November 29, 2014

Once Again President Obama Chooses a Fox to Guard the Henhouse.

Once Again President Obama Chooses a Fox to Guard the Henhouse.

President Obama’s pick to be Treasury Under Secretary for Domestic Finance is Antonio Weiss. His new job would be to oversee the domestic financial system—including the implementation of the Dodd-Frank financial-reform act, and consumer protection. He is currently the global head of investment banking at Lazard Ltd, a firm that has put together several major inversion deals. Why is this significant?
“Since 2003, more than thirty-five American companies have dodged taxes through similar deals, which are known as “corporate inversions.””

A number of progressive Senators, lead by Sen Warren have reservations. "Warren has a number of problems with Weiss. The first is the fact that his career has been focused on international transactions. “Neither his background nor his professional experience makes him qualified to oversee consumer protection and domestic regulatory functions at the Treasury,” she wrote. The second is that he’s tied up in the corporate-inversion trend, which, as she notes, the Obama administration has criticized and tried to stop."
Sen Warren further stated, “It’s time for the Obama administration to loosen the hold that Wall Street banks have over economic policy making.”

Sen Warren’s third concern is “about the fox guarding the henhouse. She ticked off a long list of people with close ties to the financial industry who now serve in high-level economic-policy positions in the Obama administration, including Treasury Secretary Jack Lew and US Trade Representative Michael Froman. Letting former Wall Streeters roost in top government perches “tells people that one—and only one—point of view will dominate economic policymaking. It tells people that whatever goes wrong in this economy, the Wall Street banks will be protected first,” she wrote.”

Read more at The Nation Magazine - http://www.thenation.com/blog/191289/next-big-fight-between-progressives-and-wall-street-dems

November 24, 2014

I kind of woke up to it in 2008.

This is real conspiracy stuff so expect the CT deniers to swoop in.
By the end of 2007 I was convinced that our rulers (at the time I thought it was at the Cheney level) were all set up to "temporarily extend" the Bush presidency because of some trumped up national emergency. But when I saw Bush and Cheney turn from belligerent, egotistical bullies into whimpering dogs that crawled out of DC with their tails between their legs, I decided there was a higher power pulling the strings. And it makes sense once you think about it. I imagine it goes back decades but at least we can understand how the CIA/NSA/FBI etc. could increase their powers during the Lost Bush Decade. They had a great excuse, the second "Cheney's Pearl Harbor", an unlimited budget, and zero Congressional oversight. So it's easy for me to deduce that there is likely a group of people that together pull the strings, at least at the macro level, of our government. And they would prefer Bush for president or McCain or even HRC, but they are not threatened by Obama.
I think it's a mistake to believe that when Obama walked into office that he wrested control of everything from those that had it. I bet the NSA/CIA Security State have a lot of secrets that they don't tell him about. If nothing else, they have the power to embarrass him badly. And they have an unlimited budget.
Having said all that, I still believe (or at least consciously fool myself) that we the people can change things. But that belief took a big hit when Sen Sanders came out an told what would be risked if they decide to run for president against the Oligarchy (my word). His statement forced me back into a reality that isn't good but probably necessary. Can we ask that much of him or others?

Sorry, just had to unload that.

November 21, 2014

Ah yes, the questions of insinuation. The technique used when one doesn't

have the confidence of stating their own opinion* regarding H. Clinton's integrity. Let's see if we can clear up your insinuations.

"Did you vote for John Kerry in 2004" The implication of course being that if I was a good Democrat and supported the Democratic candidate and since that candidate was one that betrayed us then I would be obligated to forgive H. Clinton for her betrayal. Even you should admit how weak that argument is.

"are you ready to throw Joe Biden over the side as well?" I guess the insinuation here is that before I can be critical of H. Clinton's betrayal, I have to acknowledge Joe Biden's betrayal. If I did would you then come back with a list of others that didn't have the integrity to stand up to George Bush and ask me one by one to denounce them?

Here are some questions for you:
Do you think the decision to invade Iraq was possibly the most disastrous decision in the last century?
Do you think George Bush was lying when he told us there were WMD in Iraq, the Iraq was building nuclear weapons, and that Iraq was aiding al Qaeda?
Do you think H. Clinton knew she was lying when she gave her famous speech that echoed the Republicans selling points for the war?
Do you think H. Clinton showed her lack of integrity at that important time?
Do you think she can be trusted now? If so, why?
Don't you think we can find other candidates that have integrity?

* This is a general statement, I am sure you are willing to clearly state your opinion regarding H. Clinton's integrity.

For the record, I condemn all that voted for the Iraq War, including John Kerry and Joe Biden. Some people claim there is not a difference between the major parties. Well this vote was a good opportunity to prove that wrong. To prove that the DEmocratic Party stood for principles and could stand up for the people. And bravo to those that stood up against the Oligarch's thirst for war and damn those that cashed in their integrity for whatever their excuse was. If we have no better choices than those that proved they have zero integrity, then we are already lost.

November 8, 2014

I got this right from the horses mouth. H. Clinton-Sachs will choose Goldman-Sachs as her running

mate. She has already gotten the nod from her pal Big J John Roberts. Hell if Corps are people, why can't they run for office.

If you don't believe this, just remember where I got it.