Will We Let Them Destroy Us?
The serious economic crisis that we have been experiencing didn't just decide to pay us a visit for the hell of it. It happened because of unchecked greed. The philosophy that the best regulation is no regulation came back to bite us on our behinds, and the bite was so severe, we still can't sit comfortably. Government, at whatever level, can't stop human beings from our various desires, but it can put a clamp on how those desires manifest themselves. Libertarians will say that this is stifling freedom, and the wealthy beneficiaries of the "no regulation" philosophy love that kind of talk. The neighborhood burglar would love the repeal of breaking and entering laws, too; after all, those laws are stifling his desires. Of course, there IS a difference. There isn't much of a constituency for burglars, but the wealthy investors of the country have lots of money to toss around to convince the public that if there are laws to control "the sit on their ass class," that this is not in the interest of the average American. I'd say that to a great extent, they have succeeded, even though this nonsense is NOT in the interest of non-rich Americans. Remember folks, the upper level income groups are able to hire the absolute best public relations people in the world. We are bombarded on a daily basis with all sorts of advertisements telling us how one product is better than another. These people know how to make a case, no doubt about it. They are good at what they do, but that doesn't mean they should be left to run over and flatten many other Americans.
The "sit on their ass class" also has the resources to hire the best financial and legal minds in the world to help them with their "desires." With a certain segment, those desires are insatiable. With those less aggressive, they can't let the others get ahead of them, or they will lose status, and thus the merry-go-round continues, but the rest of us are paying the fare. Even if during these last three decades of massive deregulation, the government hadn't been so lax about regulation, it could never have kept up with these folks, as they have people working the system for them 24/7. Government is overwhelmed and so is the public. And don't get the idea that government at some level could pay some of these financial experts lots of money to join in an investigation of the financial system. There would be ads run telling us how our tax money is being spent and wasted on such things, and my guess is, many Americans would agree. As I've said here numerous times, this isn't actually a conspiracy, it is self-interest, and the wealthy KNOW what is in THEIR own interest. Many in the public don't understand, nor do many people want to take the time to understand, the complex nature of the financial system that the "sit on their ass class" has fashioned. The less we know, the better for them. That's why we need strong government regulation and regulators who have the desire to regulate. It may not be perfect, but we've got to get a handle on this situation. Even after this terrible crisis, the rich are still running the country and the "too big to fail" businesses are even bigger.
At a time when the economy is struggling to make a comeback, "the sit on their ass class" has gotten oil and gasoline prices way above what they were just a year ago. They are pushing gas prices toward $3.00 a gallon, and trust me, if we don't do something to stop these greedy bastards, $4.00 and $5.00 a gallon is not far off. That siphons money from the rest of the economy right into the pockets of...I'll give you one guess. These same folks, and people like them, didn't put petroleum products on futures markets because they thought it would help YOU or the country or the world, they did it, just as they did with complicated mortgage investments, to help themselves. With few people to speak up for the rest of the population, they have made a bundle. Many of these same people didn't push for "free trade" because it would help American workers, rather I'd say, just the opposite, they wanted to circumvent American labor. Now, I'm not saying making money is bad, but they have just ramrodded us and stuffed their pockets and bank accounts, using their gains to make more money, while average Americans have been falling behind, some way behind, even after working harder than ever (less pay and benefits for more work).
During the late 1960s and then the 1970s, Americans came to realize that government couldn't do everything that we had come to expect of it. Now Americans must recognize that free markets have the same problem, or will we let them destroy us?
WORD HISTORY:
Simmer-A pretty common word in today's English, but not much is known about it. Prior to the mid-1600s, it was "simperen," or "simber(en);" I found both. Where it came from is unknown, but some speculate that the original word was imitative of the sound of bubbling liquid. By the 1700s, the word also began to be applied to human emotions "being agitated." About a hundred years later, this meaning brought about the opposite meaning of "simmer down;" that is, "get emotions, usually anger, under control." Now this is just MY question: Could it be related to "simper?"
The "sit on their ass class" also has the resources to hire the best financial and legal minds in the world to help them with their "desires." With a certain segment, those desires are insatiable. With those less aggressive, they can't let the others get ahead of them, or they will lose status, and thus the merry-go-round continues, but the rest of us are paying the fare. Even if during these last three decades of massive deregulation, the government hadn't been so lax about regulation, it could never have kept up with these folks, as they have people working the system for them 24/7. Government is overwhelmed and so is the public. And don't get the idea that government at some level could pay some of these financial experts lots of money to join in an investigation of the financial system. There would be ads run telling us how our tax money is being spent and wasted on such things, and my guess is, many Americans would agree. As I've said here numerous times, this isn't actually a conspiracy, it is self-interest, and the wealthy KNOW what is in THEIR own interest. Many in the public don't understand, nor do many people want to take the time to understand, the complex nature of the financial system that the "sit on their ass class" has fashioned. The less we know, the better for them. That's why we need strong government regulation and regulators who have the desire to regulate. It may not be perfect, but we've got to get a handle on this situation. Even after this terrible crisis, the rich are still running the country and the "too big to fail" businesses are even bigger.
At a time when the economy is struggling to make a comeback, "the sit on their ass class" has gotten oil and gasoline prices way above what they were just a year ago. They are pushing gas prices toward $3.00 a gallon, and trust me, if we don't do something to stop these greedy bastards, $4.00 and $5.00 a gallon is not far off. That siphons money from the rest of the economy right into the pockets of...I'll give you one guess. These same folks, and people like them, didn't put petroleum products on futures markets because they thought it would help YOU or the country or the world, they did it, just as they did with complicated mortgage investments, to help themselves. With few people to speak up for the rest of the population, they have made a bundle. Many of these same people didn't push for "free trade" because it would help American workers, rather I'd say, just the opposite, they wanted to circumvent American labor. Now, I'm not saying making money is bad, but they have just ramrodded us and stuffed their pockets and bank accounts, using their gains to make more money, while average Americans have been falling behind, some way behind, even after working harder than ever (less pay and benefits for more work).
During the late 1960s and then the 1970s, Americans came to realize that government couldn't do everything that we had come to expect of it. Now Americans must recognize that free markets have the same problem, or will we let them destroy us?
WORD HISTORY:
Simmer-A pretty common word in today's English, but not much is known about it. Prior to the mid-1600s, it was "simperen," or "simber(en);" I found both. Where it came from is unknown, but some speculate that the original word was imitative of the sound of bubbling liquid. By the 1700s, the word also began to be applied to human emotions "being agitated." About a hundred years later, this meaning brought about the opposite meaning of "simmer down;" that is, "get emotions, usually anger, under control." Now this is just MY question: Could it be related to "simper?"
Labels: English, etymology, futures markets, gas prices, oil companies, oil prices, the wealthy
posted by Randy at 1:24 AM
1 Comments:
Thank you! And thanks for stopping by.
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