into the system that is especially vigilent during the high risk period?
In other words, what has Congress done to ensure government attempts to counteract severe commecial morbidity are safeguarded regardless of the Party in power? Who looks out for us?
No one can doubt that President Bush and his administration, along with his Party, embraced an active, massive financial support of banks to counteract the serious economic event that started during his Presidency. TARP is still remembered, even though the reportage on the money flow - start to finish - is thin.
The Constitution gives the Legislative Branch the task of ensuring the health of national commerce. The Executive Branch cannot pass laws, regardless of how dangerously ill the national economy becomes. It was the failure of the Articles of Confederation to resolve disputes on commerce issues that drove the writing of the Constitution.
The Legislative Branch has the responsibility to ensure national commercial health and financial solvency of federal activities. Unfortunately how that health and solvency is to be protected, ensured and sustained is not a shared belief.
The citizens can't intervene effectively when economic catastrophe strikes. The speed of bankruptcy and recession, once triggered, gains momentum fast but still within a system that is horrified by bad news going public. Sounding the alarm actually can reduce the quantity and quality of helpful options to businesses that see the problems but can't devise a warning that works for them and us. They must choose "them".
The effective ability of citizens - the "governed" - to confer consent or dissent on government actions is officisally limited to the vote - a poor tool that occurs too seldom to be useful. What value emails, voice mails, letters, calls, community discussions or any other citizen behaviors we might wish to use to guide Congress may have is miniscule.
We are at a crossroads and in the crosshairs. No one with a brain can believe we even have the talent in Congress to fulfill the Constitutional tasks ahead. Ideology cannot replace intelligence.
Wealth plays at government. The rest of us buy the tickets.

C M Baker of OH 1:30PM June 01, 2012

What this article fails to mention is that loan guarantees do not involve the transfer of taxpayer money until a private investor is actually successful at collecting from the government. This was a loan guarantee, not a loan. NO MONEY HAS EVER GONE TO SOLYNDRA -- or to any private investors. Until the bankruptcy court actually rules on a claim to collect against the government, all of this discussion is just noise. A biased bunch of noise by the media.

Sick_of_the_whining of CA 6:29PM March 31, 2012

I wonder how many upper management, and CEO are walking away millionaires

pisdoff of WA 11:53AM September 15, 2011

Open up ANWAR to the US majors. Make them employee only US citizens and buy US manufactured products (steel, etc.). US government investment required.... zero dollars, net jobs 100,000+. Does not take rocket science for this decision.

Riley Ghost of IN 9:59AM September 15, 2011

ctw46 wrote:..A REVIEW OF A CORRUPT PAST?
This is a most unlikely trio, a bit of hyperbole, but definitely germane to this pathetic economic crisis moment in American history.
Mother Teresa was a giver, to the less fortunate, the unrepresented among the world's poorest people. She gave without expecting anything in return. Unselfish to the point of not residing in the finest hotels or buildings while doing her noble work. She was a doulos, in the Greek language that means servant. she was not a deal maker, only an advocate who gave her life in service for the poorest among us, she will forever be fondly remembered.
Rod Blagojevich, an Illinois Governor, discredited for making deals to supposedly help his family and friends. In fact he is charged that he used his chance to fill the seat vacated by Barack Obama as one more money making plan--NY Times April 2, 2009. It seems his primary purpose was to execute and preserve power...for the financial and political benefit of his close friends. Definitely a deal maker often seeking to exchange his assets for others resources. Yet, in comparison to Harry Reid's exchanges and deals, a small player. Probably pending legal matters against him should be dismissed, unless charges are forthcoming against Mr. Reid and the administration for corrupt deal making.
Harry Reid, the Senate Democratic leader, supposedly a religious man, was shown in this Senate healthcare matter--to be only a deal maker. For example in the article by David Espo, AP Senate correspondent appearing in Breitbart entitled, Health care Clears Senate Test, one has only to read the quote on Senator Ben Nelson, "Senator Ben Nelson's announcement that he had decided to support the bill-in exchange for a variety of concessions". Whether Louisiana's receipt in the bill of a coming 300,000,000 concession or other Democratic perks and exchanges
,Harry Reid is one of the greatest secretive dealmakers of all time. He has betrayed the trust of his nation, and the expressed disapproval of this bill by a majority of Americans, He made a simple decision for his self interest, to do the administration's bidding. He and his colleagues have failed the nation by not representing the people. We must look, in future elections, to new candidates who are committed to being servants of the people, rather than corrupt deal makers. Those, like Reid who can't distinguish between genuine compromise desired by the people and back room deal making, should not be re elected.
John Kennedy, writing Profiles in Courage, highlighted those Senators and historical figures who had made a difference, by representing Americans first and themselves last. Mother Teresa will be remembered fondly by the world's citizens, even Rod Blagojevich might be forgiven and granted some slack, but many Democrats, will be remembered in American history as a corrupt deal makers who failed to represent a majority of the American People. Alan Phillips

Alan G Phillips of IL 9:55AM September 15, 2011

Politicians are NOT business people. And this is an example of the worst in politicians decision making. when they get involved in stuff they know nothing about. But worst still Dr. Steven Chu Secretary of Energy did not say STOP. and then add, this technology is inefficient and this company is NOT doing research they are merely installing solar panels on roofs . Our ICEs (Internal Combustion Engines) in cars are 64% efficient. Solar Panels are only 14% efficient. Yet these tucked up politicians, still went ahead and blew 1/2 $billion of tax dollars based on the merits of this company not on the merits of its research,(they had none). So all this money was poured down an energy drain ,.and will any bureaucrat or politician get fired ..NO. ... Its so pathetic that its almost unbelievable. So now the Republicans will waste their time and our money,investigating this mistake and use it as a political football. And they know the same about Solar panels , e.g. nothing. Remember Dr Chu that Solar Panels are energy-transfer inefficient, and because of that , they are non competitive. Do you understand that you high flying PhD. Clearly you don't . You should be fired dude

Galactic Cannibal of CA 7:56PM September 14, 2011