Bush Family Fortunes: The Best Democracy Money Can Buy
| Company type | Documentary film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Founder | Steven Grandison, Greg Palast |
| Products | Documentary film |
Bush Family Fortunes: The Best Democracy Money Can Buy is a 2004 documentary film directed by Steven Grandison and Greg Palast. This production investigates significant elements of the presidency of George W. Bush, including the controversial 2000 US presidential election and the Iraq War. It is a reworking of the 2003 BBC documentary Bush Family Fortunes and is based on Palast's 2002 publication The Best Democracy Money Can Buy. As an investigative journalist, Palast dedicated years to researching the Bush family for both the BBC and The Guardian. The original BBC research, which uncovered the George W. Bush military service controversy, also served as a source for Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) and Robert Greenwald’s Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential Election (2002).
Synopsis
The opening segment shows Greg Palast’s interview with Florida’s Director of Elections, Clayton Roberts, which was abruptly terminated.
The war hero
Palast challenges the portrayal of George W. Bush as a war hero, notably spotlighted during his 2003 aircraft carrier landing amid the Mission Accomplished address. Former Navy fighter pilot Charles W. "Bill" White reveals that Bush’s carrier landing was staged for publicity purposes. Palast contends that Bush used his father’s influence to avoid the draft by obtaining a position in the Texas Air National Guard, a commitment he ultimately did not fulfill.
The candidate
The documentary covers Bush's campaign in the 2000 US presidential election, emphasizing claims that Florida Governor Jeb Bush and Secretary of State Katherine Harris exploited their roles to remove ballots largely favoring Gore-supporting black voters. This effort involved a “fake felons list” created by private firm DBT/ChoicePoint at a cost of US$4 million.
The money
Palast investigates corporate supporters of Bush’s campaign, highlighting contributions from Enron CEO Ken Lay, who donated substantial amounts through Bush’s pioneer network. Lay and other associates reportedly benefited from the Bush administration via high-level appointments, contracts awarded without competition, executive directives, and deregulation policies.
The oil
Palast outlines what he terms the Bush-cycle: the family uses amassed wealth to attain political positions and then exploits those offices to increase their financial holdings. This pattern traces back to Senator Prescott Bush, who financed the family’s oil enterprises, exemplified by Bush’s involvement with Harken Energy, which secured a Persian Gulf drilling contract during George H.W. Bush’s presidency.
The connection
Palast alleges that prior to and following the September 11 attacks, George W. Bush obstructed investigations into members of the Bin Laden family and affluent Saudis suspected of funding Al Qaeda. These funds purportedly entered Bush family businesses through businessman James R. Bath, part-owner of Bush’s unsuccessful Arbusto Energy company. Navy pilot Charles W. "Bill" White, Bath’s business associate during the 1980s, disclosed that Bath received a 5% ownership stake in Arbusto instead of commission for channeling Bin Laden funds to Bush.
The Plan: Iraq
Palast claims that Bush’s initiation of the Iraq War was part of a premeditated plan aimed at dismantling Iraq and selling its resources—particularly oil—to corporate donors connected to the Bush family, counteracting Iraq’s democratic aspirations.
Participants
- Clayton Roberts – Florida's Director of Elections
- Jim Hightower – Former Commissioner of Agriculture in Texas
- Charles W. "Bill" White – Ex-Navy Fighter Pilot and business associate of Bath
- Terry Johnson – College roommate of Bush
- Robert Dieter – Bush's college roommate
- Bill Burkett – Retired Lieutenant Colonel, Texas Air National Guard
- Willie Steen – Voter from Florida
- Pam Iorio – Tampa's Election Supervisor
- Craig McDonald – Representative of Texans for Public Justice
- Andrea & Dean McWilliams – Lobbyists connected to Bush and Enron
- Nick Kralj – Lobbyist affiliated with the Democratic Party
- Wayne Madsen – Author and investigative reporter
- Pete Brewton – Journalist specializing in investigations
- David Rosen – Oil industry executive
- Stephen Push – Representative of families affected by September 11
- Ron Motley – Attorney
- General Jay Garner
- Grover Norquist – Political lobbyist
See also
- Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential Election (2002)
- Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)