campaign finance

Studies show, Congress Favors the Rich

When Hillary Clinton recently borrowed Elizabeth Warren's talking points and claimed "the deck is still stacked in favor of those at the top" against regular working people, did she mention reforming the tax code — and then offer any solutions? The simple answer is "no"; and unless she is ever pressed by the mainstream "liberal" media, she will probably dodge this question the same way GE dodges taxes.

It's not the Stupidity, It's the Money Behind the Shutdown Crisis

In This Crisis It's Not Stupidity, It's the Money: Three Relevant Laws

There are three basic laws about discussion, especially political discussion, that are useful in the contentious government situation we have today.  The third of these laws is especially relevant because it warns us that what is happening in Congress is not a passing aberration, but in fact a threat to democracy in our country.

Saturday Reads Around the Internets - This Week in the Economic Horror Show

shocknews Welcome to the weekly roundup of great articles, facts and figures. These are the weekly finds that made our eyes pop.

 

Libor Manipulating Banks Want Civil Fine Settlement

As expected, it appears those banks manipulating the LIBOR are after a group settlement. In other words, if you're expecting heads to roll and criminal charges, dream on.

Lift the Veil on Corporate Money in Politics

corp politcs
Originally published by Bloomberg

America today is very different from the country that fought the Revolutionary War and framed the Constitution. Then, it was a nation of farmers; today, it’s a nation of corporations. Most Americans now work for corporations, the largest of which command resources and money on a scale beyond that of many nations.

Yet when it comes to public issues like jobs, the distribution of wealth or even plain old politics, we still talk as we did 200 years ago. Remarkably, too few citizens discuss the effects of corporate behavior on jobs, health care and the economy, even though corporations affect all of these through their influence on elections and the actions of government.

As President Theodore Roosevelt noted in his first annual message to Congress:

Great corporations exist only because they are created and safeguarded by our institutions; and it is therefore our right and our duty to see that they work in harmony with those institutions.

The key to doing this is to hold corporations accountable by ensuring that their activities are made visible.

From the end of World War II until about 1980 -- even through the economic travail of the ’70s, as the U.S. faced the Arab oil embargo, rampant inflation, significant growth in foreign competition and the aftermath of the Vietnam War -- it was generally considered normal for large corporations to acknowledge all of their constituencies.

The Presidential Candidate Not There

It seems safe to say no one is happy with the Presidential candidate field. Poll after poll shows strong disapproval with government and why not, with inane policies promoted by both sides.
corporate politicians

Tonight is yet more political football with pundit coach potato quarterbacks featured on every cable news channel. It's another Republican debate.

So, why is a GOP candidate, a former Louisiana governor as well as Congressman, now running for President not there?

Because they wouldn't let him.

Buddy Roemer is running for President. Yup, a GOP candidate is talking about China, corruption in politics, trade and jobs. He's even picking up on one of Obama's empty campaign promises, removing corporate tax incentives to offshore outsource your job. Even more promising for broad appeal, it seems Roemer was once a conservative Democrat and switched parties. Hopefully that implies he might actually have an open mind to agenda that adds up by the numbers and makes economic sense, unlike most of the GOP field. Roemer also has a Harvard MBA and unlike Bush, didn't skate, so he might just have a little clue on economic policy that isn't made up by corporate lobbyists.

They Can't Be Serious - Prosecuting Edwards

Michael Collins

We can draw several clear conclusions from the indictment of John Edwards.

The case is a joke, quite literally. It mocks justice.

The cast of characters consists of people who should have recused themselves, rather than bringing a prosecution. This strange case has the faint odor of the nonstop assault on former Alabama governor, Don Siegelman.

Apparently the Department of Justice has a lot of time on its hands. How else could it pursue this transparent nonsense while failing to prosecute the perpetrators of the financial collapse?

Finally, the prosecution shows that those in control are not even pretending to acknowledge a rule of law.