MATT TAIBBI: Generation Enron

In George Bush's America, the only crime is being poor

Tuesday morning, January 31st, Houston. I'm in the press listening room of the Enron trial, trying to keep track of prosecutor John Hueston's opening statement. The bespectacled inquisitor is trying, vainly, it seems, to explain to the jury an Enron investment vehicle called Raptor.

"Now imagine that you've driven a brand-new truck worth $30,000 into sort of a big barrel," he says. "The truck drives around in that barrel for a while, then finally crashes and burns and ends up in a heap. Now the truck is only worth $5,000, but Enron is still saying it's worth $30,000. That's Raptor . . ."