ysabetwordsmith | Money Matters

I first saw this on Doug's computer screen, from the commentary essay "Money Matters." This is the quote that caught my eye:

The truth is that while the proximate cause of America’s economic plunge was Wall Street’s excesses leading up to the crash of 2008, its underlying cause — and the reason the economy continues to be lousy for most Americans — is so much income and wealth have been going to the very top that the vast majority no longer has the purchasing power to lift the economy out of its doldrums.

Well, yes. I have been saying that for quite some time. But the person who said this version has served as the 22nd Secretary of Labor. You might ignore me, but he has all the fancy paper and experience to show for it. Of course the obvious is still the obvious: no matter what you try, 20% of the wealth can't run 80% of the economy. Further thoughtful details appear in "The Republican Shakedown," which explains how Republicans are digging in taxpayer pockets. The problem with a shakedown, though, is that eventually you get down to pocket lint. Working Americans are running out of pennies to fund the government, or anything else for that matter.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

ack! sorry for the formatting error, but free accounts can't edit replies.

To continue my rants & replies: the article notes

The final truth is as income and wealth have risen to the top, so has political power. The reason all of this is proving so difficult to get across is the super-rich, such as the Koch brothers, have been using their billions to corrupt politics, hoodwink the public, and enlarge and entrench their outsized fortunes. They’re bankrolling Republicans who are mounting showdowns and threatening shutdowns, and who want the public to believe government spending is the problem.

They are behind the Republican shakedown.

And that's another of my "standard rants". What is this "invisible hand" that's behind things like censorship and responsible for the drivel we see on TV and total lack of any fair coverage of news?

At least in WW II, we knew Dr. Joseph Goebbels was propaganda minister

When the Nazis took power the Propaganda Ministry was established almost immediately. It was charged with enforcing Nazi doctrine on the people and controlling public opinion.

"I consider radio to be the most modern and the most crucial instrument
for influencing the masses.." was a famous and important quote from Goebbels.

So too with Fox News and such. It's in ALL the Amerikan media (Internet, tv, radio, newspapers). So who's OUR Goebbels? Nobody knows.

Now that the EPA cannot protect the environment and the FDA cannot protect us, "privatization" is running free and loose thanks to government "downsizing" of anything that was effective and useful for our protection and well being, thus the BP disaster (from a long series of safety violations and illegal shortcuts) and other under-reported industrial accidents.

I fear that someday we'll learn how corn sweetener is more hazardous
than Cyclamates, Saccharin, (Nutrasweet), or Sucralose (Splenda). But there will be no reparations for all those hurt, injured or sickened by it, unless some ambulance-chaser lawyers leave something for the victims after their class-action suit (thus the TV commercials for asbestos litigation and such).

That's why my main totem animal is a ferret. They're enthusiastic, silly and happy, qualities needed to endure this "economy".

thank you and goodnight.

Oh yea, to the point about sweeteners. I think it's time for the USA to end the Cuba embargo and import their highly desired tobacco, cigars & sugar. We're no longer high and mighty about "human rights", thus all the outsourcing to China with their child labor, slavery/indentured servitude, environmental hazards and other crimes (lead paint in toys, Melamine milk). I see no reason to punish Cuba anymore.

I fear the real reason is that the corn growers are too well supported by ADL with their frankenfoods, and the congressCritters so totally paid off by the lobbyists (using our own money against us!)

http://www.phdcomics.com/comics.php?f=969
Here's the Tulane Univ story, post-Katrina carnage

We're phasing out high-fructose corn syrup as best we can. A friend is allergic to it, so that's one reason, but also I just dislike and distrust the stuff. I'd avoid frankencorn if I had that option, but the labeling ban makes that impossible in effect -- we can't afford to buy only organic corn products.

Yes indeed: propaganda, economics and lack of oversight leads to misleading food labelling (abuses of "what is organic or natural?") and all the warnings Mad Magazine spoofed in the 70s (same size box, less content for the same price) or "new and improved" to force us away from the better old reliable formula (we almost lost "classic Coke" due to that and even non-Jews love the yellow-cap Passover Coke since that's sugar, not corn).

Most people don't realize how food prices are increasing by the way containers are all downsizing

tuna went from 7 to 6 to 5 ounce cans, thus ruining all old recipies that require 6-7 oz
orange juice from 64 to 59 oz
yogurt from 8 to 6 oz
Ice Cream from 2 to 1.5 quarts

Granted, the deception sucks.

On the bright side, people tend to eat based on portion size. If the portions sold are getting smaller, maybe that will help reduce the fattening effects of portion bloat.

Money Matters

Re: It's the top 0.5 to 5%, not 20%

my sweet tooth

Yes...

Re: Yes...

Re: Yes...