Something Really Insane Just Happened In Congress, And You Probably Haven't Heard A Word About It

reply to post by mbkennel


It has nothing to do with capitalism--in fact, this actually demonstrates how, in the upper levels of the economy, there's not really any true capitalism at all.

Just like an earlier poster saying blame corporations, that's just silly. The problem is the same problem it's always been--corruption. And every economic model and form of government suffers from it. The issue is that while the US government was established with an eye to minimizing corruption as much as possible, it's been turned into a money machine bursting with corruption.

Blaming the economic model makes no sense--communism is more prone to corruption, because the administrators control even more than the banks do now, with less recourse for the average citizen, to say nothing of the lack of motivation stimuli. Blaming the corporations is equally silly--they exist to make a profit, and if there is a legal means to exploit for that purpose, they will.

No, the problem is corrupt, greedy sociopaths being elected, and there's only one group to blame for that: the American people. You want to fix things? Fix your community. Inspire those in your social circles to educate themselves rather than relying on the education of a system that is built to feed THE system. Be the change you want to see, and be prepared to do what you must, when you must, to make that happen. Anything else is just an empty breeze that no one will ever really listen to.

So this was an amendment to the Dodd-Frank bill. My republican rep voted Aye.

reply to post by saturnine_sweet


I appreciate your insights, but it is easy to crush the most organized community in this country with money.

reply to post by hyperreflexia


How do you figure? Money is...nothing. People cling to money and crave money and the things it can buy them only because they're trying to fill a space that is better filled with other things--with learning and thought, with honor and love, with a righteous thirst for justice and liberty. Spread those tools about and money becomes powerless. Oh, sure, there's still the necessary things in life that often require money--I'm no hippie, thinking we can just aimlessly wander and live off the land--but the power of money to influence thought isn't really in the spaces of the necessities, but rather in the spaces of the luxuries.

Easier said than done, I know. But there's a lot of people in this world, so if we do what we can, well...history shows that the tide tends to turn, eventually. We might just not be here to see it. Does that make it any less worthy an endeavor?

reply to post by saturnine_sweet


I mean exactly this: A community organizes itself out of self preservation around a certain issue. Big money comes in and convinces the politicians who decide what happens to that community that the community doesn't know what it is talking about but big money does. The end. Millions of ongoing examples.

HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT MONEY PHILOSOPHICALLY DOES NOT AFECT ITS POWER TO CHANGE THE WORLD OR OUR SOCIETIES.

reply to post by Indigo5


Troublesome......
That is Exactly What The Soviet Union Communists used to do.
I.E. State Supported Banking.
Just to be fair, This Gracefully happened as Bush2 was walking out the door.
That is Fact.
Think about that for a moment, before you discuss socioeconomic polarization.

S&F to YOU...Thumbs Up!

Delete.

reply to post by hyperreflexia


Sure it does. The problem you stated is only a reality because there is a majority of people in our society that worship money--that's precisely why a community can be ignored, because the shine of money in the eyes of others can make them blind to that community. And you overcome that just how I pointed out...by being a light too bright for money to drown out.

You just have to take the long view. Look at Ron Paul and his little movement; big money did everything it could to blind society to a different school of thought, unwilling to let the masses decide its worth for themselves. But you know what? It still reached some people, it still started other little fires. And where did that movement itself come from? From one man and his friends spending a good portion of their lives trying to spread that fire. It took a long time, you may or may not think it was the right fire, and it may die out before it burns any brighter, but it illustrates perfectly how the power of money is not infinite.

The question is: do you know what you believe well enough to articulate and defend it? Do you believe in it enough to give it your best effort, even if you might not be the one to reap the rewards? It's not coincidence that most movements by the common people that have moved the world have come via religion--the belief in something greater than self, in a cause worth living (and dying) for, is what most commonly inspires that sort of selfless sacrifice in the hope of a brighter future somewhere, someday, somehow.

hyperreflexia
I mean exactly this: A community organizes itself out of self preservation around a certain issue. Big money comes in and convinces the politicians who decide what happens to that community that the community doesn't know what it is talking about but big money does. The end. Millions of ongoing examples.

HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT MONEY PHILOSOPHICALLY DOES NOT AFECT ITS POWER TO CHANGE THE WORLD OR OUR SOCIETIES.

The concept and role of money will always exist because money is nothing more than our inner self's willingness to exchange one thing for another. Currency is just one outward manifestation of that inner willingness to exchange. The nature of the willingness directs how it is represented physically.

A starving person will give up millions for a bite of food... a well fed person will turn it away if it's too cold. A destitute person will obey in exchange for a title. A guilty person will obey for church forgiveness. A scared person will obey to avoid being hit or shot. A bored person will obey for a purpose. A well connected community will give up convenience to remove corruption... a disjointed community will turn a blind eye to corruption to avoid conflict.

It's the willingness that creates the symbolic "money" which is then represented via some external item or action.

Money via currency is just one fraction of the things people are willing to exchange for other things that change the world. Some would be surprised how many world changing bargains are made where money wasn't what was exchanged. Votes. Defense in a trial. A good cognac. Sex. Etc.

Thus translating your emphasized point... people's willingness to exchange one thing for another has the power to change the world.

That puts the power back where it truly starts. Our willingness.

Currently we're willing to exchange the convenience that comes with leaving the corrupt to run things... so long as they don't make it too unpleasant to live.

The system doesn't matter. Money as "currency" doesn't matter. The corrupt will offer/use whatever system keeps people calm enough so long as they have their finger on the source of people's willingness. Be it money... state authority... religious authority... guns... whatever.

---------------------------

EDIT TO ALL: There is a followup to the video in the OP... I didn't see it posted elsewhere in the thread so far.

You're right OP, i didn't hear a word of it.

This was the most opportune time to do it; while the world is fixated on the death of Mandela they decided to rush this through while the world wasn't looking. Its happened in the past- Rumsfeld conveniently admitted the loss of trillions of dollars the day before 9/11- and this will continue to happen every time a major event occurs.

"in breaking news, hundreds of thousands die in African Tsunami, which has been described as the largest catastrophe modern man has ever seen. The sheer scale of the devastation has eclipsed the boxing day Tsunami of '04 and will have dire consequences for the dark continent for decades to come.

In other news a new congress bill wipes out all civil liberties. Stay tuned for hourly updates on the African disaster, as well as the latest celebrity tweets that roll in. More at 11."

w8tn4it
Or, just let them keep printing money so it will be as valuable as toilet paper!

I'll have you know that it is not right to devalue my toilet paper by comparing it to the American dollar!

Lobbying is just a stupid word in my opinion, because it should be called what it is...bribery. Our representatives, the ones we put there to protect our interests, and to represent our interests, are selling their votes to the highest bidder, more or less. Why we have allowed this to go on for so long is beyond me, but I suppose that the only recourse we have is to start "getting serious" if you know what I mean. Anything else simply will not work, because the system is already too corrupt.

reply to post by hyperreflexia


I very much agree with what you say.

The question we should ask is, what are we willing to do to change this.

Nothing will change until we do.

A goverment for the banks by the banks.



Sorry but maybe you should change the opening lines of your constitution from "we the people" to "we the banks"

reply to post by iLemming


This time, I think it is placate the Saudi elite. They seem extremely hacked over their exposure in the Syria conflict. Citibank is theirs.

Democracy, And Capitalism.
these two words are supposed to have two different meanings. But they have somehow merged together.

DEMOCRACY:
a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.

CAPITALISM:
an economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state.

Now what has happened is that Capitalism started humping Democracy and they had a love child.

and its name is Corperatism.

CORPERATISM:
the organization of a society into industrial and professional corporations serving as organs of political representation and exercising control over persons and activities within their jurisdiction

We have representatives yes, but they no longer represent us.

The wealth of a nation is always consolidated. this is simply the tip of the iceberg. Follow the money trail and you will be amazed at just how deep down the rabbit hole you will actually go.

The vast majority of people have no clue about the monetary policies of the US and the world in general.
Most the people my age(30s) or younger do not even know what monetary means. I started looking for myself several years ago and found myself sickened by what I found. Time and time again i would share with people what I had found but time and time again I was disheartened because of the lack of understanding i would receive or the simple indifference I would face in people. The " I can't do anything about it so why should I care" attitude. And to those people i would always quote Edmund Burke. "All it takes for Tyranny to succeed is for good men to do nothing.

Seriously look into it yourself. dig deep and find out for yourself just how dirty our money really is.

Great Post.....I didn't see it written, but you really need to separate the Banks from the Corporations. The Banks are under the thumb of the Gov't now, where as, most corporations still have their own identity (GM EXCLUDED).

Everyone on the site always fights back and forth about whose fault it is, Dem or Rep. THE BEST RESPONSE IS TO GET RID OF THEM ALL.

WE ALL SIT HERE AND COMPLAIN, AND I DO IT AS MUCH AS ANYONE, BUT THEN WE GO AND RE-ELECT 96% OF THESE IDIOTS IN THE LAST ELECTION.

AN 8% APPROVAL RATING IN CONGRESS AND WE RE-ELECT 96% OF THEM. THEN WE COMPLAIN WHEN THEY DO DUMB THINGS???? THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SENT THEM THERE, SO WHO REALLY ARE THE IDIOTS?????????????

My guess is 70% of American's are so sick of this crap. The other 30% are part of the crap or they are so enslaved to the gov't benefits.

We have to get rid of the Harry Reid's, John McCain's, and all the OLD #HEADS that have helped ruin this Nation. There is a reason these people stay in office until they are in their 90's.....think about it, we all want to retire at 65, but things are SO, SO GOOD for these people that they have no reason to leave. The insider trading alone is probably worth millions/year to some of these people and their families. Plus they give nice $250K/year jobs to family members to "HELP" with their campaigns.

THE 2014 ELECTION NEEDS TO BE ABOUT "TERM LIMITS". WE NEED TO ELECT PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO CHANGE THE TERM LIMITS FOR BOTH THE SENATE AND HOUSE. 12 YEARS AND YOUR DONE. THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO GET WASHINGTON TO BE FOR THE PEOPLE AGAIN. THE LONGER PEOPLE STAY THERE, THE MORE CORRUPT THEY BECOME WITH LOBBYING AND SO FORTH.

IF THE CANDIDATE DOESN'T AGREE TO TERM LIMITS, THEN DON'T VOTE FOR THEM. IT'S THAT'S SIMPLE.

I WANT MY COUNTRY BACK.....DON'T YOU???

reply to post by rickymouse


They learned nothing? You mean "we the people" have learned nothing? I mean "we the people have learned something, but have done nothing". They have learned that if they get a job in congress or at banks, there are a lot of people in America that pay taxes, and why not help themselves.

reply to post by PainGod


It is that massive and continual wave of indifference that is succeeding in drowning me.

I feel I have no way to make it through the roiling undertow. I can barely keep my head above water, just trying to swim along side the tow, and there doesn't seem to be a lull or break to allow a way out.

We are drowning in the crowds of indifference and denial. I have no doubt that there will be change in the future; just like long after I am dead and likely long forgotten.

reply to post by Indigo5


Great find Indigo! F&S for the Op.

While I have repeatedly stated here on ATS that one of the first steps towards regaining a truly representative government would have to be the elimination of paid lobbying, judging by the replies in this thread, it would seem that most people are missing the point.

It would appear to me that the vast majority of posters responding to this thread seem to think the answer is to vote out everyone in Congress. While I agree that both parties are exposed to the influence of these corporate lobbyist, it's more than apparent that it's predominately one party in particular that's voting to protect their interest. Namely, it's the GOP.

If you don't believe me, just take a look at how the representatives from my home state of Texas voted. We have 36 representatives in the House, 24 Republicans & 12 Democrats. Not a single Republican from Texas voted against this bill while all but 4 Democrats opposed it. Go figure!

So if we want to fix this problem here in Texas, we're going to have to vote out ALL of our Republican representatives, but only 4 of the Democrats. Which by the way, is fine with me!

The guy in the video kinda suggested that Tea Baggers and the Occupy movement were somehow on the same track when it came to the Wall St. screwing over of America, but according to the registered votes coming from their elected representatives, I'd say "nothing could be further from the truth!"

I think it's time you TP/GOPers quit trying to throw out the baby along with the bath water and take a good look in the mirror. This is your party. These are people you elected. And seeing how you elected most of them in gerrymandered districts, it's going to be up to you to fix the problem.