Economic Depression: American Resentment Flickers Against Corporate Wealth

The recession and the rising gulf between the haves and have nots; investment bankers versus newly impoverished and unemployed Americans is changing viewpoints. At one time, any company reporting record profits was certain to earn applause for this was seen as the American way. Americans were firmly invested in what they believed was the trickle-down theory of economics. The scam that investment bankers have pulled on the world with their highly staked leveraging games has changed much of this sentiment. Now that institutions that formerly made up the investment banking capital of the world are recovering with the intent of paying back taxpayer-backed Federal Reserve bailout money, Americans are leering at the possibilities that nothing has been learned from the crisis of financial literacy that prevails itself upon the world.

Writer David Segal has introduced the idea that class resentment is to blame as investment bankers continue to rake in the speculation-based financial dough based on the same numbers games that brought the nation to the edge of financial oblivion. The reality runs much deeper. In the eyes of Americans, the reality isn’t about making money, but how money is earned. Americans feel that they are being scammed because the nation operates by multiple sets of rules depending on how much money and influence you can peddle. Even members of Congress like Charles Schumer have demonstrated that they believe Americans are simply brutes to be used by the system to bolster corporate along with government wealth and influence.

Now that the likes JP Morgan Chase and Goldman Sachs are reporting fantastic encouraging numbers after having enjoyed bailout at the expense of Americans and the system at large, Americans see that the victory is very hollow. Recent financial victories in American are without benefit to anyone that doesn’t directly play the insider financial games on Wall Street. Multinational corporations continue to rule the roost behind the scenes, taking more out of America than they put in. Profit without personal responsibility is king. Most of America continues to be in great pain and America already knows that recent financial victory on Wall Street is a result of the same deluded thinking and policy that still threatens to destroy the financial system. It is not a system based on honesty and real numbers, but simply a gambling game of manipulation and opportunity.

The fact is that the Federal Government likes the control and authority that it wields in the banking community as a result of the bailout. The same can be said for the money that government has invested in the corporate structure. Uncle Sam holds the cards as the government maintains a front row seat at AIG. This is the only means that government now has to rein in the continued greed and avarice of Wall Street and corporate investors. The system hasn’t been reinvented as promised nor have sufficient reforms taken place to insure the safety of financial system on any level. We are still living in the last century. Nothing has changed. That is why government is so quiet about what is a hollow victory on Wall Street. ~ E. Manning

Global Economic Crisis: G8 and the Papacy

During the G8 economic meetings and debate in Italy, Pope Benedict released a new encyclical saying “there is urgent need of a true world political authority.” In that document, Pope Benedict XVI urged G8 leaders meeting in Italy to rewrite global financial rules and to defend the world’s poor from the effects of the economic crisis.

responsibility of the market

In and of itself, the market is not, and must not become, the place where the strong subdue the weak. Society does not have to protect itself from the market, as if the development of the latter were ipso facto to entail the death of authentically human relations. Admittedly, the market can be a negative force, not because it is so by nature, but because a certain ideology can make it so. It must be remembered that the market does not exist in the pure state. It is shaped by the cultural configurations which define it and give it direction. Economy and finance, as instruments, can be used badly when those at the helm are motivated by purely selfish ends. Instruments that are good in themselves can thereby be transformed into harmful ones. But it is man’s darkened reason that produces these consequences, not the instrument per se. Therefore it is not the instrument that must be called to account, but individuals, their moral conscience and their personal and social responsibility.

responsibility of business

Owing to their growth in scale and the need for more and more capital, it is becoming increasingly rare for business enterprises to be in the hands of a stable director who feels responsible in the long term, not just the short term, for the life and the results of his company, and it is becoming increasingly rare for businesses to depend on a single territory. Moreover, the so-called outsourcing of production can weaken the company’s sense of responsibility towards the stakeholders — namely the workers, the suppliers, the consumers, the natural environment and broader society — in favour of the shareholders, who are not tied to a specific geographical area and who therefore enjoy extraordinary mobility. ...business management cannot concern itself only with the interests of the proprietors, but must also assume responsibility for all the other stakeholders who contribute to the life of the business: the workers, the clients, the suppliers of various elements of production, the community of reference.

The papacy has taken an interesting step by inserting itself into the G8 debate framework and  by ordering the involvement of Italy in the process. Certainly, in much earlier times, the papacy was directly involved in such matters without better consequences in those times. History is the best  witness of that truth. Now, the pope indicates that we need a man in charge once again as if the G8 institution is really in charge beyond politics. The real charge has been given to multinational corporations including central bankers on a global basis. The central bankers operate as a global corporate fraternal brotherhood through none other than the Swiss and Rome. Is the papacy and politics going to ‘take authority back’ or have they really lost any authority? The reality is that the papacy already holds ’such coveted authority’ through the central bankers. Most of them have simply forgotten their moral compass in their need to service their clients. Pope Benedict is simply reminding his league that he holds them to a higher priority and that they need to exert a new influence as they continue to profit from money lending.

Pope Proposes New Financial Order

According to the Associated Press, Pope Benedict XVI has called for a new world financial order guided by ethics, dignity and the search for the common good in the third encyclical of his pontificate.

Pope: Economy Needs Ethics

“Without internal forms of solidarity and mutual trust, the market cannot completely fulfill its proper economic function. And today it is this trust which has ceased to exist, and the loss of trust is a grave loss.” According to the Vatican, the economy needs ethics in order to function correctly, just as the implementation of ethical financing and systems of micro-credit and micro-finance indicate. In development programs, the principle of the centrality of the human person must be preserved, while international organizations might question the actual effectiveness of their bureaucratic and administrative structure. This is one of the central messages of Benedict XVIs new encyclical Caritas in Veritate that was published July 7th and signed by the Pope. If you have been following this blog, you know what is up right now. I don’t need to say another word. ~ E. Manning

American Employment Continues to Plunge

America continues labor freefall

It appears that the labor market in America is at an stupendous low, with 59.7% of Americans projected to be employed using traditional government statistics. As we have discussed on this website, the plight is actually much worse.

Economic Lies that the System Promotes

Yeah. Yeah. You’ve heard it all and everybody is trying to sell you something. The snake oil salesmen are all around. Washington is no different. The lie continues to spread that investing your money in banks or the latest government bonds are safe and sound investing. Think again.

The problem is that we have a ‘dumbing down’ of the American economic system as foreign investors pile on to invest their otherwise worthless American greenbacks and you are the one that will suffer through devaluation and hyperinflation because you base your life on money and monetary acquisition that central bankers run. Your economic livelihood and future is at stake if you have piles of money or owe piles of money. That applies to most Americans. Your investment is an illusion, the same as the thin air that central bankers and banks have created.

The fact remains that there is little monetary defense or value in trying to tell the average American that they can somehow defend their monetary wealth when the central bankers continue to erode that wealth into nothing in a hopelessly compromised financial system. Central bankers are riding the dark horse as they plow the dollar into non-existence so that they can rebuild a new monetary system from the ashes they have created. Naturally, this is to their advantage. The sad thing is that Washington politicians are hopelessly compliant and cooperative in an effort to create a new system from the ashes of your financial lives and years of servitude to their system. We are the fools and most Americans will undoubtedly foolishly listen the advice of the financial sages. What is Washington D.C. up to? CONTROL.  What are central bankers up to? CONTROL. Never forget that what you are being told by mainstream politicians and financial media is designed to secure the system over your life or means of livelihood at your expense.

Gold? Unless you hold the nuggets of goodness in your meaty little hand, don’t buy the snake oil. Gold investment certificates aren’t worth a thunder mug full of waste. Remember the old proverb that possession is nine-tenths of the law. In this case, physical possession is your safest bet, but far from perfect. Your stuff is only as secure as you are. The little guy can easily be pulled from his stuff during a crisis.

I am linking to this electroblurb because it is the right thing to do overall. I do not advocate the sales of the product or the conclusion reached. I ask you to read the facts and forget about buying anything that involves a significant portion of your money, devalued or otherwise, because the money you earn represents your life.

PM Brown: New Global Economy

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has stressed the importance of April’s G20 ‘Economic Recovery Summit’ in London in the bid to strike a “global deal” that will “speed up the recovery of the world economy”. He and other European Union members are advocating a new global financial system, but have backed off somewhat due to the reluctance of U.S. support. His recent statement in Rome revealed that all nations need to inject resources into their own economies as well as agree on ways to reform international institutions.

Currently, he is recommending new policies that he calls ‘fairness principles’ against “old excesses” in the banking community, a standard of stewardship instead of speculation. In the meantime, Brown and other European Union members are advocating unity in opposing moves towards protectionist trade policies. They see the U.S. as a major opponent where such policies are concerned.

Back in the United States, international bank holding company, Citigroup continues its precipitous decline. The U.S. government is looking at boosting its’ controlling interest in the banking firm to boost confidence and maintain solvency from toxic debt, part of the speculation that PM Gordon Brown was referring to.  Britain is dealing with similar issues relating to the Royal Bank of Scotland. ~ E. Manning