According to Mao: The Untold Story, Mao Zedong was directly responsible for the deaths of more than 70 million Chinese. He once ordered 10,000 men buried alive. He sent his own brother out to be ambushed, and then refused to help him when he survived – allowing him to freeze to death in the mountains.He was a real bastard, but if you believe the old saying, “that which does not kill you makes you stronger” you can only imagine how tough the Chinese people who survived may be.
Last week the Chinese government was planning to sell a state owned steel mill to private owners. (I can’t help but wonder if Goldman Sachs represented either party.). The workers demonstrated forcefully in anticipation of layoffs. The new owners sent the factory boss out to crack down, and the workers beat him to death. Beat him to death.
I’m not advocating violence, but it makes me wonder what it would take to stir an American mob to this level of political passion. Tonghua Iron & Steel was contemplating laying off 10% of their 30,000 workers. Tragic if you are in the 10%, but not that bad as these things go.
How do you think the Chinese would have dealt with Bernie Madoff if he’d been fleecing the Han rather than the Jew?
And what about Goldman Sachs? I still can’t believe there has been no meaningful public outcry in America against this organization. (I’m still surprised no one has killed O.J. either.)
To understand how deeply GS has its hooks into our economy, our government, and our pockets, I strongly recommend Matt Taibbi’s most recent piece in Rolling Stone, “The Great American Bubble Machine.”
Here’s the opening paragraph: “The first thing you need to know about Goldman Sachs is that it's everywhere. The world's most powerful investment bank is a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money.” So you know it’s balanced.
Once you read that you want to read Matt’s account of what happened to the financial markets last fall in, “The Big Takeover.”
After reading, either, let a lone both, you might find yourself daydreaming about a little Chinese justice for the Goldman crowd.
Posts
17 comments:
I don't know whether to thank you or not Dennis. I read the Great American Bubble Machine and it confirmed to be true what you know in your gut. Wall street and Goldman specifically have been treating this country's economy like a crooked Indian casino for the last 20 years. The manipulation of oil prices over the last decade directly contributed to the collapse of the automobile industry and these douchebag republicans blame the unions. It takes a lot of balls to blame the very people losing their jobs for the collapse of the industry they've worked for their whole lives.
A little Chinese justice wouldn't be unwarranted.
it's qite an article, isn't it? it's hard to believe how deep they have their hooks in us. i should have given credit to my pal AY for pointing me to it. my subscription to Rolling Stone ran out in '73.
There is another report today that the Federal Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation canceled a contract with GS (and 2 other firms) over improper contact between the PBGC and GS. As Goldman tore off a chunk of the $50B PBGC fund to manage, they were offering "employment counseling" to the official who ran PBGC - a Bush appointee who was slated to lose his job a few months after awarding Goldman their slice of the pie. This link takes you to the full story:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/29/business/29pensions.html?ref=business
These guys make Halliburton look like a dry wall company in New Jersey. Small potatoes.
We read of the unhealthy corporate ownership of the fourth estate and how are democracy is compromised. Rupert Murdoch is a gnat on an elephant's ass compared to the role Wall Steet plays in our plutocracy.
The rich and well connected manipulate our politicians like the slave owners did the slaves. The rest of us are all just the bozos on the bus feeding the till.
our democracy
i admire a man who takes the time to proof read his own writing.
On page 4 of the GABM. Read Reverend Ike's obit in the Times. So many have the same carnivorous diet, just sitting at different tables. Corruption undermines society. Some use handguns, others don't use violence but have greater impact. The smartest foxes get into the henhouse and get paid for their troubles.
George Harrison's "And That's the Way it Goes" pretty much sums it up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EToo66wwwt4
I have no problem supporting a violent overthrow of this country. This last election cure anything? Will the next? Like never before we'r in a taxation without representation situation. We elect people who sound good at the time. Then what happens? When was the last time the person you elected on any level, called & asked what to do next? I think we have to stop believing that democracy works. Besides the government isnt running the show anyhow. We need snipers across the street from the World Bank & the Joint Chiefs. As long as we'r fat & comfortable nothing will be done.
Lets use Cheney as target practice then work our way down Wall St. But first I have to get my third car washed, my new patio finished, watch my Mexicans mow the lawn & send my check to the United Way.
Well, that’s very butch-talk Gaga, but I don’t see the value in anarchy either. As for violence as a tactic against the government and the power-elite, I believe you are going to find yourself out-gunned. Gandhi and Martin Luther King achieved more in the cause of liberty that anyone before or since, if you measure success by the number of people freed, and non-violence was the centerpiece of their movements.
Greed and lust are the dominant human emotions and fear of retribution seems not to be a viable deterrent. Bernie got away with it for decades and enjoyed every minute of it, and his victims begged him to take their own ill-gotten gains. Our comrades at Goldman don't give a shit about anything except their own Maseratis. They think the rest of us are a bunch of rubes. We all are sitting this one out on our fat asses in front of a flat screen watching either Hannity or Oberman or America's Got Talent while Walter Cronkite is rolling over in his grave. Where is David Halberstam when you need him? Watch Chuck Berry, it'll make you feel better.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsK1OPt_tTI
D,What do you think Gus Hall did in the Little strike in 1937?We always seem to get outraged when bad things happen in our democratic capitalistic free market society.At the end of the day, I would still rather live in the states than any other country.Its middle America who keeps the country running. We have better things to do than hug trees and own guns.Yes, sometimes we do get fleeced by politicians and corporate greed.We don't panic. The resilency of the average working Joe puts surving skills of the yellow man to shame.The moral fiber of the average working Joe puts the greed of GS/Madoff and its ilk into a carsophagous of self inflicted greedy shame.
I can't argue with you Cuz. but living amongst the vampire squid all these years takes a toll on one. I need to go back home.
The average American may be a pretty good guy who works hard and loves his kids...maybe even his wife...but our history is replete with the sleaze balls winning. Most of those Goldmanites will weather the downturn and will prosper most with another scheme.
This country does not honor hard work, we honor money.
i'm depressed
The greatest number of people freed & liberty gained in this countries history was when we killed British soldiers. History drills fear of anarchy stories into us as preventive meds. We are constantly fed stories of: the greatest country on earth,democracy works, the worlds peace keepers. The best being "land of the free."
"Out gunned" Are you kidding? Military & law enforcement are only more organized. They are WAY out gunned. Besides,we did'nt need to kill all the British. Might will always make right. Thats why the World Bank is partnered with the Joint Chiefs.
Gotta run. I want to catch my broker about my 401 before I head home for my martini,joint, valium & American Idol.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/03/opinion/03krugman.html
Post a Comment