Because after a long fierce struggle with that democracy thing which allowed ordinary people to have a few things and a relatively decent life, the rich have finally got things back under their control. You know, just like in real life as it's been for thousands of years.
(continued from my two prior comments) TRILLIONS got ripped off before the housing price balloon burst, and some of the corporations suddenly found themselves in trouble, on the face of it, but BILLIONS of dollars had been paid in cash bonuses and stocks to the principals who never yet have been prosecuted, order to cease and desist from fraud, nor in any way ordered to return the money the had bilked by crime -- by politically protected crime.
Then there's the Pentagon issue and the cover-ups (by fallacious security classifications) that delayed, and still delay public access to the secret fraud, and graft and corruption, until so long after the deed is done, and the money has disappeared, that people who witnessed and participated cannot even recall (conveniently cannot) any details.
Now, just how much of any of this will be brought up in the debates among the GOP contenders to see who -- they hope -- will the the GOP's NEXT set of incumbents who promise us UTOPIA if we will cast aside the Democratic incumbent, and let them fix everything wrong with the U.S. -- the unemployment of some 17% of black people, the overall employment of 9.2% of people who are able to work, willing to work, begging for work. And that's just the ones who have not exhausted their unemployment insurance benefits. Heaven knows how many others are homeless, or living with relatives, and have given up.
The Republicans will fix it, they say. And the debates among the GOP candidates will be over which of them best represents the REPUBLICAN PHILOSOPHY.
By that philosophy, the U.S. economy is not really all that bad off.
After all, none of our millionaire congressional country club members are feeling any pain. And, gee whiz, our mega corporations are not feeling any pain.
Come on people. What's all the ******** about?
We have no problems another Republican dominated White House and Congress can't make still better than how great things already are.
Are all corrupt politicians Republicans? I doubt it. But what I ask you, as a fellow citizen of the U.S. to ponder is: How do we citizens get control over politically protected, politician-in-on-it CRIME. I don't mean petty crime involving a mere billion or two here and there. I'm talking about TRILLIONS, with our so-called "representatives" winking at it, denying it is going on, standing up with a straight face telling us that if we elect, or re-elect them, they will fix everything.
It's a FIX alright. The people we have voted as our representatives are the con artists. And you and I are their marks.
Did we the people EVER have government that was not of the people, for and by the wealthiest most powerful rippers-off?
If so, how to we get our nation back. And if you say, The Tea Party, you haven't done your homework. They and the GOP are in bed together.
If we've never had it, then how can we insist upon gaining some control over the politicians who are fleecing us?
(continuing from my prior comment) But, let's consider that remark by the Republican on Face the Nation last Sunday. All is well with the economy, after all. How do we gauge that? Why, shucks! The members of the Congress are all doing GREAT. Almost all are millionaires. They have the authority to vote themselves a raise in salary anytime they need it. They have life insurance for life, once elected. They have health and hospitalization immensely better than any available to any employed American, and something few other Americans can afford at all, if they are unemployed. And their campaign funds are fat and healthy. And lobbyist are knocking at their doors continually providing gosh knows what all. We know that some get caught red handed accepting bribes, and we know it is very, very difficult to catch bribes changing hands red handed but, okay, forget that. We know former congresspersons get all sorts of favors from "friends" among the principal officers of mega-corporations.
The mega-corporations are doing GREAT! So, okay you complainers, what's so bad about them apples. What's all the griping about.
Well, it was POLITICAL PRESSURE that prevented ENFORCEMENT of the laws against criminal mortgage fraud that pumped up the U.S. housing market exponentially faster and larger than any other factor -- all the blaming of relaxed qualifications for mortgage applicants notwithstanding. MILLIONS of mortgages were "doctored," by, or at the instructions of, employees of mega-banks, and the principal officers (yes, it is documentend by TONS of evidence). Why did not the F.B.I., the S.E.C., and other agencies not ENFORCE the laws they were sworn to enforce? They were pressured politically to back off or they and their appointed heads would get the ax. The I.R.S. knew this, because they audited THOUSANDS of mortgage applications with 1040s attached which showed far more income than had been reported to the IRS, but the ones filed with them were not fraudulent. The ones attached to the applications were. And may of those had been prepared by employees of the mortgage banks, and their principals were NOTIFIED. But they had friends in the Congress... friends they donated hugely to the campaigns of, friends they lobbied incessantly to influence bills. The principals of those corporations knew exactly what was going on, because attorneys who were hired to counsel mortgage banks told the mortgage bank principals they were risking criminal fraud charges. But those principals knew there was no risk. They had "friends" in the Congress. TRILLIONS got raked off investors small and large, individual and institutional, investment bonds were sold that were backed by mortgages that were fraudulently "doctored," as security for hundreds of millions... billions of dollars in loans, and the bonds got rated AAA by companies who KNEW what was going on. So many of the fraudulent mortgages were defaulting (Indeed, some home buyers never made even the first payment; they didn't even have a job. Some were immigrants and could not even have filled out the applications without assistance from the supposed "screeners" who qualified them. Housing inspectors and appraisers were paid to approve houses that were not worth anywhere near what the face values of the mortgages were. Inspectors rated houses as livable that in many cases were drastically in disrepair. (to be continued)
CaptainSmollett September 7, 2011 11:51 PM EDT Okay, let me put this in simple terms for my liberal friends: Corporations are like cows - they will always seek out greener pastures. It is just what cows do, and we don't blame them for it. So the real question is why is our "pasture" withering? The answer: the political left demonizes free-market enterprise rather than embracing it, so you have yourself to blame. ---------------------------- Clearly you are a plant, an instigator. The liberal/ conservative divide is a racket for the aristocracy, the special interests who have big government working quite well for themselves.
CaptainSmollett September 7, 2011 11:42 PM EDT And why is it that these corporations are fleeing to greener pastures? Ya think it might have something to do with the demonization of business and capitalism by your beloved democrats, perhaps? -
Corporations are not fleeing america. Non-democratic corporate governments find america to be the best little house of ill repute to hang their hat and outsource production to nations whose people are under the thumb of communist dictatorships.
RobAla September 7, 2011 10:57 PM EDT Why is this an issue at all? Who ever said that we all should have the same paycheck? I couldn't care less whether a billionaire makes billions more than me. Good for him or her. They didn't steal it from me. Why in the world is this even an issue with some people? -------------------------------------------------- Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron. Dwight D. Eisenhower, From a speech before the American Society of Newspaper Editors, April 16, 1953 34th president of US 1953-1961 (1890 - 1969) --- It does matter where the money is spent, and who privatizes it into their own pockets.
Eisenhower, a republican president who into today's extreme hedonism calling itself the conservative right, would be castigated and called the liberal boogie man.
I come not to cast doubt upon the miracle of corporate power, nor the marvels of business larger or small, nor upon the ingenious system of checks and balances of the U. S. government, nor upon representation of the citizens by members of the federal congress.
I come to cast dispersions upon CRIME, and the selling out of representation of their constituents by congresspersons whose loyalties and partialities go to the highest bidding campaign donors, to the most affluent senders of lobbyists, to the sweet jobs and other trade-offs and influence granted to former congressional representatives by the donors they serve (provided, of course, they vote right, provided they use their influence to pressure agencies to not enforce laws nominally in place to protect the economy and the citizens from being defrauded, gouged and ripped off.
Just last Sunday, on Face the Nation, a Republican (forgive me but I failed to catch his name, but if you can view the show, you will see and hear him, and get his name) made remarks to the effect that the U. S. economy is not nearly in so bad a shape as some gloom and doomer would suggest. After all, he said, the largest U. S. corporations have recovered and are doing great.
I was jolted by that remark. Oh, it is quite true, alright. But, if you are reading this and do not catch the drift, let me fill you in:
The mega-corporations that do business in the U. S. are not in the least evil for being corporations, for being in business, for being successful, nor for all the wonderful things large corporations can do. Some of the are multi-national mega corporations, that have more factories outside the U.S., hire more employees outside the U.S., sell more products and services outside the U.S. And there is nothing wrong with that.
What is wrong is when, and to the extent that, mega-corporations engage in flagrant white collar crime, including gouging on defense contracts and, with the help of the Pentagon and the knowledge and consent of the Congress, are allowed time after time after time after time... to get things CLASSIFIED as alleged security risks, which are only cover-ups for corruption and graft. As classified documents are declassified, after an allotted period of time, under the Freedom of Information Act, it turns out ALMOST 100% of the time that it was no a security risk that was covered up, but flagrant fraud and corruption involving the Pentagon, the Congress, and leading defense industry corporations.
As to the MAJOR cause of the current state of the magnitude of the damage done to the U.S. economy in the current recession (which began in the latter days of the G.W.B. incumbency, at the end of SIX YEARS of constant dominance by the GOP of the White House and both houses of the Congress.
All the GOP recipe for making our nation more successful, more economically strong and successful, making our laws more conducive to the good of the citizenry, after six years of total Republican domination CRASHED into the deepest recession we have experienced since the Great Recession. This is the Utopia that arises when they have total control for six years?
You seem to forget the Democrats role with the "Community reinvestment act" Those toxic assets are the reason for the bust and the entire program is on the shoulders of the Democratic party!
The middle class better recognize that there is a class warfare going on and do something about it now before it's too late. There should be regulations about the number of jobs that can be offshored. We are giving the US away to the foreign market at the expense of Americans. We have no jobs because the good jobs went overseas. The corp execs get their 000,000 $ bonuses based on the results of their financial statements and so they have tunnel vision when it comes to what's good for this country. The policians that they own only care about looking pretty and getting elected. These clowns in their pretty suits and ties are screwing this country. Vote democratic and for the love of God don't vote for rick perry or any other republican.
Vote Republican and push for the elimination of corporate income taxes. It is the way to compete on the worlds economic stage and be the big winner. Corporate taxes are paid by consumers and it is simply a hidden tax method. The last thing to do if you desire a robust economy is to vote Democrat. That party has been taken over by extremists with a socialist bent. Socialism never works anywhere it is tried or anytime it is tried. It results in equal misery for all!
by CaptainSmollett September 7, 2011 11:42 PM EDT And why is it that these corporations are fleeing to greener pastures? Ya think it might have something to do with the demonization of business and capitalism by your beloved democrats, perhaps? ------------------ No, I think it has to do with the fact that they can go from paying a living wage to someone in America to paying slave wages to someone in China.
I'm too old now to do anything about it but after living all these years I know now that most of us are born into the mind set that we have to go to college and then put up with whatever the ultra-rich will give us in salaries as we work 60 hrs and get paid for 40 while the corporate execs never work a real day in there lives and get million dollar bonuses and huge amounts of respect. I worked my way thru college on the gi bill and had to work a lot of very hard jobs in my life like roughneck on a drilling rig. I didn't have the luxury of being born into money. I resent very much the banking and rating agency execs stealing my hard earned money thru mortgage fraud, etc, and I definitely want my money back. gd it
I resent the mortgage fraud as well and feel for your situation as I am older in years. But I do not think there is "nothing I can do about anything." Do you realize most people in a vibrant city like Atlanta, Ga. do not even vote? Most of the housing debacle was caused by pressure to lend unqualified folks money. I
saw it in action in the NW section of Atlanta. I totally agree that bankers were quilty, but they were pressured by the power of
many minority organizations. As well, many banks felt community benevolence. It all ended badly. A well run Black bank in Atlanta refused to issue these kinds of loans. Some people still think correctly. But, please get over not being born into luxury. Most of us weren't and we are doing fine. We live in a nation that affords us almost unlimited priviledges.
The posting of advertisements, profanity, or personal attacks is prohibited. By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.
Reply to Comment The posting of advertisements, profanity, or personal attacks is prohibited. By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.
TRILLIONS got ripped off before the housing price balloon burst, and some of the corporations suddenly found themselves in trouble, on the face of it, but BILLIONS of dollars had been paid in cash bonuses and stocks to the principals who never yet have been prosecuted, order to cease and desist from fraud, nor in any way ordered to return the money the had bilked by crime -- by politically protected crime.
Then there's the Pentagon issue and the cover-ups (by fallacious security classifications) that delayed, and still delay public access to the secret fraud, and graft and corruption, until so long after the deed is done, and the money has disappeared, that people who witnessed and participated cannot even recall (conveniently cannot) any details.
Now, just how much of any of this will be brought up in the debates among the GOP contenders to see who -- they hope -- will the the GOP's NEXT set of incumbents who promise us UTOPIA if we will cast aside the Democratic incumbent, and let them fix everything wrong with the U.S. -- the unemployment of some 17% of black people, the overall employment of 9.2% of people who are able to work, willing to work, begging for work. And that's just the ones who have not exhausted their unemployment insurance benefits. Heaven knows how many others are homeless, or living with relatives, and have given up.
The Republicans will fix it, they say. And the debates among the GOP candidates will be over which of them best represents the REPUBLICAN PHILOSOPHY.
By that philosophy, the U.S. economy is not really all that bad off.
After all, none of our millionaire congressional country club members are feeling any pain. And, gee whiz, our mega corporations are not feeling any pain.
Come on people. What's all the ******** about?
We have no problems another Republican dominated White House and Congress can't make still better than how great things already are.
Are all corrupt politicians Republicans? I doubt it. But what I ask you, as a fellow citizen of the U.S. to ponder is: How do we citizens get control over politically protected, politician-in-on-it CRIME. I don't mean petty crime involving a mere billion or two here and there. I'm talking about TRILLIONS, with our so-called "representatives" winking at it, denying it is going on, standing up with a straight face telling us that if we elect, or re-elect them, they will fix everything.
It's a FIX alright. The people we have voted as our representatives are the con artists. And you and I are their marks.
Did we the people EVER have government that was not of the people, for and by the wealthiest most powerful rippers-off?
If so, how to we get our nation back. And if you say, The Tea Party, you haven't done your homework. They and the GOP are in bed together.
If we've never had it, then how can we insist upon gaining some control over the politicians who are fleecing us?
If I'm a plant, you are the fertilizer.
----------------------------------
summed it up concisely
But, let's consider that remark by the Republican on Face the Nation last Sunday. All is well with the economy, after all. How do we gauge that? Why, shucks! The members of the Congress are all doing GREAT. Almost all are millionaires. They have the authority to vote themselves a raise in salary anytime they need it. They have life insurance for life, once elected. They have health and hospitalization immensely better than any available to any employed American, and something few other Americans can afford at all, if they are unemployed. And their campaign funds are fat and healthy. And lobbyist are knocking at their doors continually providing gosh knows what all. We know that some get caught red handed accepting bribes, and we know it is very, very difficult to catch bribes changing hands red handed but, okay, forget that. We know former congresspersons get all sorts of favors from "friends" among the principal officers of mega-corporations.
The mega-corporations are doing GREAT! So, okay you complainers, what's so bad about them apples. What's all the griping about.
Well, it was POLITICAL PRESSURE that prevented ENFORCEMENT of the laws against criminal mortgage fraud that pumped up the U.S. housing market exponentially faster and larger than any other factor -- all the blaming of relaxed qualifications for mortgage applicants notwithstanding. MILLIONS of mortgages were "doctored," by, or at the instructions of, employees of mega-banks, and the principal officers (yes, it is documentend by TONS of evidence). Why did not the F.B.I., the S.E.C., and other agencies not ENFORCE the laws they were sworn to enforce? They were pressured politically to back off or they and their appointed heads would get the ax. The I.R.S. knew this, because they audited THOUSANDS of mortgage applications with 1040s attached which showed far more income than had been reported to the IRS, but the ones filed with them were not fraudulent. The ones attached to the applications were. And may of those had been prepared by employees of the mortgage banks, and their principals were NOTIFIED. But they had friends in the Congress... friends they donated hugely to the campaigns of, friends they lobbied incessantly to influence bills. The principals of those corporations knew exactly what was going on, because attorneys who were hired to counsel mortgage banks told the mortgage bank principals they were risking criminal fraud charges. But those principals knew there was no risk. They had "friends" in the Congress.
TRILLIONS got raked off investors small and large, individual and institutional, investment bonds were sold that were backed by mortgages that were fraudulently "doctored," as security for hundreds of millions... billions of dollars in loans, and the bonds got rated AAA by companies who KNEW what was going on. So many of the fraudulent mortgages were defaulting (Indeed, some home buyers never made even the first payment; they didn't even have a job. Some were immigrants and could not even have filled out the applications without assistance from the supposed "screeners" who qualified them. Housing inspectors and appraisers were paid to approve houses that were not worth anywhere near what the face values of the mortgages were. Inspectors rated houses as livable that in many cases were drastically in disrepair. (to be continued)
Okay, let me put this in simple terms for my liberal friends: Corporations are like cows - they will always seek out greener pastures. It is just what cows do, and we don't blame them for it. So the real question is why is our "pasture" withering? The answer: the political left demonizes free-market enterprise rather than embracing it, so you have yourself to blame.
----------------------------
Clearly you are a plant, an instigator. The liberal/ conservative divide is a racket for the aristocracy, the special interests who have big government working quite well for themselves.
And why is it that these corporations are fleeing to greener pastures? Ya think it might have something to do with the demonization of business and capitalism by your beloved democrats, perhaps?
-
Corporations are not fleeing america. Non-democratic corporate governments find america to be the best little house of ill repute to hang their hat and outsource production to nations whose people are under the thumb of communist dictatorships.
Why is this an issue at all? Who ever said that we all should have the same paycheck? I couldn't care less whether a billionaire makes billions more than me. Good for him or her. They didn't steal it from me. Why in the world is this even an issue with some people?
--------------------------------------------------
Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron.
Dwight D. Eisenhower, From a speech before the American Society of Newspaper Editors, April 16, 1953
34th president of US 1953-1961 (1890 - 1969)
---
It does matter where the money is spent, and who privatizes it into their own pockets.
I come to cast dispersions upon CRIME, and the selling out of representation of their constituents by congresspersons whose loyalties and partialities go to the highest bidding campaign donors, to the most affluent senders of lobbyists, to the sweet jobs and other trade-offs and influence granted to former congressional representatives by the donors they serve (provided, of course, they vote right, provided they use their influence to pressure agencies to not enforce laws nominally in place to protect the economy and the citizens from being defrauded, gouged and ripped off.
Just last Sunday, on Face the Nation, a Republican (forgive me but I failed to catch his name, but if you can view the show, you will see and hear him, and get his name) made remarks to the effect that the U. S. economy is not nearly in so bad a shape as some gloom and doomer would suggest. After all, he said, the largest U. S. corporations have recovered and are doing great.
I was jolted by that remark. Oh, it is quite true, alright. But, if you are reading this and do not catch the drift, let me fill you in:
The mega-corporations that do business in the U. S. are not in the least evil for being corporations, for being in business, for being successful, nor for all the wonderful things large corporations can do. Some of the are multi-national mega corporations, that have more factories outside the U.S., hire more employees outside the U.S., sell more products and services outside the U.S. And there is nothing wrong with that.
What is wrong is when, and to the extent that, mega-corporations engage in flagrant white collar crime, including gouging on defense contracts and, with the help of the Pentagon and the knowledge and consent of the Congress, are allowed time after time after time after time... to get things CLASSIFIED as alleged security risks, which are only cover-ups for corruption and graft. As classified documents are declassified, after an allotted period of time, under the Freedom of Information Act, it turns out ALMOST 100% of the time that it was no a security risk that was covered up, but flagrant fraud and corruption involving the Pentagon, the Congress, and leading defense industry corporations.
As to the MAJOR cause of the current state of the magnitude of the damage done to the U.S. economy in the current recession (which began in the latter days of the G.W.B. incumbency, at the end of SIX YEARS of constant dominance by the GOP of the White House and both houses of the Congress.
All the GOP recipe for making our nation more successful, more economically strong and successful, making our laws more conducive to the good of the citizenry, after six years of total Republican domination CRASHED into the deepest recession we have experienced since the Great Recession. This is the Utopia that arises when they have total control for six years?
(continued)
And why is it that these corporations are fleeing to greener pastures? Ya think it might have something to do with the demonization of business and capitalism by your beloved democrats, perhaps?
------------------
No, I think it has to do with the fact that they can go from paying a living wage to someone in America to paying slave wages to someone in China.
saw it in action in the NW section of Atlanta. I totally agree that bankers were quilty, but they were pressured by the power of
many minority organizations. As well, many banks felt community benevolence. It all ended badly. A well run Black bank in Atlanta refused to issue these kinds of loans. Some people still think correctly. But, please get over not being born into luxury. Most of us weren't and we are doing fine. We live in a nation that affords us almost unlimited priviledges.