The Corruption Is Palpable.

[Octafish]

ENRON, AIG, Wells Fargo.

These are blue chip crooks.



There are many, many more examples of the world's biggest corporations breaking the law for the betterment of their shareholders' overseas accounts. Instead, truth tellers end up in jail.

What gives? Going by the relatively few prosecutions and the near-zero lack of interest by those in positions of authority, I have come to conclude those who abused their positions of trust will not be held accountable. That means those of a certain class are above the law and will continue to abuse their wealth and power at the expense of the "little people" and the "small people."

Agree? Disagree? Don't give a damn?

What do you think and why do you think that way?

Me? I wanna do something about it. I want to see the crooks pay for their crimes -- in terms of restitution and in terms of sentences of 50-years to life in prison.

[Donnachaidh]

1. Reading Free Lunch By David Cay Johnston at the moment

For those looking for an eye-opening book:

http://www.amazon.com/Free-Lunch-Wealthiest-Themselves-Government/dp/1591841917

Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves at Government Expense (and Stick You with the Bill)

“If you’re concerned about congressional earmarks, stock options (especially backdated options), hedge fund tax breaks, abuse of eminent domain, subsidies to sports teams, K Street lobbyists, the state of our health-care system, to say nothing of the cavernous gap between rich and poor, you’ll read this fine book—as I did—with a growing sense of outrage. Free Lunch makes it clear that it’s high time for ‘We the People’ to stand up and be counted.”
—John C. Bogle, founder and former chairman, The Vanguard Group

“With clarity, conciseness, and cool, fact-saturated analysis, Mr. Johnston, the premier investigative reporter on how industry and commerce shift risks and costs to taxpayers, sends the ultimate message to all Americans—either we demand to have a say or we will continue to pay, pay, and pay.”
—Ralph Nader



I really REALLY want to do something about it.

[Jim Sagle]

2. K and R #5

:thumbsup:

[truedelphi]

3. yep, when I start thinking about this I get so mad

I have to shut up.

Foul language will not change anything.

I have thought about small things I can do to change things.

[metapunditedgy]

25. What infuriates me is that it's so obvious. Many of these crimes are out in broad daylight.

(Although I'm sure that's only the tip of the iceberg.) Fines are usually a fraction of the fraudulent profits.

What does it say that we tolerate this level of exposed criminality being shoved in our faces daily?

[nashville_brook]

4. k n r #12

[BeHereNow]

5. What is really obscene is Enron is still operating as EOG, globally.

Shares over $100 dollars while they frack drill several states in the US
destroying water and land.
Not a peep about it other than the HBO documentary "Gasland."
No specific mention of EOG in that though...
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=EOG

Whoosh, Davis recalled from California while trying to recover the money
bilked out of our state by Enron, Arh-nold taking a meeting at a posh hotel
in Santa Monica with Enron, http://www.yuricareport.com/CalifRecall/EnronE-mailsConfirmArnoldS_KenLayMtg.html
Issa sets up fake petitions all over California and turns
them in a public opinion poll on ousting Davis and all of a sudden, George W. Schultz endorses
Arh-nold for our Governor and poof, the Enron investigation disappears while they
set up shop as Frack Drillers in the Baaken sands areas of the US.
All courtesy of the secret Cheney Energy Task Force meeting.
Meanwhile California is BROKE.

BHN
:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[Barack2theFuture]

6. That's a big

yup.

[lib2DaBone]

7. Wealthy Multi-National Corporations do not care about the USA

They no longer build any factories here.. they provide no jobs.. they pay no taxes.

They only take advantage of America as a market to dump their cheap inferior goods and services.

Why does Congress reward them and give them free reign?


*18,000 Corporations use the same mailbox in a house in the Cayman Islands as their Company address.

[glitch]

8. K & R never forget, never give up. nt

[snot]

9. K&R'd

[laughingliberal]

10. K & R nt

[jotsy]

11. I agree, I give a damn, and I think I'm with you because you make sense to me.

I've taught my children bad habits...Question authority when it behaves questionably! All decisions now seem to be made in the context of what the affluent require and expect, and governance serving the masses is a quaint little laugh of a notion like believing in Santa. I'd rather meet my end screaming on my feet than groveling on my knees for a few extra days of exploitation. Own a t-shirt that says freedom isn't free, someone asked me once what it costs and my answer was you gotta pay attention. We all want to make a difference we gots to go further than want.

Love the links to the William Black's work, and it's just awesome to see him kick some light onto Richard Wolff. Didn't go through the list with a fine tooth comb, but didn't right off hand see this essay, which I posted here from Common Dreams back in March.

<http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x522230>

Rec'd! I'll be kicking it too, not just cuz, but for a just cause. Thank you Octafish. You for me are a steady reminder of the reason for pride in honor.

[sabrina 1]

12. I think there's really been a corporate coup

of this country. There is no rational reason why these Corps have been allowed to continue their corrupt behavior, even after the Financial Meltdown.

The Press and Congress are silent. It makes no sense unless you believe those who say the coup is nearly complete.

They used to sound like conspiracy theorists, but not any more.

I don't know what we can do about it, but like you, I want to do something.

I really thought we would see some charges and prosecutions after the melt-down. But nothing.

Thanks for all you do to keep everyone informed, I try never to miss one of your posts, Octafish.

[OKDem08]

27. The coup d'etat was 9/11

solidified by the Patriot Act

[defendandprotect]

31. The coup on JFK was a coup on our "people's" government ... it begins there ...

but of course rw political violence occurs all thru history --

it's the only way they can rise --

Ralph Nader was telling us about the "buying of government" 40 years ago! --

That includes BOTH parties --


But, of course, 9/11 MIHOP --

[OKDem08]

33. 9/11 MIHOP? Quite probable I suspect.

I read recently that the WikiLeaks "insurance" file contains alternate video shots of the Pentagon on the morning of 9/11. Prob nothing more than conjecture, supposition, or just rumor at this point but it was interesting just to ponder such a revelation. We know that they exist.

[bobthedrummer]

13. Yep, you can take that truth to the bank. K&R

The money laundering thread: A DU collaborative investigation (active GD thread started 7-9-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8716178

[bluesmail]

14. Multi-national corporations just might be the government. eom

[Solomon]

15. Checking in.

:thumbsup:

[G_j]

16. K&R

[Greyhound]

17. ns. K&R

[Karenina]

18. . .

[earth mom]

19. Can we add BP to that list? They have stolen & killed our oceans & wildlife

and now are spreading disinfo and lies about it far and wide.

May BP and all the rest of the greedy destructive bastards like the BFEE rot in hell or jail-whichever comes first!

[bertman]

20. I'll see your restitution and raise to life without parole. Rec. nt.

[Ignis]

21. Agree. White-collar crime costs blue-collar lives.

And it damn well deserves to have mandatory minimums if anything does.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

22. It has never been more clear.

One set of rules for the elite, another for us commoners. :puke: There are so many criminals walking free right now or, worse, actualy doing better than before and benefiting off the many crises. I really don't think we could depend on the government doing SQUAT about any of the corrupt motherfuckers because they TOO are corrupt motherfuckers.

I think something along the lines of WikiLeaks for our officials is in order. Outing all the hypocrits/closet cases during the Clinton impeachment attempt and the anti-gay movement sure did clear out some of the underbrush.

I think the only way to make things happen is to lift the rocks they are under and expose them.

[Binka]

23. K & R I Loathe Those Mother Fucka's

Hello Octafish.

[metapunditedgy]

24. It's "business as usual" until we see serious prison terms. I've said it before and

I'll say it again... sadly.

I don't see how any sane person can think otherwise.

Any politician who says they'll change "business as usual" or "politics as usual"... well, the burden is on them to prove it, at this point.

[defendandprotect]

32. Maybe we need signed "Pledges" from politicians?

-- but reality is no one is going to do this for us -- we have to do it --

the politicians are acting in their own interests -- moving to the side of power ---

and it's not with the people!!

[sulphurdunn]

26. On the up side,

corporations are coming out of the closet too. And they are definitely not human.

[Overseas]

28. K&R. I agree.

I would love to see them pay for their crimes.

[TBF]

29. It is the system that encourages the behavior -

but I do like Old Guitarist. :thumbsup:

[defendandprotect]

30. Late K&R ... where was this thread? Well, I agree . . .

It takes power to hold people responsible --

and right now it looks like the evil people hold the power --

But I think if we all understand the evils of capitalism, we can begin

to do something about that --

Capitalism is suicidal exploitation of nature -- natural resources, animal-life --

and even other human beings according to various myths of "inferiority."

Unregulated capitalism is merely organized crime.

If we unite and put our heads together, I think we can do something about it -- ???



We can also begin to look at the immoral holding of power from the highest

perspective --

Patriarchy -- male-supremacy

Organized Patriarchal religion -- its underpinning/authority

Capitalism -- invented by the Vatican

The Unholy Trinity --



PS: Understand the sense of urgency, but the right wing rises on political violence --

it's the only way it can rise -- stolen elections, lies, usurption of the power of people/

people's government --

We've never seemed to figure out how to control the few truly violent among us and that

fact keeps compounding the problem.

And -- I'm sure that most of us understand the, at least, 50 years of right wing political

violence which has brought them to power?

[amborin]

34. too late to rec, thanks for posting this OP

[area51]

35. kick. (n/t)

[bobthedrummer]

36. one more n/t