Shackles!

How dare anyone criticize our vice president for using this word? Whose interest do they serve? This was not a gaff; this was a whisper in place of a scream.  Desolate we have become in our chains. Blanketed and comforted by our own restraints, conformed in a distorted illusion of what was once a great system; the only system worth living in. We as Americans have an immense responsibility to the world for what we have created. Democracy and liberty for all are not hollow words reserved for the fortunate. It is for all who respect justice and fairness. They have distorted our freedom by dividing us with extremes, having us argue over misaligned details.

My eyes were opened wide during the crash of 2008. It was then that I realized as so many others have, that our way of being is in fact in jeopardy. That the notions of true freedom and law have been usurped by a group of kings and power brokers. A new war of independence is upon us. We must free ourselves from the strangle hold of greed that has rooted itself in our capitalist system and stained our sacred halls and marble floors of government. Even the occupy movement, although brave dedicated and honorable, was clouded in the American sickness of mediocrity. Why did they not demand money out of our politics?  All those who say this can’t be done wrongly embrace their chains because it is only laws that can save us from oligarchical crimes. Only laws can prevent trade with slave wage and dismantle the corporate Fed investment banks’ communist structure syphoning the globes’ investments through extraction and manipulation. Only with laws can we wean ourselves off of the fossil fuels destroying our planet. Only without legal corruption can we pass these laws. Politics and news should not be part of our entertainment. What we must do is simple and must be repeated until it is done. Special interests do not just influence our government, they control our government.  Now it is clear, nothing more be said or thought out, we must occupy Washington and demand all money out of politics. One single solidarity demand fulfilled and we can be free from these chains. We do not need to occupy any other city.

The truth is hard and cold, it’s a messy crayon drawing without the neat iconic shapes we want. The tightest most painful shackles we wear are those of mental complacency. There are two essential issues that are imprisoning us with neglect; a neglect and denial that can take our freedom, stripping us of our way of life and the planet’s destruction.  A big news story is one with constant updates and new angles to exploit for entertainment attention grabbing purposes. A big story is not a stalemate based on stagnant distortion but that’s the reality of these issues. THE ICE IS MELTING, AND FOSSIL FUELS NEED TO BE BANNED BECAUSE OF THAT, END OF DISCUSSION. To hell with conserving energy, that’s a scam for them to buy more time to distort. What issue is more important than converting to sustainable energy? The second essential issue being ignored and threatening to take away our cherish freedoms is the complete restructuring of the global economic system. Investment banks, headed by the Fed have created an unsustainable model that allows investors and shareholders the means to syphon off assets without them being allocated to further business and growth. Despite their incredibly successful effort to cloak this reality; CAPITALISM AS WE HAVE KNOWN IT NO LONGER EXSISTS. We are living a lie that will continue to eat away at jobs, the value of currency and the availability of credit until nothing is left but what has been syphoned off. What will the wealthy do if riots break out when the formerly employed middle class and working class masses join the anarchists? The conspiracies against us are blatant but they are so entrenched and wide spread in their methods that they are considered too complex and yet ironically too abstract for the media to consider the story that must be hammered on until things change; until those that our part of the problem are voted out of office. THE ONLY WAY TO SOLVE OUR ECONOMIC PROBLEMS TO IS GET MONEY OUT OF POLITICS because our government will not criminalize the continued syphoning of global assets until the hand that feeds them is cut off. It was a sad day when Dylan Ratigan went off the air, despite Spitzer on Current, a channel I don’t get, his was the only show banging the drum. There is a way to bang that drum while still paying the piper; Ratigan showed us that.

WHAT OBAMA NEEDS

What Obama needs to do to win in November basically is convince independent voters that he will cut the deficit and spending. The majority of marginally independent voters who currently plan on voting for Romney erroneously blame President Obama for our massive deficit in fact spurred by Bush Tax cuts, Iraq, Afghanistan and the crash of 2008. The president must relentlessly promote the fact that he has cut spending and pushed for a 4 trillion dollar cut in the deficit that the republicans voted against. I envision a commercial with sound from the president during that speech during which he proposed these cuts followed by quotes from Romney threatening more war and tax cuts for the wealthy. Obama commercials should feature clips of democrats angry at the president for his cuts in spending and his attempts to cut more. This is really the only issue Romney has to combat the president. Let’s hope if Obama does manage to win he will move to the left and get to the business of regulating Wall Street and the banks; not to mention reversing the Supreme Court’s Citizen’s United position with some legislation and oh yeah that little thing called fossil fuels that are destroying our planet. Any attempts Romney makes to paint Obama as being anti-business should be met with his efforts to cut taxes for small business while laying out what more the government can do to help small businesses and manufacturing as well as infrastructure spending. When asked about spending he must first tout his spending cuts, then immediately go into the type of government spending he wants that Romney is not willing to commit to. While the president should focus on what Romney won’t do and will do in office that will hurt America, the Democratic PAC’s meanwhile must unleash hard attacks against his personal income taxes, or lack thereof, his foreign accounts and Bain, Bain, and more Bain including outsourcing, and Bain’s involvement in medical waste catering to abortion clinics. The sole task must be to pin point independents, discourage some moderate conservatives, and increase voter turnout among the youth, blacks, and the democratic base. For the latter Obama should come clean and point out his mistakes while committing to rectifying them. Here he can omit specifics that could hurt him with independents something the president and his image specific handlers have failed to do. Obama needs to address the occupy movement and plead with them to turn their movement toward him to motivate the base. The president must say, I have heard you, I will listen, and together we will work to end the corruption. To alienate this group is to alienate the youth vote and discourage turn out.  Romney has said he would regulate credit derivatives. Obama can not let Romney get that upper hand in. That’s Romney’s only salvo, that in his mind wins him the trust of intelligent conservatives, who realize we’re heading over a cliff in a hand basket. Obama needs to point out how Romney doesn’t even know where the reigns are because he doesn’t care. He needs to paint Romney as an egomaniac thrusting for fame and power. An elitist that sees himself hanging in a White House portrait as the savior of excess, a champion for the upper class; an image the extreme right pundits can embrace, to the detriment of less independent voices. The voices Obama desperately needs.

In Search of Good: Documentary Series Pt 1 of 1

To hold contentment dear …

So easy is God

So easy do eyes fill

When tears from the heart flows

our souls

so easy does it know

So easy is love manifest

because easy is God

And for those who do not believe,

give your heart away                                      

and you will know

the power of this faith

to hold contentment dear….

THE BAIN OF OUR EXSISTENCE

American capitalism and free enterprise has slowly distorted into the tyranny and oligarchy of our time; one that without reform will surely plunge the globe into a massive depression. There can be no beneficial form of unsustainable capitalism that does not hamper growth and the constant acceptance of the current system by the media and government is playing into the hands of special interests. This nation was created with the understanding that commerce and mercantilism benefits the stakeholder, namely American citizens, not just shareholders.  At no time has this blood sucking stranglehold been more evident in the media and politics as it is now with this blatant defense of Bain Capital and venture capitalism. Patrick, Booker, Rendell, Bubba and the President have taken money from Bain or other venture capitalists and will no doubt continue to do so as they shamelessly continue to say how venture capitalism is legitimate and an essential part of capitalism but it is clearly as a whole only essential to shareholders. VENTURE CAPITALISTS DO NOT BUILD LONG-TERM BUSINESS!!. Their entire goal is to achieve specific returns in specific time periods by driving companies into an exit (IPO or sale). While some venture capitalism may benefit some companies, especially startups, the fact that their business model does not make these successful businesses their only goal makes them erroneous to our system. Since when do we accept any type of business which purposefully extract and manipulate capital at the expense of workers and the public? The sore corrupted rotten diseased big toe of venture capitalism, just as Wall Street’s needs to be cut off and made illegal. It is as if to say its ok to steal 3 apples a day if you help someone else eat one apple a week. They, as all of our financial institutions need to be reformed as parts of each become criminalized. To continue to justify this behavior is to continue to erode the back bone of any modern industrial society, namely; real asset based sustainable growth. The irony is that it can all be fixed with a simple set of rules and laws; but the implementation of such laws would of course remove the teat from the mouth of stockholders including a vast majority of 401 K holders yet, any such reform can include new opportunities, solutions that would usher in a new all-inclusive golden age. The irony is, without reform 401ks and stocks in general will eventually crash as derivatives continue to squander investment into ticking time bombs without leveraged capital requirements.

 It is clear that massive structural reforms are needed to return our capitalist structure to its root intentions. Even corporations were first designed to be charters adhering to a given cause benefiting the public. It was only after the passage of the 14^th amendment meant only to free African Americans that lawyers used the amendment to make corporations people and of course we all know what the Supreme Court has done with that since then; giving them control of our democratic process. Any business must have the goal to benefit its employees and its customers in a sustainable renewable fashion not in a detrimental manner designed merely to create profit. Likewise investing needs to focus on growth and sustainable commerce or services and should not be allowed to continue to manipulate, extort and exploit only for profits sake. The idea of venture capitalists downsizing companies in order to save them may very well save some from closure but the logic is flawed because they should be building upon companies not diminishing any. Where is their duty and obligation to society? It is as if our entire fiscal structure is formulated on the indolent principal of self-mutilating gluttony. The fat cats are eating their own guts and their regurgitation can burn us all. Republicans continue to hammer away at regulation but it is precisely more regulation and structural reform that is needed in order to spur job growth and create more wealth.

 If Wall Street focused on sustainable and renewable assets their shareholders and investors would partake in a tremendous boom of extreme growth just as the community does.   If free trade were married to some type of minimum wage likewise would most of our problems disappear. Economic philosophy must focus on the needs of the people. Take a look at foreclosures for example. The problem can be easily fixed if all these homes were simply rented to the initial owners or others at low rates. Republicans also fear European value added taxes; well what if similar taxes would instead go to investors building or repairing bridges, roads, schools, environmental clean ups,  and so on. New tolls on new bridges, modest entrance fees on new parks, and so on. The idea may seem awkward but building bridges were among the first charters granted to corporations. The bottom line is that any maximizing of profits must involve long term sustainable growth and can in no way harm the population. There is nothing wrong with doing everything a company can do to maximize profits, that’s how free enterprise and capitalism works; but not without sensible laws, proper incentives, and regulations. We continue to deny the lessons of the Great Depression, after which came Glass Steagall and a ban on prop trading bucket shop contracts. Why we deny that such activity should be criminal is clearly a sign of the massive corruption inflicted upon us by the Fed. The only way I can see us getting real reform is if a white knight comes to save us, like Obama should have been, or if we the people demand these specific reforms or remove money from politics; the latter to be easily replaced with interactive community based democracy.  The occupiers must sit and refuse to move until money is taken out of politics, Glass Steagall is reinstated, or the CFMA of 2000 is repealed; any of these basic reforms would restore global economic growth and avert depression.

Have Faith, Have Hope

A professor of mine teaching film students the economic theories of Lester Thurow back in 1991 said in the coming information age, ideas were king and the dumb will get dumber while the smart will get smarter. Thurow introduced the world to the Zero Sum Game of finance philosophizing how hundreds of trillions of dollars in worthless credit derivatives are coming from somewhere leaving nothing in its wake. While this world casino bucket shop will continue to drain investment and the bulk of the globe’s professionals nurse their 401ks with hedge fund milk and special interests continue to blind and bind our leaders; what hope is there for America to grow?  Its seas will no doubt shrink our coast lines, tornados and hurricanes no doubt will continue to devastate through climate change. But in the midst of all this expected decline one thing that may save us all will continue to rise inevitably; as Cicero put it, liberty is the empowerment of the individual. The champions of democracy have and will continue to awaken, and as PhD researcher Annick Witt points out, “… the rise of the culture of contemporary spirituality is a pivotal part of the gradual but profound change taking place in the Western worldview, both reflecting the larger cultural development, as well as giving shape and direction to it.”. The Occupy Movement may yet make specific demands, and a real 2008 Obama could yet emerge. America will usher in the long awaited Age of Aquarius.

WE ARE ALL SLAVES

Technology and the internet have made something extraordinarily possible for the first time ever: a true Democracy. While a 99% democracy is way off, we’re ALL much too lazy for that, there is no reason whatsoever for our electoral process not to be democratic. What we have now of course, as so eloquently repeated by news anchor Dylan Ratigan, is an auction. Special interest groups and the highest bidders rule our government and its decision process. The fact that the Occupy Movement has not demanded all money out of politics as its main focus has ultimately weakened it. The movement is in effect an interest group that influences as opposed to a revolution. If every occupy group would move to the Capitol and stay there until legislation is passed then we would have our Tahrir Square. 

Our government must provide and or support community forums at local to federal levels during which a percentage of those attended can vote or petition for certain candidates to get on a ballot. The same can be repeated for county, regional, state, party, and even for independent federal offices including for the presidency. Forums can be completely interactive to allow people to speak and participate via phone or through the internet. The possibilities are endless but the idea is to provide an opportunity for people wanting to run for any office to be given that chance without having to raise any funds. Every American Citizen should be given a chance to speak at these forums to plead their case for said office. After the candidates  are selected through a “percentage of attendees” they should then be subjected to more forums whereby citizens can ask them questions in person or on certain websites linked via individual city, town or, municipal, state and or federal sites. Perhaps these sites can eventually grant approved candidates (approved by percentage of attendees) access to certain blogs where they can enter information on issues.  Once candidates are voted on, finalists can then debate via the same process. 

I can envision a day where a person or a surrogate stands in line overnight in order to be placed on a first come first speak list. A moderator would control the amount of time the would be candidates would speak all while being live streamed on the internet and or a local TV Stations. 

It’s a disgrace and an erroneous debilitating failure that so few people are demanding this. It is clear that our political process has been stole, rigged, and in the interest of the wealthy. As the Roman philosopher said, liberty is the empowerment of the individual. Please sign one of the many petitions that demand this legal corruption to end….

Here’s a great place to start,    getmoneyout.com.