Matt Taibbi's brilliant OWS article should be required reading

[MaryKelly]

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/owss-beef-wall-street-isnt-winning-its-cheating-20111025

"These inequities are what drive the OWS protests. People don't want handouts. It's not a class uprising and they don't want civil war -- they want just the opposite. They want everyone to live in the same country, and live by the same rules. It's amazing that some people think that that's asking a lot."

[Fumesucker]

1. Recced, I was just about to post this, you beat me by seconds I think..

:hi:

[enough]

2. Agreed. Great article. (nt)

[Lucinda]

3. TY!

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. Warning on this: if you have high blood pressure issues.......

I had to stop reading halfway thru.
Nothing I did not know, but he lay it ALL on the table, again, and it still is overwhelming.

[Pacifist Patriot]

5. I agree. That is THE best article I've read on OWS yet. Hands down.

People who don't take the time to read it in its entirety are doing themselves a huge disservice.

[rurallib]

6. Welcome to DU, Mary Kelly. Great post.

[Tatiana]

7. Thank you for posting this. Will read later.

BTW, Welcome to DU :hi:

[redqueen]

8. Thanks for posting this.

K&R

[truebrit71]

9. Read and shared....best argument for OWS ever...

...

[Douglas Carpenter]

10. very good article!

[MADem]

11. Best sentence ever!

They want everyone to live in the same country, and live by the same rules. It's amazing that some people think that that's asking a lot.

[Enthusiast]

19. I agree.

[woo me with science]

12. K&R

[blm]

13. Thank you!

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/owss-beef-wall-street-isnt-winning-its-cheating-20111025


"These inequities are what drive the OWS protests. People don't want handouts. It's not a class uprising and they don't want civil war -- they want just the opposite. They want everyone to live in the same country, and live by the same rules. It's amazing that some people think that that's asking a lot."

[Raster]

14. Thank you for posting and WELCOME to DU!

:hi:

[phantom power]

15. "They just want a level playing field, and they want Wall Street to give up its cheat codes"

word :patriot:

[myrna minx]

16. Welcome to DU, Mary Kelly.

:hi:

[mrdmk]

17. From the files, 'bend-over and grab your ankles do we not understand!'

<from the link provided by the OP>

What this amounts to is the banks having, as allies, a massive armed police force who are always on call, ready to help them evict homeowners and safeguard the repossession of property. But just see what happens when you try to call the police to prevent an improper foreclosure. Then, suddenly, the police will not get involved. It will be a "civil matter" and they won't intervene.

The point being: if you miss a few home payments, you have a very high likelihood of colliding with a police officer in the near future. But if you defraud a pair of European banks out of a billion dollars -- that's a billion, with a b -- you will never be arrested, never see a policeman, never see the inside of a jail cell.

Your settlement will be worked out not with armed police, but with regulators in suits who used to work for your company or one like it. And you'll have, defending you, a former head of that regulator's agency. In the end, a fine will be paid to the government, but it won't come out of your pocket personally; it will be paid by your company's shareholders. And there will be no admission of criminal wrongdoing.

[Canuckistanian]

18. "Your average chimpanzee couldn't fuck up that business plan"

No kidding.

K&R

[Missy Vixen]

20. Just posted article on Twitter

I read an exchange between two romance authors yesterday on Twitter, touting Dave Ramsey. I know one of them well. It's all I can do to not send her the link personally, especially since she was mouthing off about how those in OWS "have no specific grievance". Ramsey's article stated that those who believe the rich should pay their fair share of taxes are "stealing" from those more "successful".

Considering the fact she's one of the 1% in her mind, color me shocked.

GREAT article.

[Delphinus]

21. Thanks!

and Welcome!

[mod mom]

22. Even Taibbi's headline summarizes a lot: "Wall Street Isn't Winning – It's Cheating"

[Tsiyu]

23. I have a wonderful friend with that name

One of the best peeps I know...in the whole wide world. :P



Welcome to the DU! :hi: And thanks for the link....bookmarking for later.

K&R

[trof]

24. Is that you, Mary?

OK, it's a fairly common name, but I knew a Mary Kelly in the 50s and 60s in Homewood, AL.
Anyway, welcome to DU.
K&R
:hi:

[valerief]

25. And the occupiers are giving their lives for that right. nt

[democrank]

26. K & R in solidarity

As usual, Matt Taibbi is right on the money.

[ejbr]

27. This is perfect. n/t

[Downwinder]

28. What he does not mention is,

that the 99% have to accept austerity to pay off the debts of the 1%.

[bdamomma]

29. K&R

[bdamomma]

30. what an article

Matt has the idea. and I certainly agree with his last comment.

"These inequities are what drive the OWS protests. People don't want handouts. It's not a class uprising and they don't want civil war -- they want just the opposite. They want everyone to live in the same country, and live by the same rules. It's amazing that some people think that that's asking a lot."

I thought this comment was pretty interesting too, I guess it's the "I'll wash your back if you wash mine" concept.

"At last count, there were 245 millionaires in congress, including 66 in the Senate".

[Chef Eric]

31. MT rightfully points out that we should all have to live by the same financial rules.

But it's a shame that he won't follow grammatical rules. How can he not know the difference between "their" and "they're"? That's third-grade English.

[ancianita]

32. It's the final word

on chiselers, gamblers and their henchmen.