The Banksters like Stealing Candy from Little Children
By louisehartmann
The Banksters like stealing candy from little children. No, I'm not exaggerating...they really do. At least according to a new study out of the University of California Berkeley and the University of Toronto. Two teams of researchers discovered that wealthy upper-class Americans are more likely than middle-class or poorer Americans to break traffic laws - lie for financial gain - and yes - steal candy from children.
First - when it comes to traffic laws - people driving higher-end cars like BMWs and Mercedes were seen breaking traffic laws and cutting off pedestrians more often than people driving cars like Camrys and Corrollas. In another observation - wealthier people were three times more likely to lie in a game of dice when a $50 prize was at stake for whoever rolled the highest number. As the lead researcher Paul Piff noted, "Even in people for whom $50 is a relatively small amount of money, cheating was three times as high."
I guess they just can't help themselves - but the next study takes the cake. Researchers put a jar of candy in front of someone and told them that the candy was for children in a nearby lab and then left the room. Sure enough - wealthier people took twice as much candy from the jar as poorer people did. Based on these observations - Piff concluded, “It really shows the extreme lengths to which wealth and upper rank status in society can shape patterns of self-interest and un-ethicality.”
My response to this? NO KIDDING! So the rich like to steal candy from children - frankly, I doubt most people are surprised. But what's really important here is what they've stolen from all of us over the last 30 years. Like our money...
Did you know that 80% of all new wealth created in American since Reagan took office in 1981 went to just the top 1% of Americans? Did you know that despite increased productivity - working peoples wages have barely increased? That means Americans aren't getting the fruits of their labor - and all the money left over from that increased productivity over the past thirty years - trillions of dollars that should have gone into workers pockets - was instead taken by the CEOs and shareholders. The top 1% have seen their after-taxes income go up 275% since 1980 - while the middle-class' income gains can't even keep up with inflation. Not to mention - these guys moved $7 trillion of wealth out of the hands and homes of the middle class when they crashed our economy during Bush's presidency. And they're not just stealing our money - they're also stealing our commons.
Corporations like the Corrections Corporation of America are conning state governments into selling off public prisons to be run for-profit - costing taxpayers far more money in the long run. And while they're at it - they're stealing our freedom - as those same for-profit prison corporations support candidates who push for harsher and harsher drug and other laws - that throw more and more Americans in prison - making the CEOs more and more money while devastating the working class. As a result, America now has the highest incarceration rate in the entire world, both per capita and in absolute numbers.
On top of that - in Michigan - Governor Rick Snyder who was elected by millionaires and billionaires - signed a financial manager law last year that allows a crony of his to collect a quarter million bucks to take control of a city, and sell off its commons - like public parks and utlilities - to corporate interests at a fire sale price.
They're stealing our right to democratize the workplace through unions. Since 1980 - union membership has plummeted - beginning with Reagan breaking up PATCO - and most recently Indiana becoming the 23rd state in the nation to pass a right-to-work-for-less law - meaning workers will earn 5,000 dollars less in Indiana than in free bargaining states. They've stolen our right to healthcare. Unlike every single other developed nation in the world - the United States doesn't consider healthcare a basic human right thanks to a massive lobbying effort by the for-profit health insurance industry, which makes trillions denying sick people medical care. They've even stolen our peace.
Drive around Virginia and you see gigantic Mansions belonging to defense contractors who lobby Congress for more and more weapons systems whether we need them or not - and beat the drums to war to keep their profits up. That's why the Defense Budget has TRIPLED since 1997 - and why since around that time - our nation has been in perpetual warfare. And most tragically - they've stolen our right to self-governance. The Supreme Court delivered the terrible blow to our democracy with their 2010 Citizens United decision - which lets the rich spend unlimited amounts of money to steal our elections. More than 300 million dollars in outside corporate cash was spent in the 2010 midterms - leading to one of the most corporate-friendly Houses in the history of this nation. And this year's election - corporate spending will likely top a billion dollars for the first time - meaning our elections are increasingly becoming a game in which only the rich can compete.
Plus, through shadow corporate think-tanks like ALEC - the Koch-brothers-funded American Legislative Exchange Council - rich lobbyists and corporate CEOs are now literally writing our laws and handing them off to state legislators to be passed as is - regardless of what "we the people" have to say. As a result of all this theft - our equality has been stolen too. We now have wealth inequality levels in American not seen since before the Stock Market Crash of 1929. And in return for stealing all this stuff from us - the rich have given us a long list of social ills. As Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson at the Equality Trust in the UK discovered - countries with higher wealth inequalities - have higher rates of social ills. The US ranks low in Drug Abuse, Teen Pregnancy, Mental Illness, Violent Crime, Obesity and Mistrust.
I WISH the rich were only stealing candy from children - but the truth is they've been robbing the middle class blind for thirty years - and now that middle class is broke - flat broke and disappearing. And whether it's in certain people's genes to steal and be selfish - which in turn makes them more likely to be wealthy in America - or whether being selfish just comes with the territory of being born into wealth in America - nobody knows yet.
But whatever it is - to paraphrase Jim Morrison - there are 99 of us for every one of them. And it's time to take back what they've robbed from us - and put regulations and taxes back into place that will keep them from stealing from us - regulations and taxes like we had between 1932 and 1980, during the period of the most rapid growth of the Middle Class in American history. Roll back Reaganomics, roll back the Reagan tax cuts, get out of the WTO, and undo Reagan's war on unions.
Don't just stand there - OCCUPY SOMETHING!
Comments
#2
Yeah, I have a long list of things that were stolen, but there is no interest being expressed by law enforcement agencies or the IRS to act on first class evidence of frankly illegal, immoral, and completely corrupt behavior amidst lawyers, treasury agents, bankers, trust companies, even whole rigged municipalities. Only the most in your face cases which involve a blonde with a large bosom are being addressed.
At least I have proven, with the principals of the Kryder estate, that the corrupt financial community is guided by estate lawyers who work in concert with individuals who first do a two-year stint as a bank examiner or other treasury agent, then become bank presidents and trust officers. That is the simplified MO. Some of the lawyers are counsel for the FDIC and Federal Reserve.
These are the people who owe us answers and testimony, as well as money and loot- lawyers who learned crime and how to beat it by defending criminals, who have been indoctrinated and unavoidably compromised by the "Mob," and in return fixed the world so that it is run Mob-Style, with patsies and fall guys. Our fabulous casino resorts and single-owner chain stores and vending enterprises ensure us that stolen property and cash are being laundered non-stop every tick of the economic clock, putting more and more power into the hands of the really bad guys.
We need some serious cops around here.
#3
Quote louisehartmann:Don't just stand there - OCCUPY SOMETHING!Here are right-wingers who literally OCCUPY this blog! Over the last two weeks I had a war here on three fronts. At least one of those parties was a true sociopath -- 100% ruthless and selfish. I'm a little worn out, but at least feel like they look fairly ridiculous on all three fronts. Now, having read this, I hardly know what to write, which is odd in my case, hardly having experienced the problem not to shut up.
Get a load of wealthy sociopaths, or what?!
This article is great to link to. I think this upsetting stuff can really reach common people who don't care much for politics. Activists should write short summaries on their blogs and link here -- and tweet, tweet, tweet....
#4
Hey Thom, the rich stealing candy from children potenially could be helpful as all that white sugar & corn syrup stuff is sooooo bad for us. However, I'll speak to the obvious metaphor which shows that the uberultrarich are in reality stealing the sweetness of life from us. This pathology is occuring because they are so diseased & disconnected from their own mind_body_spirit making it impossible for them to satiate their greed - or connect to others. Blaming it on our genetics projects it outward making another way for the human being to not take responsibility for their actions. Let's repatriate ourselves back into our 'promised land' of what our founding fathers intended and 'occupy' sweetness as well.
#5
There was an article not to long ago talking about upper management people and CEO's that many are sociopaths...isn't that just lovely to think we're all living in "One flew over the coocoo's nest?"
#6
Tom what is the difference between what is happening now with the banks and what happened wi
th them after the Great Depression? My mother is 91 and says they were rolling in money while people we being thrown into the street.
#7
Clarissa Smith, I have seen the new group on RWNJ that have come after you. It is unfortunate that rick has outlined their game plan, if you are educated you have been indocturinated by progressive college professor and you are a snob therefore should be attacked if you don't agree with the fox news talking points.
We need to stand strong because they want to stay happily ignorant, they have forgotten or are uneducated about the french and russian revolution and so many others that were response to injustices that were visited on the 99%^ by the 1%.
But Ms. Smith keep writing inspite of the RWNJ, there are many that appreciate your comments and support you.
#8
#9
Good Grief!
Some of you sound like burned out hippies from the 60’s trying to crush the corporations, outlaw capitalism and flip America to socialism.
Socialism is nothing but a romantic concept that lures in the poets and dreamers, …. AND THEN EATS THEM.
Mostly what I see here is poorly informed socialist textbook ideologues with no business experience or real world experience. - No real understanding of America’s economics, a total lack of comprehension about what business, companies and corporations CONTRIBUTE to America.
Also many seem in denial that both left, center, and right politicians have caused many of the problems you now face. Fortunately some of you do get it. But you are in denial if you want to give more power to government and allow it to restrict more of your liberty and waste more of your money.
Once you surrender your freedoms and choices to government, they will NEVER give them back.
By the way, corporations are people. They are nothing but people, 1000’s of people in some cases
A GENERAL OUTLINE OF HOW A CORPORATION IN AMERICA IS FORMED.
1) Somebody suddenly has an idea in this free society where they have liberty to take risks and pursue their dreams. Maybe some ex-hippies like the late Steve Jobs. Or Ben and Jerry’s ice cream founders. Or Michael Moore’s film production company.
2) They all invested in their ideas (= risk) and in the above examples it paid off very handsomely. (We’re talking Gulf Stream Jet lifestyle).
3) As their success grew they hired more people
4) Then formed companies and they grew even more
5) So they hire hundreds more people and become a corporate structure
6) Every strep of the way they buy things from other companies and venders, such as office supplies, construction company services to build facilities, advertising agencies, garbage collectors, pest control companies, fleets of company cars, airline travel, hotels for business meetings … the list is almost infinite the amount of peoples lives that benefit when a corporation is successful.
7) Then the corporation decides to take their company public and sell shares to hundreds maybe thousands more PEOPLE so the average person can participate in the corporations success. (an opportunity to share the wealth. And it brings in global investment which enriches America). They form stock holders boards, (more people) and all the investors hire accountants, and investment consultants. ….. Now even more PEOPLE are involved. It’s a “people” domino effect”.
8) People, people, people, PEOPLE. Corporations are PEOPLE !! Rich and poor alike !!
9) And all the PEOPLE who earn income from the corporation pay a huge GLUT in income taxes at every level of the corporate structure. Therefore American corporations are as much “We the PEOPLE” as “you the anti corporate people” Thus they have a right to contribute to elections.
10) So when you BASH a corporation like it’s some kind one headed mythical beast, you are actually bashing “PEOPLE” who earn income from the corporation. Many of which may be your next-door neighbor, or people you pass in every day life.
11) However, a corporation like GE has managed to pay very little in “corporate taxes” but it generates mountains of tax revenue from its overall structure as outlined above. (Mostly for its domestic activities, not foreign ~ talk to Obama about the latter)
12) President Obama named General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt to head the President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, an economic advisory board focused on job creation. So, I guess Obama thinks big corporations should advise you all, but in the same breath tells you corporate America is robbing the little guy. “Aren’t politicians amazing creatures”? By the way, right after being nominated to Obama’s council, CEO Jeffrey Immelt guided his company to ramp up production of florescent light bulbs in China pending the democrat legislation to outlaw the incandescent light bulb. I guess he thought hiring workers in China was more “competitive” ~ so much for American jobs !! Thanks Obama, Thanks GE CEO.
13) Corporate lobbyists have a constitutional right to lobby. AND the government politicians have an oath to protect the public’s interests. But they very often don’t. They sell out to lobbyists. Liberals want to make the government even bigger and more powerful, thus you have a greater attrition of sell-outs in charge of your lives. That doesn’t seem prudent; in fact it should be the other way round if you want to preserve the liberty of this Republic.
14) If corporations have no right to support candidates, then it would follow that organized worker unions also be prevented from buying politicians “as they so blatantly do”. And why stop there? You could say that once a business reaches a certain size, they are prohibited from contributing to elections. It will never end until no one is allowed to vote for anyone because you WILL be living in a communist country!!
15) Thanks a lot, we have been assimilated by the Borg !!
Truth will prevail, it always does. Let's hope it arrives in time to derail tyranny.
#10
The bad criminals are in jail while the good ones are in offices at high places.
It seems since history began that only the wealthy have had the time and means to influence politics and economics. Now with the internet we can change that. I suggest that the people themselves share their own ideas and provide these ideas to our legislators, literally a people’s version of ALEC.
Please join www.public-voice.org to share and vote on ideas that matter.
#11
Thanks for the kind words Recovering cons... (how does it go on? I'm very nosy...), the RWNJs actually made me even more "snobbish", helping me to educate myself politically a little more and define my position more precisely. But look what Liberty-First just did here: he's driving himself nuts with his hyper-hi-strung stuff. Who will actually read this crazy opus? I don't think anybody will. He's just killing time.
I am very happy with my decision to join Twitter four days ago. Twitter is a great propaganda machine and connects you to other political fighters. Today I was followed by a guy who is followed by John Fugelsang. So this tells me, I'm on the right path -- already after four days.
#12
I am quite a bit irritated by Norman Goldman, who keeps insisting on LIBERAL would be just a tag without message. This is NOT true. I sent him a mail (two times: from my account and again over the form on his website), as I was downright shelling with four tweets over to him. Today he claims he had asked the **liberals** who mailed him, to explain him what LIBERAL actually meant. But no-no-no-no-no Norman! You did NOT answer and ask me. I could explain you precisely.
I have an old dictionary, released 1719 -- there you find these forms already in French language of the early 1700. Briefly, a LIBERAL is a kind person, whereas a libertarian is nasty (more under my profile...). There's good and evil in the world and it's an old thing. This is NOT about dividing people, it's realizing reality. Funny that Norman is concerned about dividing people, for he's really a dividing spirit. I don't criticize this. Norman is doing a great job though. But I will always defend the term LIBERAL, Norman. With teeth and claws!!!
#13
Reading this article and being concerned is a LIBERAL attitude. Being concerned about the poor, is generally very LIBERAL, dear Norman. A liberal is not alone a progressive. A liberal is GENEROUS and KIND. If this is "common sense", I'm alright with your "common sense". But frankly, the Nazis considered their ideas "common sense" as well. So, I don't know, Norman......
As I tweeted: You bet, John Booohner considers his ideas "common sense"....
#14
Heck, those people were sane. It was Nurse cratchitt who should have been confined.
#15
Clarissa,
Re definition of a Liberal,
I was going to keep quiet because I know I’m giving you a migraine from all the logic, but I have to point something out;
You are defining the meaning and vernacular of the word “Liberal” of current times “Circa 2012”, from a dictionary Circa 1719.
And then attempt cobble together some bias of the definition further by implying this is a French interpretive definition? … What? !!
Do you know how stoooopid that is in terms of relevancy?
I would probably have a hard time finding the definition of a “Political Hack” in your ancient French dictionary, and even if I did, I doubt it would have the same meaning as it applies in 2012 America.
Nor would the 2012 definition in America have little if anything to do with France in the 1700’s.
If you want I can email you some aspirins as an attached file. Which reminds me, does your Circa 1700’s French dictionary have the word “email” in it?
…. If not, search carrier pigeon with note attached to leg. … “It’s all relevant in the Liberal struggle to defend the indefensible”.
… I’m just trying to help darling :)
#16
OW! that one made my head hurt! corporation,smorporation! the fact is! statistically, $400-500 billion dollars of revenue goes missing each year! Go to IRS.gov. Why? because of the cheaters, weather its a corporation cooking the books or a high wage earner itemizing deductions and adding a bit here and a bit there. Meanwhile back at the ranch the good old w-2 earner who well may work for one of the cheating corporations or even a cheating sole proprietor has nothing but his workiing class wage which scarcely allows for any cheating room on a 1040eZ or for that matter a from 1040. Now mind you a really poor working stiff might just be lucky enough to get an earned income tax credit which is basically free money.
Point is America the once united states has basically evolved into a glut of selfish self serving egomanical money grubbing overwieght stuffed shirts that for a quarter would shank you in a heart beat if they thought they could have a bigger piece of pie then you! Why? just how much frikin' pie do you need to stuff yourself with before you puke!!!lolol
That was synical huh? Why would i blather so much about this and in this fashion? I work in tax compliance and have to sit around and run statistics from time to time. so for fun why don't you sit at your desk and run some mock calculations of just how much the cheaters might be cheating me out of. for every calc you do quantify it by any hypothetical number and just try to wrap your brain around the truly unethical nature created by such a screwed up tax code. People do it as a gamble, not enough auditors to audit a 150,000,000 tax returns!!!! for starters take a typical small corporate tax return and "esplane" to me why the owner of the company lives in a multi million dollar manshion, drives a benz owns a boat has a vaction home or 2 and the company never pays any income tax. moreover why does the staff live in the ghetto and come to work every day with a chip on thier shoulder....
thats some off the cuff food for thought!!!
#17
You should look at Connect The Left on Twitter, I have been doing twitter for a few months moving away from Thom's site since more liberatians and RWNJ have shown up. Who are more interested in yelling their talking points than having a discussion.
#18
dowdotica
RE: OW! that one made my head
Very good points!!
You especially made me think when I started to reflect on 1040eZ or 1040.
The tax code is very complicated, and NO CPA can know the whole tax code. Its too massive and growing by the minute.
Some that specialize in 1040’s don’t do business tax, and some that do business specialize in specific types of business. Once you cross into business taxes there is NO “ez” at the end of any filing name.
If the tax code could somehow be simplified it would free up billions of hours of time for people to be creating things that contribute to economic prosperity.
New healthcare law taxes are already creating some brain hemorrhages. Fortunately, you will be covered under Obamacare for any strokes, bleeding ulcers or nervous break downs as a result of trying to decipher the new healthcare tax obligations. So in the end it should work out. Just not sure how at his point. “We have to wait to see what’s in it”
But I don’t think taxes will get less complicated, just more so.
Be well fellow human :)
#19
Tonights blog should be required reading for all who care about freedom and democracy. I think it's a call to action of sorts. In my opinion restoration of representative democracy is possible if enough of us get involved in the Occupy Movement. I'm sure most of you got the 99% Spring, "Training in basics of nonviolent direct action" email from The Other 98%.......sounds good, April 9th-14th. Fight on!
#20
Reply to #4.......Clarissa, Pesky skirmishers come and go all the time on this blog, but remember, we too can attack right wing blogs in the same manner, it always inspires me...... keep fighting the good fight.
#21
Good grief you sound like a corporate lacky and stooge.
Let's just take these three...
7) Then the corporation decides to take their company public and sell shares to hundreds maybe thousands more PEOPLE so the average person can participate in the corporations success. (an opportunity to share the wealth. And it brings in global investment which enriches America). They form stock holders boards, (more people) and all the investors hire accountants, and investment consultants. ….. Now even more PEOPLE are involved. It’s a “people” domino effect”.
When a corporation goes public they do it to raise capital and not to share the wealth. The powers at be always...always make sure they control the vast majority of stock so they can decide who gets on the board, gets bonuses and picks the officers etc. This is not a democracy with one person one vote. They take the investors money and for the most part give them modest returns while at the same time the upper management takes home the lion's share in what would be defined as theft before 1980s. For the most part the average investor does not share equally in the profits. The vast majority of the profits currently come from, user fees, not paying living wages, not paying for the infrastructure, not paying taxes, building plants in foreign countries to avoid environmental laws, getting the laws changed by bribing congressman, blackmailing states for tax breaks etc. and not from sound business practices. Short term profits are the rule and the top 1% or less of the corporation reap the vast majority of the loot.
8) People, people, people, PEOPLE. Corporations are PEOPLE !! Rich and poor alike !!
Despite what the most corrupt supreme court the US as ever had ruled, corporations are not people and an amendment will fix that corrupt travesty of a ruling. It's a shame it has to come down to the time and expense spent on the amendment process when 11 out of the last 12 times a true supreme court has shot down the concept of corporate personhood. To any moral and thinking individual a person is a living breathing, biological individual and not some fictitious and artificial legal entity that didn't even exist in years gone by. The founding fathers were adamant in their distain and advocated time after time for strong controls over this invented organization. The American Revolution was not only fought against King George but against the corporation that had the government under it's control. The Tea Party was a protest against the East India Company. A multi-national corporation that controlled King George. It's beyond belief that they would have embraced corporate personhood. It's totally inconceivable except in the minds of corporate lackeys and stooges.
9) And all the PEOPLE who earn income from the corporation pay a huge GLUT in income taxes at every level of the corporate structure. Therefore American corporations are as much “We the PEOPLE” as “you the anti corporate people” Thus they have a right to contribute to elections.
We the people are limited to the amounts we can give. Why aren't corporations limited to the same amounts. GE can contribute $2500 per candidate etc. at least until the amendment is passed. If they are persons then they count as a person...ONE person. Can I give more than the law allows because I belong to different subsets? Male, blue eyed, blonde, tall, diest, right handed. Do they also get to vote? Should Romney be indicted for murder because he killed a dozen corporations/people? Is he a mass murderer? The farce of corporate personhood is so ridiculous on the face of it. The founding fathers are spinning in circles in their graves.
#22
The question is why fight for what is fair and just? What makes a person continue when the mountain is put before him? We are shaped by the events we observe and experience, I have been in public health for over 25 years, investigating, reading, working and trying to help people, families and communities that become ill by investigating the causes. These illnesses have been caused by a variety of things from chemical pollution in the air, water, or soil. Other illnesses from contamination of food that occurred either in the field, during processing, transport, or in preparation. In my various jobs, I have collected and analyzed data from various source to see what associations can be made between possible causes of illnesses and the illnesses themselves. So I understand who un or under regulated discharges from a chemical plant can cause a community to have a higher cancer rate than the next community. The fact that everyone doesn’t become ill is more a testament to the strength of some people constitution and good luck or you could call it survival of the fittest. Unfortunately most of these communities are poor since the rich communities can prevent the plants from being built close by or upstream as was mentioned. The rich can afford lobbyists, and can make generous donations to officials who approve the locations of such plants. To add to misfortunate that these people endure is that they can’t afford early treatment or diagnosis of their conditions. Many lawyers will take the cases since they have to work on contingency and the company lawyer who are paid more with the bought off politicians can delay and appeal so the people are forced by circumstances to settle for much less than what they deserve.
These are the people who are ground down by the wheels of uncontrolled industry, and the sad part is often if the CEO had given up one joy ride in the company jet, it would have paid for the equipment to correct the problem.
In doing the food borne investigation, I have gone to countries where produce is grown that are served on tables in America in the winter time. The processors often have three lines where the first two lines are for export to Europe and the other to the US, and third for the rejects that go into local markets. The facilities that the workers are housed in vary from decent minimal dorm room accommodations to cardboard shacks. Some provide day care and educational opportunities for the employees and their children, most do not. A thought for the 1% that fresh raspberry that you are about to eat in February may have been picked the week before by some worker in a foreign country who doesn’t know how to wash their hands and has a child with Hepatitis A but that are the conditions generated by an unregulated free market. The US federal government can’t tell another country what standards they should have for their employees. Federal agencies aren’t able to set many standards for farm workers in this country. More agricultural workers are covered by state laws.
Where is the long wondering tale going? it is provide a few examples of what my life have involved daily for over 25 years which is why I hope before my life is over I see a better place for my fellow man. It is for these people that I continue the fight against the arrogant and ignorant.
For the hope that someday the country will change and the next generation of public health professional will not find children in the United States that play on dirt floors in their homes, where children don’t have to wear sweaters and blankets to keep warm in their own homes. The only two meals that the children get to eat are the sponsored breakfast and lunch and the parents get less where these children get an opportunity to go to college or a trade school that they can dream of being more than a janitor and their grandparents can live long enough to see them achieve these goals.
I also hope to see the day where we have an honest discussion about the conditions in the country and not cherry picked talking points. Like how many people pay Federal Income and ignore all the other taxes that people pay or make an example of a few people that may game the system but they ignore the fact that 17% of children live in families below the poverty line.
In addition, when a person claims to be a Christian, they should follow the teaching and look out for and provide for their fellow man including the least of them. They should happily render under to Caesar what is Cesar’s, and through the money changers out of the temple. Hopefully these changes will happen in the next 35 years where America can become a country again that is more concerned about our fellow man than the bottom line.
#23
Harry Kellogg
RE Good grief you sound like a
1) Actually, I am not a corporate lackey or stooge. I’m as disillusioned as you are with “some” corporations – not all - but from a different perspective.
2) Re: my #7 comment, I almost knew instinctively this one would leave the door wide open for interpretation. I should have continued on and pointed out that buying shares is risky and speculative. If the company does well, you get dividends or you can sell for a profit. If it fails you lose. You have to do your homework and invest wisely. I did not buy Solyndra stock, even though I thought the cylindrical solar panel concept was brilliant. I followed the money and it was political influenced right back to Obama’s cash bundlers. It crashed and burned so brightly I may need flash burn surgery. But the average investor in a solvent profitable company does receive dividends. People who bought Microsoft or Apple (no government interference in creation) for example when they first started are now rich beyond imagination. Investing in stocks never returns consistent results. That is why it is risky and not for everyone. Anyone can buy stocks, rich or poor. So I will rephrase – “Corporations go public to raise money which can result in great income for savvy investor/shareholders”. - Much of the rest of what you are not happy with has to do with politicians selling out to corporate lobbyists. So vote them out if you think they aren’t protecting your interests!
3) As for #8 – constitution amendments in the United States of America are not dispensed at some candy vending machine for the dissatisfied to buy carte blanc 24/7. Please try and retain some realism. Very smart people on the Supreme Court have to dig incredibly deep into their own souls when it comes to the constitution. Although I don’t like the liberal justice’s views all the time, I trust them to interpret the constitution for the sake of the constitution alone, and not their political leanings. If they misuse that, this republic is lost.
4) As for #9 – How much did SEIU give Obama as well as other entrenched special interests? And do you have an accounting of all his contributors?
#24
Dear illustrator5, many thanks for donating the lovely charm with "One flew over the coocoo's nest" to the needy baby on this thread! :o)
#25
Dear Recovering cons... , Bill Press' second cast in this minute complained about Twitter being "stupid". Why, if you (not you Recovering cons...) follow stupid tweeters >>BLAME YOURSELF<< cuz you get nothing but stupid tweets! I can't complain.....
Twitter is great, so thanks for your Left-On-Twitter tip, dear Recovering cons... !
You ran away from the RWNJs here?! 2950-10K now wants me to also attack them on their blogs. So, what is right??
Whatsoever, my interests are pretty much like Thom's: Solar, History, Europe, pretty much watching the German example (also German history before 1750, which is part of American history as well, as for example the Silver Dollar comes from the old German currency Thaler)..... So, why in the world would I leave here?
Well, I feel more and more I'm a Keynesian Nurse. I don't feel like attacking the right-wingers anymore -- I am going to nurse them here..... :o)
#26
Ohohooooo, 2950-10K you must be a tough fighter. Respect!
A few months ago, my blogger pal thingy was like, "The right-wingers who attack Ferrerman's blog said..." I was like "What, right-wingers? Where?" and went there to beat them up but ended up disappointed, for I couldn't find any. LOL
Here I made the experience I can hit very hard indeed. But it's getting a little flat. During fighting Liberty-First and others I improved my ideas about my ideal Keynesian America. Now I feel like developing these ideas ahead, but Liberty-First just stays in his primitive Neanderthal fighting mode. He's like a fighting robot, following the same odd program kinda forever. But some day he will blow -- just burn out -- and then he needs us Keynesian Nurses. He's actually crying like a needy baby. I just see, it's crying a lot. I wouldn't even take away candy from this right-wing baby. No, I now see, this baby will need liberal care one day. So I'm working for Liberal-First too. ;o)
#27
Why do we have this situation and insist on social systems that creates have,s and have-not,s and as the gap between the rich and poor accelerates every every year we can expect civility to disappear,the thought that we can not afford a civil society is causing the society to no longer be civil.
The reason for all off world,s economic problems is that the purpose of the economy is to generate profit-it,s called the profit survival mentality.
The real purpose of the economy a new model that would work for our planet is to generate wealth.
The definition of wealth at the moment is possessions and power the more things you owned ,power over,people,places ,cars, houses ,stuff things we call asset,s this as defined by the old spirituality encourages us to have dominion over the earth but we have interpreted this to mean domination this is fallacy and an imagined reality that creates demise and goes against what works for humanity to evolve.
However when humanity embraces the New Spirituality wealth will be defined not as possessions and power ,but as access and happiness-we are talking about the use of rather than the ownership of the stuff of life and that would create a better life for all and who does not want that!!
So finally we can reduce the economy not grow it and everyone could have access to and use of many things as we shift from a possessions and power economy to a sharing and cooperation economy.
Remember two-thirds of the world have very few possessions the west have an obsession with possessions this new model would provide so many beneficial side effects.
Fewer manufactured things and items sitting idle 95% of the time that are currently used by individuals and families.
This new spiritual model will declare that we are all one and say there is enough and if we take these messages to heart we will at once devise way,s of treating everyone as you would want to be treated giving and providing everyone with what you would want to be given and provided with.
namaste
#28
Thanks Recovering cons..., your experiences are never to overestimate, but most valuable! "Where's my old power and motivation?" This seems to be your basic question...
Well, I am terribly green and find it kinda funny, although I take it all very-very seriously. I never worked in any health branch. But my doctors are used to be upstaged by me and consider me sort physician. Thom actually motivated me to get interested in Keynes and looking at European examples. I find this all fairly exciting.
By the way: There's no way fighting the fundamentalist 'Christians' stupidity. I don't ask them anymore, just hope they will die out.....
Kind regards,
Clarissa
The liberal (means: kind and generous) Nurse, being ready to nurse all the needy right-wingers who are hi-strung internet addicts, drink or consume other drugs, also have severe neurosis, depression, split personalities ect./ect. -- the Keynesian cure is good for anybody. ;o)
#29
The first time I didn't get you, sorry.
Now, between the present reality and your utopia is a gap. You don't tell us the way how to get to that world your suggesting.
Could you possibly convince the red-neck at Wal-Mart? That he might be happier in your world, without Wal-Mart, but it might be much better.....
You need a huge art of persuasion to manage that!
#30
And now Bankster of America is now going to be charging a fee to anyone with a checking account with them if they are not set up to use on-line banking. Maybe a lot of people have come to realize that on-line banking is very dangerous because of the history (much of it hidden or suppressed) of people and companies (oh, excuse me...companies are people..I mean corporations are people....lolol) who have lost money using on-line banking. And the courts have been in favor of the banks...essentially saying that the banks are not responsible for your money and if you get ripped off by a hacker then you are just out of luck. This is happening all over and the banks don't want you to know about it. It is very profitable for the banks to cut down on the overhead by getting rid of traditional bill paying and they want electronic money to replace real money. Problem with electronic money is that it can easily disappear and all they have to do is say some hacker stole it. And when you have on-line banking...it gives the banks the ability to claim that you must have given out, or been careless with, your passwords. But how do you defeat a man-in-the-middle attack who pretends to be your bank when you type in your passwords? Or how can you detect and defeat a key-stroke logger residing in your computer? Most people are not computer savvy enough to even know about these things...let alone guard against them. Your money down the rabbit hole. And, of course, this is happening big time.
#31
Our American Webster's proves you an ignorant. And you are an ignorant.
I was talking to LIBERALS, I don't discuss the term LIBERAL with a libertine ignorant.
This here is copied form Webster's homepage and very enlightening: Libertarians have always been heretics, which absolutely is the definition of my 1719 dictionary. They are spitritual very much related to anarchists. Libertarians believe in their own advantage and greed, that's all. No values. The meanings of these old expressions don't change. Now Webster's:
______________________________________________________________
Definition of LIBERTINE1usually disparaging : a freethinker especially in religious matters2: a person who is unrestrained by convention or morality;specifically : one leading a dissolute life
#32
I wonder what's the matter with Liberty-First. He said he was a liberal once, but it can't be. Maybe he was because we liberals are racial tolerant, but he doesn't share liberalité. And I guess since he had success economically he didn't need liberalité any longer and claimed liberté, not ready to care about other people.
Définition liberalité: Disposition à donner. Don généreux. (disposed to give, generous)
Définition libertaire: Qui pousse à l'extrême l'exigence de liberté en matière politique. Anarchiste. (demanding liberty to the extreme, anarchist)
#33
Libertarianism, anarchism, communism are extreme ideologies and very destructive.
Jesus was the LIBERAL who drove the libertarian money changers out of the temple.
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Maybe we need to steal back from the banksters? Oh, but we always have to play fair, don't we? They don't!!