Abu Yahya's definitions
Organization founded in 1943 by Lewis H. Brown (the asbestos tycoon).
(Brown's company, Johns-Manville, was the largest asbestos manufacturer in the US during the 1930s, and was involved in a massive, 40-year cover-up of the severe health risks posed by asbestos.)
The American Enterprise Association (AEA) was created to design and promote policies that strengthen the political power of large corporations. In 1970, William Baroody, Sr. became its head and changed the name from "Association" to "Institute" (AEI); he had earlier learned how to (a) launder oversized campaign contributions from corporate boards, and (b) how to present the AEI as an earnest, high-minded, non-partisan research group (or "thinktank"). Baroody's sons, William Jr. and Michael, both became important Conservative Movement figures.
The AEI was, until the 1990's, mainly a very well-heeled devil's advocate against any progressive cause: it opposed regulating cigarettes, municipal water systems, environmental protections of all kinds, and the Endangered Species Act. Its budget grew enormously and it spawned subsidiary organizations such as NGOWatch, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Project for a New American Century (PNAC), and many more besides.
During the period 1997-present, the AEI became much more intensively focused on armed confrontation. In the name of "security," especially "energy security," the AEI appears to have spent an increased share of its already-burgeoning budget on promoting war or sanctions against many countries with a majority Muslim population. It argued against democratic review of US foreign policy, and in favor of criminalizing dissent. Position papers ceased to have any research content at all, and became pure polemics.
After the 2008 elections, which provided a clear repudiation of AEI policies *en masse*, the AEI focused on promoting itself as the guardian of national security; it did this by arguing that torture and extraordinary renditions were vital to keeping the USA safe from foreign terrorists. This made the organization valuable to former administration officials subject to prosecution for violations of Hague Conventions & Geneva Conventions
(Brown's company, Johns-Manville, was the largest asbestos manufacturer in the US during the 1930s, and was involved in a massive, 40-year cover-up of the severe health risks posed by asbestos.)
The American Enterprise Association (AEA) was created to design and promote policies that strengthen the political power of large corporations. In 1970, William Baroody, Sr. became its head and changed the name from "Association" to "Institute" (AEI); he had earlier learned how to (a) launder oversized campaign contributions from corporate boards, and (b) how to present the AEI as an earnest, high-minded, non-partisan research group (or "thinktank"). Baroody's sons, William Jr. and Michael, both became important Conservative Movement figures.
The AEI was, until the 1990's, mainly a very well-heeled devil's advocate against any progressive cause: it opposed regulating cigarettes, municipal water systems, environmental protections of all kinds, and the Endangered Species Act. Its budget grew enormously and it spawned subsidiary organizations such as NGOWatch, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Project for a New American Century (PNAC), and many more besides.
During the period 1997-present, the AEI became much more intensively focused on armed confrontation. In the name of "security," especially "energy security," the AEI appears to have spent an increased share of its already-burgeoning budget on promoting war or sanctions against many countries with a majority Muslim population. It argued against democratic review of US foreign policy, and in favor of criminalizing dissent. Position papers ceased to have any research content at all, and became pure polemics.
After the 2008 elections, which provided a clear repudiation of AEI policies *en masse*, the AEI focused on promoting itself as the guardian of national security; it did this by arguing that torture and extraordinary renditions were vital to keeping the USA safe from foreign terrorists. This made the organization valuable to former administration officials subject to prosecution for violations of Hague Conventions & Geneva Conventions
In February 2007, *The Guardian* (UK) reported that the American Enterprise Institute was offering scientists and economists $10,000 each, "to undermine a major climate change report" from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). AEI asked for "articles that emphasise the shortcomings" of the IPCC report, which "is widely regarded as the most comprehensive review yet of climate change science."
by Abu Yahya May 29, 2009
Get the American Enterprise Institute mug.the current account balance; the net flow of liquid assets to the citizens of a particular country. The external balance includes the trade balance, net foreign factor income, and net foreign aid *received*. Usually the main cause of an external deficit is a trade deficit.
by Abu Yahya February 14, 2009
Get the external balance mug.(US LAW) a legal ruling that consists of a decision in which the two parties (the plaintiff and the defendant) consent to some action by the defendant in exchange for a suspended sentence. For example, a husband who is a defendant in a domestic violence case may agree to psychiatric counseling in exchange for not going to prison for assaulting his wife.
The agreement has to be reached beforehand by the parties and then the court may (or may not) approve of the agreement. When it does, that's a consent decree.
The agreement has to be reached beforehand by the parties and then the court may (or may not) approve of the agreement. When it does, that's a consent decree.
WASHINGTON, July 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Justice Department today announced a court-approved consent decree which resolves a lawsuit against the state of New York and its public university systems for their failure to provide voter registration services at offices serving students with disabilities at each public university and college campus in New York State.
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Under the consent decree, by the start of the 2010-2011 school year, disability services offices at each public university and college campus in the state will provide voter registration services to students with disabilities.
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Under the consent decree, by the start of the 2010-2011 school year, disability services offices at each public university and college campus in the state will provide voter registration services to students with disabilities.
by Abu Yahya July 15, 2010
Get the consent decree mug.(FINANCE) a type of bank that raises money for clients by issuing stock (see initial public offering and follow-on offering) or by issuing bonds.
Prior to the repeal (1999) of the Glass-Steagall Act, commercial banks and investment banks were required to be separate entities. Subsequently, the law was changed so that a bank holding company could own a commercial bank and an investment bank. Outside of the USA, commercial banks have always been allowed to engage in underwriting securities.
Investment banks usually sell shares of stock on a major exchange, such as the NYSE or NASDAQ. They give a fixed amount of money to the borrower, but also an agreed-upon number of shares, so if the shares soar in price after the public offering, then the investment bank makes an immense amount of money.
Investment banks also underwrite other kinds of securities, such as bonds.
Prior to the repeal (1999) of the Glass-Steagall Act, commercial banks and investment banks were required to be separate entities. Subsequently, the law was changed so that a bank holding company could own a commercial bank and an investment bank. Outside of the USA, commercial banks have always been allowed to engage in underwriting securities.
Investment banks usually sell shares of stock on a major exchange, such as the NYSE or NASDAQ. They give a fixed amount of money to the borrower, but also an agreed-upon number of shares, so if the shares soar in price after the public offering, then the investment bank makes an immense amount of money.
Investment banks also underwrite other kinds of securities, such as bonds.
Goldman Sachs is the largest and most successful investment bank in the USA. Prior to 1999 it was a limited partnership; now it is a publicly traded corporation and also a bank holding company.
by Abu Yahya September 25, 2010
Get the investment bank mug.the gap between revenues and expenditures for a government (over a given period of time); often referred to as a public deficit or fiscal deficit. In many cases, a country has administrative subdivisions that also run significant fiscal deficits, e.g., India or Argentina. The sum of state, local, and federal deficits would constitute the internal deficit of those countries.
On very rare occasions the term is applied to the deficit run by private enterprise as well as by government; in such a case, the definition is understood to mean the total debt of a country that is held by its own citizens.
On very rare occasions the term is applied to the deficit run by private enterprise as well as by government; in such a case, the definition is understood to mean the total debt of a country that is held by its own citizens.
Some of the largest internal deficits in the world are experienced by countries with large external surpluses. Japan in the mid-'00's was a classic example.
(See external deficit)
(See external deficit)
by Abu Yahya February 14, 2009
Get the internal deficit mug.employing the services of drabs; associating with strumpets and wanton minxes; having sex with prostitutes.
In order to find out what sorts of thing his son Laertes was up to, Polonius had his personal spy strike up conservations with classmates and bring up made-up rumors about him. Polonius thought it was all right to suggest his own son was dueling, gambling, or whoring ("drabbing"). but thought anything worse might "dishonor" poor Laertes.
by Abu Yahya March 21, 2010
Get the drabbing mug.the amount of goods and services that a country imports, minus the goods and services that it exports *in a calendar year*. In 1999 Japan exported much more than it imported, so it had a trade surplus. The same year, the United States imported more than it exported, and therefore had a large trade deficit.
While Japan had a trade surplus and the USA had a trade deficit, both had something called a trade balance, which was negative for the USA and positive for Japan.
While Japan had a trade surplus and the USA had a trade deficit, both had something called a trade balance, which was negative for the USA and positive for Japan.
During economic downturns, political leaders become very concerned if their country is running a trade deficit, because it means that jobs are being lost to business overseas.
by Abu Yahya February 14, 2009
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