Posted on 01/15/2009 4:23:03 AM PST by grey_whiskers
Wall Street, it is said, is driven by the swing of the pendulum between two extremes -- excessive greed and excessive fear. And we have had plenty of greed, with the Dot-Com boom, followed by the mortgage boom.
Each of these has been followed by a bust. The Dot-Com bust, together with 9-11, led the powers-that-be to try to re-stimulate the economy by artificially lowering interest rates, to the lowest level in a generation. This was combined with strong pressure on the lenders to make housing affordable for *all* Americans -- including, apparently, those who had no business borrowing in the first place. And now, to borrow a phrase from the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, "America's Chickens...are coming home...to ROOST!"
The question is, who is responsible for this? Some shadowy cabal of bankers? The Bush Administration, pandering to the foreseen (and encouraged) wave of illegal immigrants, whose future votes were being counted? Congress, fattened on campaign contributions and sweetheart deals?
The answer, I believe, is "All and None." Let us take a step back and look at a few seemingly unrelated topics, which may help us to get a handle on this. First, instead of Wall Street, which is driven by greed and fear, let's go over to Madison Avenue, which promotes greed and fear (and the other seven deadly sins) in order to move products. Everything from sexual insecurity (the now-defunct Smilin' Bob and Enzyte, K-Y Jelly, Cialis, and finally Valtrex for the resultant herpes), to food (Fast Food, Potato Chips, Beer, Soft Drinks, then NutriSystem and Bowflex to eliminate all the extra fat), to buying what we can't afford (Hummer, Lexus, MasterCard, American Express, and then credit counseling or Pawnshops to try to recover); all is paraded before us. With an array of badgering and bullying, seeking our emotional weak points, with the promise that if we only purchase *this* product, forsaking all others, we will be happy.
And how do we pay for all of these items? Or at least, how *should* we pay, since conservatives don't approve of bailouts? Out of our wages. We perform a function or service, we sell, we earn a payment in token of our labors. And we exchange this payment for goods and services which we choose. And the point here is, except for recessions and layoffs, our money, and our labour, is freely given, and renewable. "Another day, another dollar."
Now let us consider yesterday's man of the hour, onetime Vice President, Nobel Prize winner, and self-proclaimed prophet of doom, Al Gore. He is primarily famous for two things: unsuccessfully trying to sue his way into the White House, and of course, Global Warming. (Many parts of the US and of Europe are experiencing their coldest weather in over a decade as we speak; and Arctic Sea Ice has recovered to 1979 levels.)
The interesting thing with Al Gore (as with many liberals) is his incurable habit of projection. When he was ranting and raving about the unfairness of the election results ("He Played on Our Fears! He BETRAYED this country!") he was quite literally explaining his plan for eliminating global warming. The United States, as the world's foremost polluterTM, must give up its dependence on fossil fuels, large cars, and a comfortable lifestyle. You peons should be more like the Europeons -- drive small cars for short distances, and learn to enjoy walking, bicycling, and living in small, cramped, uncomfortable, and ancient hovels. We, your beneficient overlords, are naturally exempt, because we *deserve* the finer things in life as a reward for being so selfless as to take care of you.
The same appeal as with Madison Avenue, alternately cajoling, mocking, and bullying. And all to separate us from something we have, and the speaker wants.
Only this time, it's not just our money, which is renewable. It is our way of life, our FREEDOM.
And this brings us back to the economic mess, the bailout, and the election of Barack Obama.
As it turns out, there are a couple of Columbia University professors, named Cloward and Piven, who, back in the 60's, came up with a methodology to encouragea socialist takeover of the United States. Not just by hippie peace marches, nor by Soviet bombing, but by a gradual encroachment. Their methodology has come to be known as the "Cloward-Piven" strategy, and it explains why life in the US has (in many ways) continued to get steadily worse over the past 40 years or so. The idea is that people do not give up their power or their freedom willingly, except in one case. And that is when there is a crisis or an emergency. So, to an enterprising socialist, what is the best way to gain power? Why, *create* a crisis, of course. Then, when the mass of people are frightened enough, they will cede power and freedoms to the government. And then, you see, under the guise of bureaucracy, ineptitude, or accident, one can use the new powers to...create *another* crisis. Which will lead to the usurpation of more power.
Apply, lather, rinse, repeat.
There is one other step in this process. Remember the famous quote "the capitalists will sell us the rope we will hang them with"? All you have to do is wave -- not even dollars, just the promise of dollars -- in front of capitalists, and they stop thinking with their heads, but start thinking out of greed. The Wall Street crowd, the investment bankers, soon, most of the financial industry, all found ways to get rich off of the selling of mortgages to those who could never pay back. Simply come up with a clever way of selling the mortgages to someone else, and then you never have to worry if the mortgages default. Right? And just in case, the bankers bought *insurance* against the possibility of default.
There was one little hole in the plan, though.
They got carried away by their own greed -- when everyone started selling the bad mortgages, soon there was nobody left to buy them.
With no buyers, the artificially-inflated prices for housing stopped climbing.
When that happened, the people buying the mortgages couldn't refinance their way out of debt.
And they had to start actually paying real money on their loans.
Which they didn't have.
And the insurance companies -- who actually convinced themselves that prices would go up forever -- suddenly had to pay off on a gigantic number of claims at the same time.
And *they* didn't have the money.
And this threatened financial ruin.
Enter the bailout -- at taxpayer expense (meaning, at the point of a gun).
Without accountabillity.
And just in time for Obama to enter the White House.
Or, as Rahm Emmanuel said, "Never let a genuine crisis go to waste."
Cloward-Piven.
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Did you notice who was on the right-hand-side of your little chart?
Yup. Desiree Rogers, the "gate crasher"...
Cheers!
Found this while re-reading Cloward-Piven... Did you notice who was on the right-hand-side of your little chart?
Yup. Desiree Rogers, the "gate crasher"...
Desiree Rogers, the "gate crasher".
Oh! Fantastic find, grey_whiskers!
Check out #22 and #23.
Better make that, "Left-hand side".
Which is more fitting somehow, anyway...
Cheers!
Left side, everyone!!!
Which is more fitting somehow, anyway...
Heh.
Voodoo Queen of New Orleans...
WOW.....This information needs to be distributed widely.
Wanted to make sure you all got pinged to this thread. Sorry if it was a duplicate.
When I saw your chart this information came to mind regarding David Axelrod:
...By the late 1960s David Canter was publishing a small politically oriented Chicago neighbourhood newspaper Hyde Park Kenwood Voices. Canter’s partner and the paper’s editor was Don Rose, a journalist active in at least two Communist Party fronts....
David Canter’s late wife, Miriam Canter, was of similar mind. She was an active fundraiser for a defense committee for prominent medical researcher and secret Communist party member Dr. Jeremiah Stamler who was also under investigation by HCUA.
It was Don Rose (right) that hired a young political science student David Axelrod to write for “Voices”. It was Rose who mentored Axelrod and recommended him for the job at the Chicago Tribune which would launch his stellar career....
Discover the Networks: Linking the Cloward-Piven strategy to every group and individual involved
Discover The Networks: a guide to the poltical Left ^ | 11/02/08 | Polarik
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2122532/posts
Craig Robinson, Michelle bro was also involved in Loop Enterprises with BO friend Jim Reynolds.....Notice the Burris connection.
Paul Vallas could be Governor of Illinois today had Roland Burris, former State AG and comptroller, entered the 2002 Dem primary race in a totally futile bid which many think was not discouraged by the forces of Gov. Rod “Public Official A” Blagojevich. Burris, old-school African-American, pulled both black and liberal voters away from Vallas in numbers just sufficient to give the mile-wide/inch-deep Blagojevich the nomination. Barack Obama? He supported Burris.
Burris has gone on to receive over $1 million in no-bid, low-effort “consulting” contracts from Illinois State agencies under the Governor’s control as well as a $5000/month “retainer” from Loop Capital, headed by BHO homie Jim Reynolds.
http://www.barackbook.com/Profiles/JamesReynoldsJr.htm
“In 2003, James Reynolds, A Chicago Investment Banker Who Is A Member Of Obama’s National Finance Committee, Was Recorded On FBI Wiretaps Arranging What Prosecutors Said Was A “Sham’ Consulting Contract With A Woman They Called The “Paramour’ Of A Mayoral Adviser In Philadelphia. His Firm Later Won $300,000 Worth Of City Contracts.” (Ken Dilanian and Matt Kelley, “Fundraisers Linked To Corruption Cases,” USA Today, 10/16/08)
“Loop Was Awarded Two No-Bid Contracts Worth Nearly $300,000, According To A Later Indictment Of Philadelphia City Treasurer Corey Kemp. Reynolds Agreed To Pay $30,000 To A Shell Company Controlled By White’s Paramour, Janice Knight, According To Court Records. “I’ll Keep You Out Of It,’ Reynolds Told White In An April 2003 Conversation Recorded By The FBI.” (Ken Dilanian and Matt Kelley, “Fundraisers Linked To Corruption Cases,” USA Today, 10/16/08)
GUess I forgot to point out that Reynolds was an investment banker.
Maggie sent this to Chicago thread last year....No link...
Pretty well spell out how they funnel money to democrat funds.
A politically connected Chicago investment banking firm failed to tell federal regulators about a $25,000 contribution to the Democratic Party of Illinois in 2002 — a violation of government rules, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.
Loop Capital Markets LLC is one of the financial companies under scrutiny in a political corruption case in Philadelphia.
(snip)
Possibility of penalties
The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board and the SEC would not comment on whether Loop should face any penalties.
Asked about past SEC enforcement actions against companies for failing to disclose political contributions, a spokesman pointed to a $25,000 fine that the agency issued against Oklahoma securities dealer Allen W. Counts in 2003.
Loop and chief executive officer James Reynolds have handed out more than $130,000 in political contributions in Illinois since 1998, state records show. Over that period, the minority-owned firm has landed work in connection with billions of dollars of bond deals for the state of Illinois, the city of Chicago and other government agencies in Illinois.
Under the Blagojevich administration, Loop has earned $1.49 million in fees from bond work, over half of which was made in a $10 billion state pension deal. Loop recently became an adviser on the Chicago Skyway bond deal.
Under the limit
Loop’s donations to Gov. Blagojevich, former Gov. George Ryan and Mayor Daley did not have to be reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board because they were under a $250-per-election cycle limit, Simon said.
Reynolds contributed $26,000 to a fund for Illinois Senate President Emil Jones, but the company did not report that to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, either. The company does not think Jones is an “issuer official” who can directly affect whether Loop wins government business, Simon said.
Very good article. Does our side have a political heavy weights, plans and ploys and is there a network for freedom? We seem to have few true beleivers and nothing in place that stays in place like the left.
Apply, lather, rinse, repeat.
When I read the above quotes, especially the last four words, what comes to my mind???
The F.R. "ZERO-BRIGADE," or as you call them the "PESTS."
Isn't that what they are doing, jumping on us at every opportunity they can find to discredit our opinions???
Thank you all for your informative posts.
“It was Don Rose…that hired a young political science student David Axelrod to write for “Voices”.”
Obama (or his handlers) most likely selected Axelrod to be his chief political strategist because, like Obama, Axelrod’s political science studies commenced at a very early age.
You may know that during the 1940’s Axelrod’s mother, Myril, worked with editors and staff members of the CPUSA’s Daily Worker to publish PM, the leftist New York City daily newspaper .
(http://newzeal.blogspot.com/search?q=Myril+Axelrod)
One of the biggest con jobs of the century - and an indictment of the MSM – despite the fact Obama has been surrounded by active and known communists his entire life: “This guy came up from nowhere, no one knows him.”
(Those network diagrams of the left are pretty nifty, aren't they? Thanks to all who posted them.)
Cheers!
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