The Myth of Capitalism vs. Socialism re Reality

The Myth

There's only one general type of Socialism, and it's all bad/destructive.  [Such is the view of the Political Far-Right around the world.]  There's only one general type of Capitalism, and it's all bad/destructive.  [That's the view of the Political Far-Left around the globe.]  Neither assertion is true.  In each case, there are at least two types:  dictatorial, and democratic.

The Reality

First, let's look briefly at the USA.  My beloved Land is usually thought to have a purely capitalist economic system.  That's certainly the view of most people on the political Right, and probably the view of most on the political Left as well.  The fact is: ours is a Mixed Economy.  While it's primarily capitalist, it has many aspects of democratic socialism.  Here are several of those aspects:  PUBLIC roads; PUBLIC schools; PUBLIC water systems; PUBLIC sewer systems; PUBLIC museums; PUBLIC parks; PUBLIC health clinics; PUBLIC Zoos; the Social Security Administration; prison industries; and the V.A. health care system.  There's more, but you probably get the idea by now.  Also consider the following.

When people refer to "capitalism in the USA", precisely which version of that economic system is being referenced?  Is it Crony Capitalism?  Neoliberal Capitalism?  Disaster Capitalism?  Casino Capitalism?  Monopolistic Capitalism?  Oligarchic Capitalism?  [They all exist here.]  It most certainly is NOT Adam Smith Capitalism.  That's found mostly only in the arena of Small Business enterprises.  Mega Biz people engage in the other forms.  I doubt most of them even have read The Wealth of Nations.

Adam Smith considered himself more of a philosopher than an economist.  Nevertheless, he's lauded as the Father of Economics.  He favored the establishment of SMALL, competitive businesses, not Mega, monopolistic Biz.  He never used the term "capitalism"; instead, he referred to "commercial society".  Most importantly, he believed that economics was only one aspect of the human condition, and not the be-all and end-all of Life.  The full title of his famous book is An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations.  He was a Scotsman, and he changed the world.

Let's consider even more briefly the countries which adhere to democratic socialism, such as Norway***.  While they primarily may be socialistic in nature, from all I've read and heard about their economics, it seems to me they do embrace capitalism to a significant degree.  In other words, they each have a Mixed Economy.  I doubt many of their Powers-That-Be would deny it.

***Norway is the richest country in the world...not in aggregate financial wealth, but in the more accurate and comprehensive  measurement of per capita income.  It beats the USA in that regard.

Usually, in any "free world" country it's the Far Right and the Far Left folks who ignore the reality of their Mixed Economy.  They can't wrap their minds around such a concept maybe because it seems to contradict their ideology.  They are "True Believers", and nothing will do except pure capitalism or pure socialism.  Perhaps with age they'll realize that most things in Life are gray, not black or white.

😊😊😊😊😊

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Why Big Biz Backs Trump, and why Sustainability is feared by them all

Robert Reich explains it in a clip under three minutes long---

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LEnI9THvLA

One might guess it's about tax cuts and tax avoidance.  Yes, but it's also about blocking the path to Sustainability.  Many years ago, the Titans of Mega Biz realized they had to start talking-the-talk in regard to renewable energy, but walking-the-walk largely could be avoided IF they spent big bucks on politicians friendly to the economic status quo.  A bit later, they recognized that Sustainability involved a lot more than just transitioning to renewables.  It also meant reducing our energy use, being accountable for pollution, treating workers and consumers fairly, eliminating corporate welfare, increasing the social safety net, and more.

In the view of Mega Biz, the economic status quo was being threatened as never before.  So, both individually and collectively, the Titans decided to essentially buy more and more political influence.  They selected, groomed, and financed the majority of national political candidates.  Their degree of success in getting candidates friendly to their view varied, but almost always was at least somewhat on the mark...even with Democrats.

So, what was (and still is for the most part) the "economic status quo" back then?  Here it is in a nutshell:

1)  neoliberal capitalism (which is NOT Adam Smith capitalism); 

2)  deregulation, corporate globalization, & corporate welfare;

3)  bailouts for mega biz;

4)  banks too big to fail, or jail;

5)  reduced benefits for employees;

6)  reduced services to customers;

7)  job insecurity;

8)  treating pollutants as "externalities" (and not the responsibility of Big Biz);

9)  austerity for Main Street; and

10)  anything else which benefits Mega Biz at the expense of Main Street.

The status quo is pretty much the exact opposite of a sustainable economy and lifestyle.

The influence of the Titans has been massive, and has reached all the way to the Supreme Court of the USA.  The majority on that Court now are anti-healthcare, anti-EHS (environmental, health, & safety), anti-democracy, and anti-sustainability.  Whether that majority knows it or not, they are supporting Fascism - the marriage of the power of the State to the power of Mega Biz.

All the above is precisely why Big Biz backs the candidate who is the biggest embarrassment and danger in the history of the USA.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

This peril goes way, WAY beyond the Trump danger

Our Trump problem is like a bothersome gnat compared to this.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2n_Jk37cLE

Not only is democracy in peril, but so are social cohesion, cognition, a meaningful life, and Nature.  What's described here isn't only in the future; it already has started.  Politicians are doing little-to-nothing to get a handle on it.

The piece at the link above is about centralized A.I., augmented reality, networked tribalism, and how a few High Tech mega companies are using all that to mold the public mind.  It's about the Corporate Surveillance State manipulating the public into accepting something akin to neofeudalism.  If our "Leaders" don't decentralize A.I. as soon as possible, then it's highly likely Fascism (which is the Power of Big Biz married to the Power of the State) will rule societies all around the world.  China and Russia already are Fascist States.  More than likely, the USA soon will be (if not already) if A.I. isn't put on a short leash.  Only politicians can do that.  Even though they talk-the-talk, Big Biz won't do it. 

The danger of A.I. is not that machines will wind up killing us.  It's much, much more subtle a threat.  If you think you know enough about A.I., or if you believe it's all being handled, you're wrong.  If you have to watch this interview in stages, do so.  It will BLOW YOU AWAY.  Hopefully, you'll then be motivated to send the link to the staff of your political "representatives", and to everyone you know.  

The guy being interviewed, John Robb, is ex-military and an astronautical engineer, as well as a past consultant hired by numerous Fed Agencies on A.I. and network related issues.  He's been at that for about 30 years...and he's worried about all the above.  By the way, he's not all doom and gloom; his message winds up being positive (although, from an ecological viewpoint, a bit unrealistic in places).

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well & Be Aware

The Good Side of Nixon, the Scourge of Neoliberalism, & Why Climate Change is so Political

 All in less than six minutes---

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8MOJAMbzKs&list=WL&index=68

Believe it or not, Richard Nixon was good for our environment.  After him, though, things started going downhill.  That's especially true with Reagan's brand of neoliberalism.  From then up to present-day, eco-regulations have been diluted or scrapped outright, while politicians continue to favor the fossil fuel industry, factory farming, and Big Biz in general.  Once in awhile, they throw a bone to the health of our habitat.

Largely through Edward Bernays style propaganda, environmental issues have become politicized to the Nth degree.  Too many voters have been indoctrinated to believe that environmental laws and regulations are "socialism", rather than protection for our health and the health of our common habitat.  Surely they don't believe various industries would - on their own initiative - never pollute our air, water, and land, eh?  Surely those voters don't believe emitting 36 billion tons of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere per year (worldwide) is good for our habitat, eh?  If they don't believe those things, then why do they keep voting for politicians who apparently do believe such?  Here's a big reason why:  propaganda from Mega Biz and the politicians in their back pockets.

So, step one in shifting to a sustainable existence on Earth:  stop drinking the Propaganda Kool-Aid supplied by The Establishment.  Those who are serving it up are ecologically ignorant beyond the pale.  They are technocrats with little-to-no knowledge of Nature, and apparently zero knowledge of how our existence depends upon the proper functioning of natural ecosystems.

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Not only my opinion.  Take Care

"Oh-oh...who knew (???) besides UPS workers..."

Below is my latest email (greatly edited/expanded) sent to family and friends.

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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4e8jI_qzro

I hope they get a good contract without a strike.  99.9% of the multiple, multiple packages I get from Amazon per month are delivered by UPS.

This scenario is a good example of how Big Biz sometimes screws its employees in order to shift wealth to the Upper Crust.  Kudos to Main St. workers for fighting back.

Yes, companies should make a profit, no question about that; but making obscene profits harms society in the long run.  How/why?  Because such profits usually are the result of not treating workers fairly, cutting corners re safety (think Deepwater Horizon in 2010, among many other examples), damaging or destroying natural ecosystems (thus harming what sustains us), causing workers incredible stress re job security and a substandard living, and more.

All the above is one more reason why the USA is circling the drain in the sink of "glory days", and one more result of the Oligarchy getting more and more desperate as the so-called "American Empire" declines.  One possible solution to this particular scenario is to begin a long conversion of our economy to worker co-ops.  There's no good reason for workers not being the owners of a company.  A few such companies already exist here, and are doing well.  Some examples:  

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/insights/051316/6-successful-companies-are-employeeowned.asp#:~:text=The%20largest%20employee%2Downed%20company,WinCo%20Foods%2C%20and%20Brookshire%20Brothers

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Why is the Class War Accelerating in the USA and Elsewhere?

 Here's a large part of the answer---(the clip is only 6.5 minutes long)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJz3gPJ46kc&list=WL&index=71&t=23s

For over forty years, the Establishment has been favoring the upper 10% of income earners with tax cuts, tax loopholes which go unplugged, subsidies for big corporations, government contracts, lack of prosecution for wrongdoing, and more.  For the last few-to-several years, Main Street has become more & more aware of all that, and is finally pushing back with demonstrations, strikes, boycotts, and the like.  They have done so despite the fact that the Establishment often criminalizes those who peacefully object to being ripped off or exploited.  On top of all that...

The Super-Rich CEOs and corporations have realized what's happening to the American Empire - it's crumbling.  As a result of their realization, they now are making extra efforts to garner more wealth in order to further secure their future in the Post-American-Era.  Those extra efforts include increasing profits even more at the expense of workers, buying influence with politicians more than usual (they spent one billion dollars on the last mid-term elections), treating customers much like livestock (denying claims re faulty goods or services, ignoring safety concerns, etc.), buying back their own stock so shareholders get that money instead of workers, and in general, cutting corners to the max at the expense of Main St.

In addition, we have this...

https://www.democracynow.org/2023/5/24/jeffrey_sachs_defense_spending_us_debt

In the current "Debt Ceiling" talks, neither Biden nor McCarthy is mentioning or considering cuts to Defense spending.  The USA's spending on defense-related items constitutes 40% of the entire world's spending on such items.  Our Defense budget is larger than that of the next ten nations combined.  Most politicians in both major Parties support the concept of perpetual war.  So, the Defense budget is sacrosanct.  Plus, increasing taxes on the super-wealthy is not on the table.

Instead, the Repubs want to cut spending on items which benefit the poorest Americans.  Is that because they believe the Poor are undeserving of help?  If not that, what is it?  It can't be concern over fraud in some welfare instances.  Why?  Because they don't seem concerned at all about rampant mega corporation fraud.

All of the above has accelerated the ongoing Class War.  The bought-off politicians on both sides of the aisle largely are to blame.  So are many/most of the mega corporations and their Super-Rich CEOs.  If you agree, think hard before casting your vote in the next national election, and before buying another piece of manufactured rubbish made in China.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

This short article speaks for itself...

 and loudly.

https://inequality.org/research/blame-corporate-greed-for-inflation/?emci=f24e5327-b556-ec11-94f6-0050f2e65e9b&emdi=75fbb4b7-c656-ec11-94f6-0050f2e65e9b&ceid=6171896

Trickle-down economics does not work, except of course for the Upper Crust.  Why?  Because there's little to no trickle-down.  This is not rocket science.  It's as clear as a cloudless day.

In general, the neo-aristocrats of Mega Business appear to not care much about their workers, their communities, or overall society.  For the most part, they seem to care only about increasing their wealth.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Sustainability: Start at the Village/Town/City/COUNTY Level

https://steadystate.org/resisting-the-temptation-of-growth-at-the-county-level/  

and -

https://transitionnetwork.org/

Homo sapiens has been working on sustainability for planet Earth for at least thirty years or so.  Despite some progress (especially in Europe), we aren't close enough to where we should be.  National politicians all around the world seem to get side-tracked by neoliberal influences, which also inundate Main Street with "unlimited growth" propaganda.  So - often there's lots of hopeful talk at the national level, but action mostly becomes limited to kicking the can down the road.

The political Right here (in the USA) was co-opted decades ago, first by neocons, then by neolibs... and most of them on Main Street appear to be completely unaware of the coup.  They seem to think they're still in the "Conservative Movement".  That movement, started by Russell Kirk in the 1950's, is long dead.  The so-called conservatives of today are supporting an ideology which would be anathema to the original modern-day conservatives of the Kirk Era.  That ideology they're supporting is corporatist-globalist-neoliberalism, and it doesn't want to conserve much of anything, except for maybe Plutocratic Rule.  It's against Small Biz, anything rural, anything natural, and is working to utterly destroy Nature by  favoring infinite growth at any cost to our finite habitat.  Its goal is to have the entire world run by Big Biz Elites.  Forget family farms, the mom-and-pop corner store, and any kind of level playing field in the business-financial-economic-labor arena.  In general, neoliberals and the Super-Rich are against all of that.  

The kicker is this:  they finance most national political election campaigns.  That's why, in the USA, we've seen little progress toward sustainability over the past few decades.

The two links above show ways to get things rolling.  [Again, you have to copy and paste; the links are inactive.  As a Low-Tech or No-Tech person, I have no clue as to how to make them active.  Nor do I have the time to find out how.  I'm guessing Blogger makes them inactive in order to discourage people from leaving blogspot.  In my opinion, that's not a good idea.]

If I recall correctly, the Transition Movement (the 2nd link) started in the UK.  It is spreading to countries around the world.  Kudos!  From the ground up is the way to start, rather than from the top down.  The top won't budge much at all until the bottom level starts a groundswell.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Companies Claim to Have Gizmos With Artificial Intelligence

IBM (and a few other companies) claim to have created AI.  That's unadulterated hogwash.  AI does not presently exist...unless it has been created secretly (probably by the Fed Gov't, perhaps DARPA) and is known only to a select few.  To be an AI creation, a gizmo would have to be aware of itself as a separate being.  In other words, it would have to be a sentient being.  A machine that can memorize data is not an AI being...not even close.

Those false claims by IBM and others are illustrations or examples of how Orwellian our society has become.  Cognitive dissonance often stresses us because of the way in which words are used today.  Newspeak, oldspeak, doublethink, crimestop, thoughtcrime, facecrime, etc.---or similar ideas--- seem to be fast becoming accepted concepts.  Lies, propaganda, and with Trump, gaslighting, all have become commonplace with many politicians and many people in Big Biz.

Whether purposely or inadvertently, the State-Military-Corporate Complex makes use of Orwellian methods to manipulate the public.  Those methods, plus Bread & Circuses, enable the Plutocrats to confuse and distract those of us on Main Street.  For our own good, we need to recognize such things and whenever possible, shun the perpetrators.  We are many; they are few.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The BIG Lie

About a month or two ago, Trump & Crew, Big Biz, & the Corporate Media claimed that one of the main reasons our economy is "recovering" was this:  wages have increased 2.9% (I forget over what time span).  Here's what they left out--- price inflation is now at about 2.4%...and rising.  

In addition, the Bond Market is collapsing, the Stock Market is still (despite corrections) overvalued partly or mostly because Corps. are buying back their own stock (thus falsely inflating its value), Debt is increasing (our Public Debt is now well over $21 trillion & rising rapidly, while total public & private USA Debt is a bit over $70 trillion), there are 27 million part-time workers in the USA, half of all the workers here make less than $32K per year, the IMF has launched a 10-year program to replace the Dollar as the world's reserve currency, housing rentals are sky-high, the home-owner Housing Market is in a giant Bubble, and Mega Banks continue to gamble with bizarre financial derivatives...thus continuing the Casino Capitalism that resulted in the 2008 Crash.  Meanwhile, Trump & Crew are busily reducing regulations...especially those on the Financial Sector.

The next Crash---meaning, the next transfer of wealth to the top echelon of the Upper Crust---is both overdue and unavoidable.  Ever since the 1973-1975 Recession, we've had an economic/financial Crash every 7-12 years.  The next one looks to be larger than any since (& including) '73-'75.  There's no reason at all to believe that the Boom-Bust Cycle is suddenly going to stop.  There are many reasons to believe that the next Crash will be the worst in at least the last 45 years. 

Be prepared.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

We're Voluntarily Heading to the Brave New World

Below is my response to a forwarded, satirical email from a dear friend.  In that piece of satire, a caller is ordering a pizza from what turns out to be "Google Pizza" instead of "Gordon's Pizza" .  As the conversation proceeds, the customer is amazed to discover that the business knows the caller's pizza-ordering history, medical history, finances, etc., etc.  The header of the forwarded email is:
"This could be where things are heading.

                                                                      .... Partially there now?"

My response has been edited for this venue...in particular, the last four paragraphs have been added.

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We're probably HALFWAY (or more) there already.  Plus, people who have this small electronic tower (I think one is called Alexa, or something) in their homes that they request things of, and that listens to the household even when it's turned off, are flat-out crazy...or maybe merely not thinking clearly.  

Employees at some company recently agreed to have electronic chips embedded in their hands (or maybe some other part of the body...can't remember).  There certainly are some advantages to having "chipped" humans (e.g., opening restricted doors, finding lost kids, kidnapped people, etc,), but the dangers far outweigh the benefits. Imagine what an errant gov't or company could do with such tools.

How people cannot see the danger of these things is completely beyond me.  We seem to be voluntarily heading into the Brave New World.  All because these gizmos supposedly make life "easier" & "more convenient".  The whole thing is just plain nuts... chips in humans, SMART HVAC systems, SMART household appliances, SMART cars, SMART anything, including---Hello--- SMART phones.  They're all hackable, by individuals or by institutions public and private.  Privacy not only is at risk, but privacy also is starting to be treated as some sort of anti-social sin.  The former is bad enough, but the latter is even more dangerous.

The Corporatists---the Powers-That-Be---want to eliminate privacy as much as humanly possible.  They appear to believe that's a very good thing.  As a corollary, it seems they want people who seek solitude to be thought of as anti-social (in a harmful way), off-kilter, perhaps even mentally ill or dangerous.  The Corporatocracy is working toward having us all in a closely-watched herd, or a series of such herds...because herds are easier to manage than free-thinking individuals.  In a still relatively free society such as ours, the Powers-That-Be can't rely on massive brute force to control us, so instead, they use Edward Bernays style Propaganda--- molding the public mind--- and maximum surveillance.  History shows those have been very effective.

All the above must be peacefully resisted if we are to retain any semblance of freedom.  Protect your privacy as much as possible.  Avoid "tracking" of your activities whenever possible.  Speak up against the War on Cash (the War on Un-tracked Transactions).  Avoid surveillance whenever possible.  Gov't AND Big Biz have no business whatsoever in tracking our activities unless we are suspects in a crime.  But they have adopted the attitude that everyone should be tracked and/or surveilled.  That's a direct violation of the Fourth Amendment.  According to the Fourth, the people are to be "secure in their persons, houses, PAPERS and EFFECTS" (emphasis added) unless there's "probable cause" and a properly obtained, specific, and signed Warrant.  The NSA hasn't observed that in decades...and the Big Boys in the Telecom Industry have assisted the NSA in constantly recording our emails & phone calls...1.5 billion emails per day are recorded in the USA.  The Snowden documents revealed that the NSA has a program (can't recall the name of it) the goal of which is to record "everyone, everywhere".

At times, a few "Conservatives" have said to me, "If you're not doing anything illegal, why should you care?  What do you have to hide?"  Are you kidding me?  1. What the NSA is doing in that regard is unconstitutional, and thus illegal.  2. No one needs to justify wanting & protecting privacy...it's a Natural Right.  3. There's a definite danger in relinquishing your privacy; the info obtained easily can be used against anyone who is a critic of the Gov't (or some Mega Company), especially by any rogue element within the Gov't (or Corporation)...and you would most likely never know who did the deed that ruined your life.  And all that could happen to individuals who never broke the Law.

Do I really have to remind everyone of McCarthyism?  Why in the world do you think the Fourth Amendment was created...perhaps to protect you from an errant Gov't?  Hello.  It slays me that "Conservatives" rail against "Big Government", and yet for the most part, fully support the massive NSA---many, many times larger than the CIA---and its illegal, unconstitutional activities (I'm not saying all their activities are such).  Do you support the Constitution, or not?  You can't have it both ways and still be ethically consistent...or even make any common sense.
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Not only my opinion.  Happy Trails

Message to President Obama

https://www.credomobilize.com/petitions/stop-the-nuclear-weapons-hypocrisy

[This campaign may not be approved by CREDO; they tend to think that Obama is a Populist, not what he really is, a Corporatist.]

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Ten Steps for Instituting Corporatism in a Society

This is from the superb documentary, "Requiem for the American Dream", with Noam Chomsky.  Chomsky often is regarded as a socialist, or even (especially by some on the political Right) as a communist; in reality, probably the closest thing to his political beliefs is a specific type of anarchism---anarcho-syndicalism, a type of direct democracy.  In any case, in the film mentioned above he shows in great detail how Corporatism essentially has taken over America, and how both the Right and the Left have been duped.  He refers to the ten points in my title as the "10 Principles of Concentration of Wealth and Power"---

1.  Reduce democracy.
2.  Shape ideology.
3.  Redesign the economy.
4.  Shift the burden.
5.  Attack solidarity.
6.  Run the regulators.
7.  Engineer elections.
8.  Keep the rabble in line.
9.  Manufacture consent.
10.  Marginalize the population.

Rich in detail and historical news clips, the documentary shows how Mega Business has manipulated American society through means such as Propaganda, Financialization, Lobbying, Consumerism, Crony Capitalism, political ideologies, undue influence, etc. to the point where genuine participatory democracy is pretty much long gone.

Apologies for the brevity of this piece, but I don't have the time or energy to adequately detail each of the ten points.  See the film; currently it's on Netflix, and probably found elsewhere online as well.  It shows exactly how a bloodless coup has taken place in the USA.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The Financial Coup in the USA is Almost Complete

First, again I must state that this Coup is not any kind of massive, dark "conspiracy".  It's more like a bunch of greedy control freaks, a few of whom probably are well-meaning, working mostly independently toward a mutual goal---Global BIG Business as the governing force in the world.  Their tools are Edward Bernays style Propaganda, so-called "Free Trade" Agreements, and institutions such as the WTO, the IMF, the Bank of International Settlements (owned by national Central Banks), Central Banks, the G-20, the G-20's Financial Stability Board, numerous mega multi-national corporations, and the like.  Some of their members have referred to the rest of us as "the little people".  Such is their mindset.

Since the 1970's at the very least, this Juggernaut of Crony Capitalists has been shifting our economy from one of manufacturing to one of Financialization.  In that ongoing process, Middle Class jobs have evaporated, their replacements have been lower-paying & less secure, the incomes of the Super-Rich have increased exponentially, the dollar has been debased to an obscene degree, the Poor have become poorer, and our great Land has rushed at great speed toward NeoFeudalism.  The minions of the Crony Elites, the DC politicians (of both major Parties), have become millionaire "public servants".  A few exceptions to that do exist...but not enough.

These Crony Capitalist Elites make up what Bill Moyers and others refer to as the Shadow Government.  Their footprints are everywhere...all you have to do is look.  For example, CitiGroup (CitiBank) lobbyists wrote the draft of an Amendment to the last big DC spending bill that essentially rolled back some of the Dodd-Frank protections against the illegal & unethical practices of the Financial Sector.  The legislative banking "reforms" wound up being window-dressing...a joke.  Another example--- not long after the 2008 Financial Crisis, the Fed Reserve made available (in virtually zero-percent loans) to several mega banks the same total amount of money as was spent by the Fed Gov't from the Revolutionary War up to the 2008 Crisis.  Think about that for a moment...trillions of dollars.  One estimate is twelve trillion; another is $13.1 trillion.  Did those banks then use that money to make loans to small businesses, or help the economy in other ways?  Essentially, no.  Some of the windfall was loaned back to the Fed Gov't...the banks bought U.S. Treasuries (bonds) & are receiving at least quadruple the amount of interest that they are paying for the loans.  Some of the windfall was used to buy physical precious metals which now are stockpiled in mega bank vaults.  Some of the windfall was used to continue placing gambling bets on bizarre financial derivatives.  Some of the windfall was simply "banked".  None of the foregoing produced any jobs for the economy.

So now in 2016, we're basically in the same boat as we were in 2007.  The difference is that the Asset Bubbles and the Debt Bubble all are much larger than in 2007.  Plus, crude oil is tanking.  Plus, China is deflating.  Plus, the Fed Reserve essentially is out of ammo.  Plus, the Derivatives Bubble is estimated to be $1.5 quadrillion.  Plus, wages basically still are stagnant.  [51% of American working families make $30K per year or less.]  Plus, mega companies are buying back their own stock, thus posting phantom earnings in order to prop up their stock prices.  Plus, the real unemployment rate is estimated to be somewhere between 20% and 43%.  And on & on.

The goal seems to be to destroy our Financial System and our Economy...to be replaced by who knows what.  In the meantime, the Super-Rich are getting richer...and richer...and richer.  Almost nothing is "trickling down".  Also in the meantime, there's a War on Cash...a move to only digital "money".  If implemented, that will be the end of any semblance of privacy.  As to the U.S. Constitution, forget it... for the most part, it's long gone.  DC politicians violate it on an almost daily basis.

For ways to peacefully combat this entire obscenity, see a few of my previous posts.  More ways to come in the near future.  Forget voting at the national level...presently at least, that won't solve a damned thing.  The last forty years or so prove that; Democrats & Republicans have led us to where we are today.  They've both individually held the majority Power at different times.  SSDD.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Two Ways to Fight the Crony Capitalist Corporatocracy

I believe it was the NYT best-selling author, John Perkins, who coined the term "Corporatocracy" some years ago.  [See the book, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man.]  There's no question that we live in and under the Rule of Corporatism...in government, in international matters, in the Financialization Movement, and even in social matters.  Some people are fighting back...peacefully.

Here are two admittedly small ways---specific methods---to fight the Corporatocracy.  I'm of the philosophy that every little bit eventually helps.

1.  Boycott Apple Computer.  No, not because of the FBI thing...Apple happens to be correct in that case.  Boycott them because that company doesn't make one single product in the USA.  All those manufacturing jobs have been shipped overseas by Apple.  That won't change until we Americans show the company that there's a painful price to pay for such action.

In Apple's defense and in fairness, I must point out that corporations are required by law (thanks a lot Dems & Repubs) to maximize profits for their shareholders.  But here's the thing--- forcing them via boycott to bring manufacturing back here (thus paying higher wages & reducing profits) is far better for them than reducing sales by a significant percentage...or going bankrupt.  Is Apple the only company manufacturing out-of-country?  Of course not.  Let's identify the others and do the same to them.  Politicians aren't doing anything about it; it's up to We the People.

2.  Start raising a significant portion of your own food.  See the "Urban Homestead" documentaries & interviews on YouTube...6,000 pounds of food per year on 1/10th of an acre...the guy is a genius.  So, too, are his family members.  For specific instructions on Container Gardening (Indoor/Deck/Porch/Patio/Balcony Gardening), see my clips on same at youtube.com/user/scotthaley12 .

This is a way to tell Monsanto and other gross companies to go to hell.  Same thing for Mega Corporate Factory Farm Agriculture and Mega Corporate Food Manufacturers.  In conjunction with raising a good portion of your own food, patronize local farms and farmers' markets in your area.  Even in big cities, you should be able to find some sort of Farmers' Market Co-op or the like.  Years ago, there was a Movement whose theme was "Small is Beautiful".  It is.
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This is how you fight Corporatism---through boycotts and one yard/deck/balcony/porch/patio at a time.  It's not flashy, it takes time, and perhaps small sacrifices...but it can be effective if enough people do it.  If we don't restore the dominance of Manufacturing over Financialization in this great Land, the Middle Class will completely disappear and those on the lower rungs of the economic ladder will be forever condemned to poverty.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The Bright Side

Politics in the USA has been in an overall (some "ups", but mostly "downs") decline ever since at least 1956.  Thanks to Mr. Benson's American Gov't class in Highland Park, Illinois, that's when I began keenly observing it.  As far as I can tell, the same decline is to be found in most developed countries.  Oligarchies rule.  With the help of Crony Capitalist BIG Business, politicians are accelerating our slide into NeoFeudalism...at a blistering pace.

The bright side of all this is that everyday people everywhere are rapidly becoming fed up with the situation.  The Rigged Game has become so obvious that not even constant Edward Bernays style Propaganda can conceal it anymore.  Change is coming.  It won't come from within the current System...Oligarchs will never allow that.  It won't (and shouldn't) come from violence.  That's because most people realize that any such activity in this day and age would be crushed almost instantly...and would result in a Police State even harsher than what we have now.  It won't come from elections---at least, not presently---because those are rigged in a somewhat subtle way.

The Change, which is underway now, will come ultimately in a very "American" way--- from massive expression of public opinion, peaceful protests, boycotts & shunning by both organized groups and independent individuals, and steady application of all that over time.  There will be setbacks, but eventually the current Rigged System will collapse due to outside, peaceful pressure.  There is no other way that makes any sense.

How will this be accomplished...specifically?  All I can do (other than my own boycotts and writings) is  make suggestions***...which I've been doing for about nine years on this Blog and for about a year or so on my YouTube Channel.  If you don't care for those, then come up with others.  History is on our side.
***Here's only one--- Don't vote in national elections...all that does presently is perpetuate the Rigged Game.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Four Things You Need to Know About Neoliberalism

1.  It's not new and it's not liberal.

2.  It's sweeping over the entire world.

3.  It's a political and economic philosophy favoring the Rich & Powerful at the expense of the rest of us.      [Essentially, at its core, it's Crony Capitalism, AKA, Fascism.  Both FDR and Mussolini defined Fascism as the power of BIG Business married to the power of the State...an almost perfect description of Neoliberalism.]

4.  Here in the USA, it is subscribed to by almost all high-level Republicans AND Democrats.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

"An Economy for the 1%: How Privilege and Power...

in the Economy Drive Extreme Inequality and How This Can Be Stopped".  That's the title of a new Oxfam America report.  From the Report and as reported on Democracy Now, the 62 richest billionaires in the world (a majority of them in the USA) now are as wealthy as the poorest 3.6 billion people worldwide combined.  The inequality is due primarily to:  deregulation (i.e., Crony Capitalism), privatization (more Crony Capitalism), and offshore tax havens (even more Crony Capitalism).  [Those are key components of Neoliberalism...which is subscribed to by most Democrats and Republicans (at the highest levels) here in the USA.]

In one such tax haven, the British Virgin Islands (population 24,000), there are 800,000 shell corporations associated with real corporations from around the world.  Anxious to get in on the action, there also are a total of fifty banks there.  Here in the USA for the last 20 years, politicians have talked about closing the loopholes in the Tax Code that allow tax havens.  In that timespan, there have been periods when both the Repubs and the Dems each have controlled Congress separately.  Nothing has been done.  Lobbyists.  More Crony Capitalism.  Democrats and Republicans both are to blame.

Some here would argue that the corporations need every break they can get, and that allows them to expand and create more jobs.  It's the old "Trickle Down Theory of Economics".  Unfortunately, nothing much is trickling down anymore.  The tax avoidance wealth is either being held offshore, or being used to close, dismantle, & ship factories out of the country, or buy/lease existing factories in another country, or raid companies here & the downsize them, or invest in bizarre financial derivatives, or in foreign currencies, or in foreign bonds, or in a number of other ventures that also create zero jobs in the USA.  So much for the Trickle Down argument.  Mega Corporations seem to rarely invest in their communities anymore (or even in the USA); instead, they move their operations to wherever the labor is the cheapest.  Apple Computer is a prime example:  they don't make even one of their products in this country...not one.  Remember that the next time you buy something from Apple.

Meanwhile, the Middle Class here shrinks, wages essentially are stagnant (& have been for 30 yrs), our manufacturing base rapidly is disappearing, jobs are becoming more & more inferior, employee benefits are shrinking, and the income of the Upper Crust has increased 700% in the last thirty years.  Plus because of the crashing economy, in 2016 alone many 401ks already have lost from $2,000 to $6,000.

While eight million jobs here evaporated after the 2008 Crisis, the Mega Banks grew by 37%, significantly increasing their profits.  At the same time, their Executives avoided prosecution for what was blatant FRAUD during the time leading up to the Crisis.  More Crony Capitalism.  Politicians know on which side their bread is buttered.  SSDD.

NeoFeudalism is well on its way to being here.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

This is Not Free Market Capitalism

This will be short.  For decades, I've been an informal student of economic systems, and in particular, Free Market Capitalism.  From all I've read and seen, there is no such thing in the world today.  Perhaps in the days of Adam Smith (the 1700's) it existed, but no longer.  Even in the mid-to-late 1800's, during and shortly after the Industrial Revolution began, Free Market Capitalism was gone.  That can be shown quite easily.

1.  The great railroad barons, such as Cornelius Vanderbilt and Jay Gould, essentially were given large tracts of land on both sides of the rail tracks by the Gov't.  That's not Free Market Capitalism (FMC)...it's Crony Capitalism.
2.  The tycoon banker, J.P. Morgan, sometimes would lend vast sums of money to the Fed Gov't.  That's not FMC either.  That's also Crony Capitalism.
3.  The great steel entrepreneur, Andrew Carnegie, was known by his critics as the "Crony Capitalist".

Today in the USA, and all countries with an intrusive central bank, Free Market Capitalism does not exist.  The proof of that is simple.  When interest rates essentially are set by central planning bureaucrats in, for example, the Fed Reserve--- instead of by the Market--- that's not Free Market Capitalism.  The fact is, we have a Mixed Economy in the USA.  So do almost all "democracies" in existence, including the social democracies (or democratically socialist countries) in Scandinavia and the rest of Europe.  I'm not saying that's good or bad; it's simply a fact.

My point here is this:  I believe Capitalism is a great economic system, but Free Market Capitalism is no more.  I'm really tired of the so-called "Right" claiming they practice FMC (as opposed to "Socialism"), and the so-called "Left" claiming that most of our ills are due to "Capitalism".  Neither one is correct.  Some of what Big Business practices is Capitalism, some is Crony Capitalism (aka, Fascism), and some is Socialism.  The same is true of our Gov't.  As to the Left's claims, many or most of our ills are due to Crony Capitalism and super-huge companies that may as well be monopolies.  That means the Gov't (Republicans AND Democrats) is partially responsible.

We definitely live in a Mixed Economy.  For example, we do have some Capitalism (mostly in the SMALL Business sector), but we also have not only the Fed Reserve interfering with the Money Market, but we have the V.A. Health Care System (a good thing), as well...which is pure socialized medicine.  The patients go to Gov't clinics/hospitals where they are treated by Gov't employees who use Gov't equipment and Gov't-purchased medicines.  Except for a small co-pay, it's all paid for by the Gov't.

Capitalism is here to stay, but it's not Free Market Capitalism.  It's a mixture of this and that.  Even China is embracing Capitalism to some degree.  Russia is now Crony Capitalism gone wild.  So to those on the Right, I would suggest this:  stop complaining about Socialism; we've had some degree of that in this Land for a long, long time.  To those on the Left, I would suggest:  stop complaining about Capitalism; it works, we've had some degree of it for a long, long time, and the problem is Crony Capitalism.  If you know what that means, then you know that the Gov't is a big part of the problem.

Not only my opinion.  Be well

 

Part II: "Fixing" Our Government [Redux]

I posted this (below) about four months ago.  With a few very, very minor changes, I'm re-posting it now because I think it's important relative to the Kabuki Theater electioneering presently taking place.  [Sorry, but the format didn't copy correctly, and I don't have time to fix it.]

Below is my response to an email I received from some friends.  In their email, they talked about the importance of the right to vote, and the fact that they weren't clear on what my solution was to the problem of our governmental (& economic) mess. 

I suspect that you guys still think 

the Rotten System can be corrected from within the system.  If that were true, then it would be corrected by now... especially given that we've had at least 100 yrs to do so.  Keeping you in that Rigged Game is a huge part of the Propaganda.  Currently, voting at the national level is a complete waste of time, and more importantly, it perpetuates the Rigged Game.  That will change only when changes from outside the system force changes within the system.

As to clear answers on what to do, I agree with you, but only up to a certain point.  I think 

this is pretty clear: "As long as Americans stay stuck in this Repubs v. Dems charade, that all 

will continue.".  And this:  "...the very first step in "fixing" our Gov't and 

overcoming the Coup of Neoliberalism is this:  somehow we have to destroy and/or expose 

Edward Bernays style Propaganda.".  ["somehow" would include writing, talking, songs, other 

Art, discussions, websites, formal speeches, ads, flyers, and especially, organizing.] This stuff will 

not happen overnight, if at all.  

And this is clear: "Don't vote at the national level.".  The 

Establishment has to be shown that We the People are in charge.  When we vote, they know 

we're not.  I know, that sounds counterintuitive, but it's true.  [The Rich & Powerful select, 

groom, & finance probably 99% of all candidates at the national level.  The remaining 1% are marginalized by the corrupt system.  

So, how does voting 

help correct that?]  The top-down, dictatorial Republican & Democrat Parties (along with the Corporatocracy) will select 

total Yahoos for Presidential candidates in the next election.  Any 3rd Party doesn't have a 

chance in hell because of Propaganda, the Corporate Media, & harsh ballot-access laws.  

How does voting help correct that?  I'm serious.  Voting perpetuates the problem.

I don't know the complete solution to the problem, but I'm fairly certain of where to start.  

The Propaganda of the Neoliberals must be exposed...that's 1st.  Then, peaceful activism 

outside the Rotten System must be organized & instituted.  That means either 

individually, or in groups, or both, we have to boycott, demonstrate, & otherwise protest.  

That can be done any number of ways... it doesn't necessarily mean marching down the street 

with banners held high.  Many things can be done quietly & anonymously... e.g., boycotts of 

Mega Banks (who finance corrupt politicians).  Even in a dictatorship, public opinion matters; 

but making it matter requires hard work & solidarity.  Right now, Americans are so 

fragmented that it's no surprise we're essentially beaten.

There are many, many obstacles to solving America's mess.  One is that too many of us 

think that things can be solved fairly quickly... by voting, for example.  I don't have a lot of 

hope that Americans ever will overcome the Neoliberalism Coup, or even understand what 

that is.  But I keep writing & making vids... because I have very young grandchildren, & fear 

for their future.  NeoFeudalism is almost upon us.  Voting won't stop it.

Not just my opinion.  Be Well