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October 5, 2008 at 09:42:49

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I Think We're Turning Chinese, I Really Think So.

by PeterJ Page 1 of 1 page(s)

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That's It! They've done it again. Our precious Barack Obama and his democratic posse in the Senate passed the bailout bill and saved the asses of the pitiful money-grubbing bastards who 'lost' seven hundred billion dollars by fudging figures from the bottom up to insure their own high salaries and bonuses.

I suppose Obama's feeling pretty secure these days--or the Republicans have finally managed to hit a nerve. Whatever the case, I know that if I saw an alternative candidate who wouldn't put McCain in the White House they'd get my vote. Up until now I felt that, although he was virtually unknown, Obama seemed to be a possible viable selection, a man who could be taken at his word and just might actually institute some degree of good change. The kind of change which would put an end to exactly what just occurred, welfare for the rich at the expense of the working class.

Two days ago I was feeling great. I was feeling a confidence I haven't felt in eight years. Congress finally, overwhelmingly, told the highest paid, lowest producing leeches to wake up and smell the coffee-- it's a new day. For once, people, with more money than they know what to do with and were caught with some inexplicable shortages, were going to have to do what we do when we get ourselves so deeply in debt that we have no other choice--file forbankruptcy and cut back on living expenses. The shortages are not innocent bookkeeping errors--they never are. They're the result of books and quotas being falsified right from the very bottom all the way up to the top. The reason they are falsified is so that managers, supervisors, CEO's, VP's and so on will be insured their large bonuses and perks. This can go on only so long before it snowballs out of control.

These companies are just the tip of the iceberg as these practices are as commonplace as screwing the workers with unlivable wages and pisspoor benefits packages. But, I thought, maybe that's all about to change. Obama just may be the real deal. Then, today I hear the Senate, with Barack Obama, signed the amendment with some minor changes. The changes consisted of more pages: a 110 billion dollar tax break for middle class businesses, a raise from one hundred thousand to two hundred and fifty thousand dollar cap on federal deposit insurance, and other minor conditions to dress it up like there was substantial change. Bottom line though, the people who created this large loss have been let off the hook with no real repercussions or explanations as to what caused the loss and exactly who benefitted from it. If I did, as an employee of a firm, what they did I would be guilty of embezzlement and imprisoned but because they are rich they go the way of OJ. Free and clear.

http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=2476

I am sick. All of this bullshit about how much this would have affected us, the middle class or as I like to call us, the working class of America. It is just plain old-fashioned garble. If these companies are allowed to run their course the only people on which there would be major impact are the CEO's and upper ranking management, the very same people who allowed this to transpire for the sake of their own salaries, bonuses and perks. If the government took seven hundred and fifty billion dollars and put it right into the economy at the lowest levels it would have had a much greater effect on the economy by way of my not yet famous " Trickle Up Theory".

That kind of money put into play by means of tax refunds to workers earning under one hundred thousand dollars a year would be used to pay off bills, buy more products in the way of electronics, clothes, automobiles, vacations, etc., increasing productivity (hopefully American) across the board which would reduce unemployment and increase wages. Need I go on?

These are the kinds of ideas which are immediately dismissed as not viable. They're not viable because it would be the first giant step in putting the economy back in balance. CEO's, managers, sales, (or as they like to be called "producers") and all of the other overpaid underperformers would have to start earning more believable salaries and benefit packages and actually share company profits--which are the results of workers who show up for work every day no matter how they feel and produce or manufacture good products or services. Now, I know that this is, to them, unthinkable. Why should they have to suffer so that these lowly workers can make more money. They make plenty of money and if they don't like it, well, we can just hire Mexicans who will be glad to do the jobs for less money.

This is where this bullshit has to end. This is where we need government intervention. We need caps on corporate salaries and bonuses and regulations on workers pay. Not a minimum wage law. We need regulations based on percentages, a system of balance so that every working American to make a reasonable living wage. It's about time that the American dream became a reality again. No more working 40-50, or more hours a week, for a pitiful $16,000 a year while management and CEO's see 50-100 times more.

The problem in this country boils down to one thing and one thing only. Greed. How much does one man need and when does the cost of that greed become unacceptable? Who is going to make that choice? Well, when it gets to the point that the greedy have come begging the people, the very people who they have been screwing all of these years in order to accommodate their greed, I believe that it's time for the people to make that choice and that, we did. The people petitioned the congress this week to NOT pass the bail out bill. For once, it looked like America. It seemed that we had an effect and that Obama and the congress heard us and did as we asked. Then, behind all of our backs, these very same people joined hands with McCain and his buddies and went right ahead and passed it, with some crap rhetoric which means nothing to anyone. I AM PISSED and so should you be, whether you signed that petition or were against the bailout.

I'm so angry at this moment that I can't even think of what to do now. I want to barrage Obama and the senate with Email. I want them to know how angry I am. I feel cheated, deceived. This is a perfect example of why we need campaign reform. No more direct contribution to party members, just one large campaign fund which is shared by all delegates in the running. Right now I'd really like to have a third viable choice.

Was someone holding a gun to his kids' head? Did Bush threaten a nuclear strike on Seattle if they didn't pay up? I wouldn't doubt the latter but I don't believe that's the case. One of the biggest problems that we have in this country is the total lack of responsibility. If we go broke then we're broke. If you have a small business and wind up a million dollars in the hole then you're going to have to file bankruptcy. The court will seize your books, designate your salary, settle with your creditors and monitor you until you can prove that you're capable of running your business, all at your own expense. Why is it any different for them? Don't give me that "It's going to negatively affect the whole country" crap. Like I said, it won't affect anyone but them and that seven hundred billion dollars injected into our economy would have worked wonders for us.

The bottom line is, if we're going to see change under Barack Obama , then now's the time to see it. Bailing out a pack of thieves who put themselves into one big hole with their ignorance and greed is not change. As Joe Biden would say, "It's just more of the same." Well Barack, now's the time to show us the money, show us all that change you've been shouting about. We working people are the most important people. We have to MAKE his words good or we need to take steps. WE need to, for one thing, stop claiming "0" on our Tax Claim forms we fill out each year. Claim "8" deductions and no money will be taken out of your paycheck. Then, at the end of the year, if the government hasn't played well with your tax dollars, don't file. They get no money. Taxes is what their power is. Let's not give them the power. WE are not sheep. Veiled promises of safety and comfort are nothing more than a tactic to get people to relax , just as the Chinese government has done with their people. It may be good enough for the Chinese but it's not good enough for Americans!

Together we will get through this. We have the Constitution on our side. They think they can change that, but we have more power than you realize. They know what power we have, that's why they're trying to take it from us. Let's use it while we have it.

Take action -- click here to contact your local newspaper or congress people:
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http://1bigdragon.blogspot.com/

I was born in 1951. I had the benefit of experiencing the na-vet- of the 50', The Ozzie and Harriet years, when Dad went to work in a suit and tie and Mom stayed home in high heals and an apron. Yea, that was life for me. I lived in a (more...)

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8 comments

Margaret Bassett

You've hit America's nerve

Thanks for the article.

by Margaret Bassett (45 articles, 2929 quicklinks, 43 diaries, 1885 comments [104 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Oct 5, 2008 at 9:44:25 AM

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Archie

I think

You can start to unravel the proverbial knot in your ideological knickers. This "bailout" is only the beginning of a change in the way America does business. Many other democratic capitalist countries have for many years had government owned for profit corporations. It was a way of making sure that ordinary people gained value from their publicly owned resources. These government owned corporations competed on an even basis with privately owned companies and prospered along with them. If the US must now join (these types of countries) in acquiring debt it should also acquire at the same time and as part of the same transaction, equity in the corporations being assisted. This way when everything settles down sometime in the future the people will own a good chunk of equity in many financial corporations which can be sold for profit or to recoup the funds laid out to save them.

by Archie (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1767 comments [113 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Oct 6, 2008 at 3:01:17 PM

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PeterJ

Really?

My proverbial knot is tied because the companies that we're investing in have displayed not only an inability to turn a profit but long chains of employees and corporate heads who have bilked not only the companies but their shareholders out of Billions of dollars. This isn't an investment that would be recommended by Mad Magazine nevermind Forbes.

One thing that should be mentioned is that the government hasn't been able to run itself in the black, how do you propose that we, the people, are going to make money with these nit-wits investing in a corporate environment? I don't know about the rest of the "investors" in this country but with the lack of responsibility, ingenuity annd intelligence demonstrated by our "leaders" and I use the term lightly, I don't want them investing my tax dollars in anything except the safety and security of this country, as it should be.

By the way, what other countries have successful corporate investments which serve their people well? Can you name me a few?

by PeterJ (16 articles, 3 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 236 comments [53 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Oct 6, 2008 at 5:17:20 PM

(0+)

Archie

Reply: Really

Well I can think of a few off hand, Mexico, Brazil, Canada, UK, Russia (of course this one is easy because the Russian state owned companies control most of the oil and gas resources). I also believe a number of Scandinavian countries have state owned for profit corporations.

by Archie (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1767 comments [113 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Oct 6, 2008 at 5:40:26 PM

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PeterJ

Reply: Really.

So, you'd like the United States of America to emulate the governments of Mexico, Brazil and Russia? How's that working out for those people?

I think that this goverment is too f*cked up to run itself, nevermind manufacturing or service industries. By the way, how's that Post Office working out these days? http://www.postcom.org/public/articles/2001articles/can%20the%20usps%20survive.htm

by PeterJ (16 articles, 3 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 236 comments [53 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Oct 6, 2008 at 5:55:17 PM

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Archie

Reply: Really really

I don't think your question was correctly phrased. We are not talking about human rights, democratic institutions or rule of law. We are simply discussing various methods of providing economic stability. One of the ways is for governments to own equity in for profit corporations and Mexico for interest receives 40% of its budgetary funding from its ownership of oil and gas. Brazil is rapidly finding the same wealth of funding from its resource ownership. Russia also. It is just one way but should not be ignored because it doesn't fit with current American ideology.

by Archie (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1767 comments [113 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Oct 7, 2008 at 2:20:06 PM

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PeterJ

Reply: Enough already

It's got nothing to do with ideology.

A country who's going quickly down the toilet is investing in companies with no assets who have gone down the toilet is not a thought for intellectuals to ponder. If these were Clinton times and the decisions were being made, not forced, by Clinton, perhaps I'd feel differently but since right now I trust no one, not Bush, McCain or Obama, since they all have the same objectives I don't believe that a government who has no money should invest in business with no money. Can I put it any simpler than that?

by PeterJ (16 articles, 3 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 236 comments [53 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Oct 7, 2008 at 2:33:30 PM

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