Observations on the Insanity of the Elites and on the Progression of Corporatism

Let's first define one term.  By "Elites", I'm referring to those who are either super-rich, or in positions of super-power and/or influence, or both.  These people are in public or private positions, or both.  It's a general definition; there are always a few exceptions to any general rule.  The exceptions, however, do not invalidate the general statement.
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1.  We've had the National Security & Surveillance State since at least 9-11-01.  Yes, security is important; however, excesses in that field by the Elites have created a monstrous problem.  It is this:  the Fourth Amendment essentially has been eliminated.  Other constitutional guarantees of protection against an errant gov't have been seriously compromised as well.  The Elites have done all this by various means, but often it's by passing laws in the dead of night before any of our "Representatives" have had a chance to even read a particular law.  Those who originate these laws (e.g., The PATRIOT Act, FISA, the National Defense Authorization Act, etc.) seem to have the insane idea that even though the laws are in conflict with the Constitution, somehow they trump that document, which of course, is the Supreme Law of the Land.  We the People appear to be putting up with this nonsense.

Perhaps it's past time to recognize that the "Security" State is more concerned with security for the State as opposed to for us.  We are fast going toward a Hard Fascist State, and leaving behind the Soft Fascism which we've had for at least a decade or more.  Many people don't believe that because, I think, they associate Fascism mainly with the anomalous weirdness of the German Nazis & their obsession with the elimination of Jews.  Let's not forget Franco's Spain and Mussolini's Italy; they were more truly Fascist.  Fascism means the marriage of the power of the State to the power of Big Business.   It's a totalitarian rule by public & private Elites.  That's what we're rushing toward in the USA.

2.  Not since the Cold War with the old Soviet Union have we been so close to a nuclear war disaster in the world.  The current crop of politicians in DC seem to hold the insane view that:  (a) "tactical" nukes can be used without any significant, serious, long-term, detrimental consequences to humans and our planet; these business folks probably haven't had a science class since high school, & they are clueless on this subject; and (b) a "first-strike" war is permissible under the Constitution and International Law... not true.

Critics of this critique probably will say something to the effect of:  Iran, Russia, and especially North Korea are a distinct danger to us, and threaten us repeatedly.  Some of that is true, but not to any serious degree.  What those countries are doing, for the most part, is pushing back against our threats to them.  We have economic and financial sanctions against them (especially N. Korea & Russia).  Sanctions are an act of war.  The Bully-Boy US Gov't seems to believe it can act against any other gov't in the world (including allies) and there will be no blowback.  That's an insane belief.

As reported by the dissident, Noam Chomsky (on Democracy Now), not long ago N. Korea offered to sit down and talk about their stopping weapons-delivery testing in exchange for our Gov't lifting sanctions against their country.  Our DC politicians refused to even consider it.  Naturally, to my knowledge that whole business never was revealed by the Corporate Media.  I'm not defending N. Korea; I'm against any totalitarian regime.  The point is, our Gov't appears to be escalating the situation, rather than diffusing it.  Worse, with Buffoon Trump, the politicians now are talking about a first-strike...with a possible nuclear option.  That's unmitigated insanity.

3.  Our top-level politicians, including both Democrats and Republicans (and those in the Corporatist Cabinet), seem to have lost all common sense.  Here are just a few examples of that.

(a)  The Democrats keep harping on the concept of Russia "interfering with" or "influencing" the last election here.  They can't or won't face the fact that the real reason they lost the last election (& not only at the national level) is because We the People no longer buy into their Corporatist and/or Neoliberal crap.  Almost without exception, top-level Dems are shills for the Wall Street Casino Capitalists.  They truly do represent the Status Quo...which most Americans have no patience for anymore.  Dems whining about the Russians displays hypocrisy to the Nth degree.  Our Fed Gov't has a history of interfering with elections, influencing electoral outcomes, and even overthrowing democratically elected gov'ts.  During the Clinton Era, our Gov't made sure that Boris Yeltsin got elected in Russia.  Top-level Dems are insane to keep on with this Russian interference narrative.

(b)  Trump and the Corporatist/Neoliberal Repubs are in the process of making it easier for the Financial Sector, especially the monopolistic Mega Banks, to screw over the bottom 99% of Americans.  They are doing so by removing the paltry restraints on the Crony Capitalist, Mega Banks.  They are guaranteeing the next Bust in the Boom-Bust American Business Cycle.  We're right on the cusp of being overdue for that Bust, and they are hurrying it along.  They do this because, for the most part, the Super-Rich benefit greatly from such a Bust.  How?  It's simple:  during a major recession or depression, the Elites can buy up assets cheaply.  We've seen it over & over in our history.  For example, not long after the 2008 Crash, Mega Banks bought up smaller and/or troubled banks at pennies on the dollar.  The "Too-Big-to-Fail" Mega Banks grew by 37%.  During the Great Depression of the 1930's, super-large landowners and banks bought up small farms and a myriad of other assets at bargain prices.  Assisting that type of scenario, as the current Repub Corporatists are doing, is insanity.  It will further ruin our country and cause great suffering among the majority of us.

(c)  Similar to the point above, both Repubs AND Dems refuse to bring back the Glass-Steagall Act.  In my view, their refusal is because they are Wall Street shills.  If Mega Banks want to play at Casino Capitalism using bizarre financial derivatives, then they should do so with their own money, not ours.  That's just common sense.  Anything else is insanity.
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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Wall Street Loves the Iowa Winners

Even though the race between Clinton & Sanders arguably could be considered a tie, technically the multi-millionaire Clinton appears to have won.  Cruz, also a multi-millionaire, won on the Repub side.  [The Clintons, ~ $45 million total net worth; Cruz & his wife, ~ $3.5 million total net worth.]  SSDD.

Wall Street has contributed millions of dollars to both candidates.  Clinton has made more money giving speeches to Wall Street Banks than has husband Bill.  Cruz's wife works for Goldman Sachs.  SSDD.

Does all that prove anything?  No, but it is highly suggestive.  Each of those candidates is working hard to convince voters that he/she is a Populist.  The question arises:  why would Wall Street support a Populist candidate?  I can't think of one good reason.  In both 2008 & 2012, Wall Street gave more in campaign donations to Obama than to the Repub candidates.  Obama, the Corporatist who poses as a Populist.  Wall Street knows who's who...even today.  [I suppose one could argue that Wall Street conceivably could contribute to a Populist candidate in order to attempt to corrupt said candidate.  That was unnecessary in Obama's case; he already was a Corporatist.  His record proves that.]

It's too bad that the Corporate Media talking heads don't/won't ask all current candidates the following.
1.  Will you push for the reinstatement of Glass-Steagall in order to put a stop to Casino Capitalism in which Big Banks use our money with which to gamble?
2.  Will you push for the break-up of the monopolistic Big Banks?
3.  Will you push for stiff regulations concerning bizarre financial derivatives so that Wall Street gambling bets on them won't crash our economy as they did in 2008 and are doing now?  [Presently, massive oil derivatives are on the cusp of crashing the financial & economic systems again.  Never mind the derivatives on most all other commodities.  As a result, many (perhaps most) 401(k)s already have lost a few thousand dollars each.  SSDD.]
4.  Will you make a promise to NOT appoint Wall Streeters to Financial & Economic positions in your Administration?
5.  Will you promise to push for a full audit of the Fed Reserve?  [Wall Street pundits and the Fed itself often say that the Fed has been audited in the past...that's true, but it's always a restricted audit, never a full audit.  Trillions of dollars are unaccounted for.]

Too bad, indeed.  SSDD.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Obama and Financial Reform

Obama and the Democrats are telling lies again. They claim that the current financial legislation will reform the practices of the Wall Street Banksters. The Republicans, unfortunately, contribute to that myth by implying with their opposition that the legislation has significant weight.

In the last crisis, government intervention resulted in several mergers which caused the mega investment banks and commercial banks to become even larger. The current proposed "reform" does nothing to correct that. The OTC derivatives market, which grew from $95 trillion to $600 trillion in a short span of time, is now 95% controlled by our country's five largest banks**. The current proposed "reform" does nothing to correct that either. Most importantly, the current proposed legislation does nothing to separate the regular commercial banks from the Wall Street Bankster investment banks, as did the Glass-Steagall Act. In short, the current proposed legislation does nothing significant; it is designed to appear to be financial reform and protection. It's a fraud.

[** A note on derivatives---
The use of various derivatives can result in accounting fraud by the Banksters, thus allowing them to claim assets that essentially are worthless. The failure of the sub-prime loan market recently was only the trigger for the financial crisis; the basic cause was accounting fraud enabled by the use of some types of derivatives. $600 trillion of derivatives are still out there, and according to Senator Ted Kaufman, the five largest banks hold 95% of those.]

The only sane voice I've noticed regarding this issue is that of Senator Ted Kaufman. For a look at real financial reform (and a blistering criticism of the current package), Google him plus the words "financial reform". This guy seems to understand clearly that Obama, Reid, et.al. are just playing at reform; basically, they are protecting the mega banks.

I smell another Obama backroom deal in the making.