Prisoners Have Blogs? Halliburton War Profiteer? A certain member of the fourth estate seems to find prisoner's blogs something that should be forbidden. This particular journalist, Michelle Malkin, has taken it upon herself to decide exactly when free speech should be allowed. That sounds more like discounted speech. But I will get to Ms. Malkin in a minute.

I was reading the April 6, 2005 edition of the New York Times and came across this tiny story. I will reprint it in its entirety.

"Halliburton Settles Billing Dispute"

"Halliburton Co. said Tuesday that it had struck a deal with the Army on a billing dispute over food service provided to troops in Iraq, Reuters reported."

"The company also said it had completed 27 outstanding orders valued at more than $10.5 billion related to Iraq-related services its Kellogg Brown & Root subsidiary provided the military."

"The Army will pay Kellogg $1.176 billion and retain $55.1 million of about $200 million in payments that had been withheld while those issues were being resolved."


Let me get this straight; Halliburton and its subsidiaries will be getting over $10.5 billion and us lucky tax payers are getting to hold back a whopping $55.1 million to cover faulty billing, overcharges, and services not performed?

Figure 280 million Americans, divided into $10.5 billion, that comes to $37.50 for every man, woman and child in this country. I am not sure what that really means, but if this story is taken at face value, there must be some really sharp auditors that were able to find the minuscule $55.1 million that they, Halliburton, tried to sneak in. Methinks I smell a rat.

Maybe Ms. Malkin could use some of her journalistic talents to find out the true amounts of money that have flowed over, under and through the various doors, windows and other portals over at The Pentagon.

A good story might be to obtain exactly what each of the twenty-seven orders covered and then maybe divide that quantity of each item, per contract by the total amount of the contract. Fifty dollar peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I thought at one point they, Halliburton was getting over $5.00 for a gallon of gas.

I am not sure what the amount was because I do not have access to the internet, but if I did, I would certainly want to know how one company has gotten so much of my tax dollars in such a short period of time. I would certainly want to get into whatever that business was.

If I could steal $37.50 from every warm-blooded American and not get thrown in jail, why not!  ¶ 12:39 PM