[PEN-L:33537] Re:RE: Right wing sees the light! (almost)

[Nomiprins@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 12/31/2002 1:19:02 PM Eastern Standard Time, eugenecoyle@xxxxxxx writes:

> Nomi,  In my short answer I seem to have misled you about Enron's role 
> in California.  Enron was a major driver of the process -- not only in 
> California but nationally.


Gene, you weren't misleading. You have great information and its clear that Enron and others were lobbying strong for years. 

> In the spring of '98, just as the market was 
> to officially open on April 1st (!) Enron did advertise and direct mail 
> to seek customers.  Spent a few millions.  The market opened and within 
> 21 days Enron announced that it was abandoning the effort to attract 
> small customers and closed the operation, which had not attracted the 
> right results.  It is clear that Enron knew all along that this was to 
> be the outcome and was merely posturing throughout.


This kind of stuff is incredible. From Enron's 1998 annual: "When we say we will do something, we will do it; when we say we cannot or will not do something, then we won't do it." They had all the bases covered! 

WorldCom was doing similar things in early '98 to get FCC approval to buy MCI. So were other telecos. Consumer choice and corporate synergy were the buzz phrases.

Nomi