For some reason, despite the fact I own no stocks, every morning after I log onto the computer I check out the stock market at Yahoo Finance (.com). And, I end up reading various articles many of which lead me to a variety of reactions from scratching my head to anger. The one I read this morning left me with a combination of the above. Really, it just reminded me of what is really wrong with America (obviously, from my perspective). The article was about why individual 1 would be better for the stock market than Biden. (To me, I suppose, if you try to view this through the lens of pure GREED that would be obvious) As I was reading the article I felt I was simply getting further confirmation of my view Wall Street has become, simply, a glorified gambling casino and TOTALLY disconnected from “Main Street.”
In the article it was even mentioned about the incredible increase in the market from the March “lows” although it didn’t mention how that increase was “funded.” Of course, speculators have been buying the stocks in anticipation of some kind of miraculous recovery from the Covid-19 crisis along with all the people in the streets over the FACT America’s police force can’t seem to understand it would be a good idea to stop KILLING African Americans – people have video cameras on their phones and even white people, now, are fed up with what Blacks in America have been enduring for the past 400+ years – but, as usual, I’ve digressed. The reason many companies remain viable is because the “Fed” is pumping TRILLIONS of almost “free money” to various corporate interests to keep them afloat during the pandemic.
What the authors of the article were complaining about – well, maybe I should say “speculating” about, after all that is what people on Wall Street do, “speculate,” right? They were “speculating” about Biden’s tax policy vs. individual 1’s. Here was the first thing that got me a bit past the “scratching my head” stage toward the “angry” side – they suggested Biden was intending to raise taxes (reversing 1/2 of individual 1’s tax scam) in order to start working to bring down the deficit and repay what’s being borrowed to get us through this crisis. To Wall Street that’s in the taboo range of thought. After all, they’ve been pilfering tax dollars from “we the people” since the day Ronald Reagan introduced HIS tax SCAM – the so-called “trickle down” approach to taxation which was, from my vantage point, the focal point of the beginning of the great issue of income inequality “we the people” face today.
The people on Wall Street have no limits to their GREED. In the middle of this pandemic when there have been OVER 40 MILLION Americans signing up for unemployment benefits and money is being pored into the Market by the TRILLIONS – ALL borrowed money from OUR children – the idea of paying it back once the crisis is over just doesn’t register to these people. And, worse than that, the authors of the article acknowledged the “social” deficit coming from individual 1 – which is worth enduring to them in exchange for another tax cut. Because, incredibly, that’s exactly what they’re saying individual 1 is proposing. So, while Biden wants a tax increase (Goldman Sachs said Biden’s tax increase would reduce their dividend by 12% – the dividend which would likely be ZERO with out the $10 TRILLION Congress has approved to keep the economy from tanking SO FAR during this pandemic.
I wrote a few weeks back that democrats were attempting to help individual 1 with their response to the pandemic, he just doesn’t seem to realize it. They, of course, were the ones who demanded the extra $600 each week for those workers who’ve signed up for unemployment benefits. That is money which has actually propped up the economy. MOST of that money goes DIRECTLY back into the economy with people BUYING stuff – I’ve seen estimates that EVERY dollar brings a return to the economy of $1,68. People can buy food, supplies, they can pay their rent and car payments, etc. Without that money funneling in we would likely be in another Great Depression – which, may still happen because republicans are suggesting we don’t need more “stimulus.” (I can guarantee you, if corporations need more money it will miraculously appear)
Additionally, all across the country state and local governments are running on deficits which they cannot legally continue so if Congress actually refuses to pass the HEROES Act – or something resembling it – there could be even more layoffs in the MILLIONS which, of course, would just exacerbate the problems sitting on the “edge of the cliff.” I continue to wonder if individual 1 even understands what the democrats are proposing is the best thing, economically, that could happen to him. Of course, those naughty democrats included in their bill funding for the Postal Service and for the states to set up “vote from home” plans for the November election which is likely to be happening while this pandemic individual 1 has forgotten about is still RAGING. So, in the words of Moscow Mitch, the bill is a “non starter.”
Apparently because individual 1 views Jeff Bezos as one of his mortal enemies and Bezos’ company, Amazon, uses the postal service to deliver some of their packages, our IMPEACHED so-called president wants to destroy the Postal Service – an institution which dates to the founding of this nation. Should he succeed I will be lobbying for a SECOND impeachment! And, the idea of blocking voting from home while there’s a pandemic going on is preposterous, stupid, ridiculous, mean spirited, awful, terrible, unreasonable, and did I say preposterous!? Of course, not only does individual 1 want to block voting from home he wants the various Secretary’s of States in “battleground states” to make sure there will be long lines in areas where most of the voters vote for democrats. That’s what we call voter suppression!
Individual 1 seems to believe if more people are able to vote his chances go way down (he’s probably correct – but, the solution to that issue is addressing the needs of more people) and, he, along with his sycophants, seems to be doing everything he/they can to prevent African Americans from voting. If he was really the “best president since Lincoln for African Americans” wouldn’t you find that strategy curious? That, of course, is his claim – which I find a bit curious as, based on the polling I’ve seen, very few African Americans support him – less than 10%. But, if his claim was true you’d think he’d be supporting “vote from home” because there are voter registration drives at each of the rallies I’ve seen on TV and he should be encouraging those people to vote this November, shouldn’t he? Honestly, I don’t believe African Americans care which political party addresses their demands for “equal justice for all” – so, to me, the best solution for individual 1 would be to encourage the HEROES Act – which would prop up the economy for another 6 months and encourage MORE people to vote – and to support real reform in policing across America.
Not only is individual 1 claiming to be the best IMPEACHED so-called president in American history for African Americans but he’s claiming he’s been the best for the rest of us. So, why would he possibly oppose that bill which would keep Wall Street propped up, keep the police on duty along with firefighters and other state funded employees and encourage more participation at the polls – so all those people he’s been the best president ever could vote for him. Somethings amiss here, wouldn’t you think? Is he LYING about being the best president ever? Does he fear making it easier for people to vote would be bad for him, even though he’s such a great IMPEACHED so-called president? This doesn’t make sense to me!
And, I do have to add here, he does have some almost rabid supporters who seem to work from the same logic base as he. For example, a few weeks ago individual 1 had a “hissy fit” because the Secretary of State was sending out applications for absentee ballots in Michigan so that those who wanted to “vote from home” could do so. (Apparently, individual 1 thought she was already sending out the ballots – remember, the election is in November – it was May at the time) Well, sure as shootin, there’s a group of supporters of our IMPEACHED so-called president in Michigan who are right there with him – so, they held a public display of BURNING their applications for those absentee ballots. My thoughts, “I hope it’s not raining while you’re standing in line for four or five hours to vote – Oh yes, these are voters who are die hard republicans, there likely won’t be any lines.
If you remember, just a while back 70 people in Wisconsin contracted Covid-19 while exercising their RIGHT to vote because, not only would Wisconsin’s republican legislature not postpone the election – it was a primary, but there was a right wing judge on the ballot – remember, for republicans now it’s all about the judges – but they also figured out how to limit absentee votes and cause those likely to vote democratic to stand in lines – part of the time in the rain – for several hours in order to vote. And, enough democrats endured the lines to vote that right wing judge out of office. I’ve sent money to people running for office in Wisconsin simply because the democrats there inspire me due to their diligence in fighting a rigged system which seems very difficult to overcome. Remember, Wisconsin was the home of the John Birch Society at its inception.
It appears that is the goal of individual 1 and republicans all across this nation – to force people likely to vote for democrats to stand in long lines in the rain to exercise their voting PRIVILEGE. I think people are prepared to do whatever it takes this year to cast their ballots and, I believe, there are many republicans in the Senate who are likely to lose their jobs simply because, well, they support our IMPEACHED so-called president. Of course, they ALL had the chance to end the nightmare in the IMPEACHMENT trial but chose, instead, to publicly demonstrate their allegiance is to individual 1 and NOT the constitution. They even refused to call witnesses who they KNEW could verify the charges against individual 1 most notably John Bolton. I haven’t decided whether to purchase John Bolton’s book yet – because, I totally agree he SHOULD have either testified before the Senate OR he should have submitted to an interview, somewhere on TV, so that what he knows would have been public knowledge prior to that vote. From what I’ve read he witnessed MORE behavior which was WORSE than the Ukraine fiasco and would suggest additional reasons for IMPEACHMENT. Republicans wanted to keep their heads in the sand! And, Bolton??? (Apparently, wanted the $$$)
These republicans believe in REVENGE and it will be interesting watching how this ordeal between individual 1 and Bolton plays out. It appears Bolton has the “goods” on individual 1 and, like he said after being unceremoniously removed from his job as National Security Adviser and receiving some of the nasty “tweets” republicans seem to fear, “I’ll have my say.” It appears his book is OVER 500 pages of his “say.” (I think I just talked myself into buying it – after all, I bought [and read] “Anonymous” by, well, we don’t know who, although I think it was Kellyanne Conway who wrote it, which was over 200 pages of why “we the people” absolutely SHOULDN’T vote for individual 1 again) Seriously though, the evidence of the incompetence, the corruption, plus the lack of interest in doing the job coming from our IMPEACHED so-called president should make it obvious to anyone who’s not part of the CULT that the sooner individual 1 is out of office the better we all will be – including those in the CULT. Bolton’s book, very likely, will just confirm what “we the people” already know!
Final Thought: OK, today (it’s a few days since I started this post) I listened to a reporter from the NY Times who got a pre-publication copy of Bolton’s book discuss what is in it and I went right back to Barnes and Noble dot com, clicked on my “shopping cart,” and finished the purchase of the book – even though there was no discount despite my membership there. (Whoopee, I got free shipping!) Of course, I’ll have to wait because the book won’t be released for another week and, true to form, individual 1 is pushing up the sales by “trying” to prevent the book’s release. (It’s already published and sitting at the book sellers’ warehouses) I have to wonder if this isn’t some kind of side deal individual 1 has with Bolton – by going to court to block its release, the book is instantaneously the #1 Best Seller.
Do you think individual 1 does this on purpose or is he – like apparently Mike Pompeo referred to him as “dumb as shit” – not realizing he’s simply helping to sell thousands upon thousands of copies via his intransigence? He did this to (for?) Omarosa, he did it for “Anonymous,” He did it for Comey and McCabe, and he’s done it for others and, likely, he’ll keep doing it. Although, I can only imagine all the books which are going to be coming out after November. The ones I’m looking forward to, at that point in time, will more likely be the ones about Moscow Mitch, Leningrad Lindsay, and the other sycophants who will be on the receiving ends of “memoirs” coming from people who were working behind the scenes for them as they put THEIR personal interests ahead of the country’s. I’ve only got a few years left (God willing) and I need to keep my eyes working because there will be a lot of reading to do.
OK, one more thought: After listening to Joe Biden today I’m even more convinced he will win the election this November which may be the end of my writing days. I started this back when the Bush/Cheney regime brought back the Viet Nam memories with their (fool hearted) incursion into Iraq followed by, among other things, the authorization of TORTURE – when my frustration with our government “boiled over” – and, for some reason, I felt obligated to continue writing during President Obama’s time in office – “fair and balanced.” :o) And, I found plenty to disagree with President Obama – although, I always felt he was saddled by a Congress led by Moscow Mitch in the Senate and the “tea party” in the House – ie people who were all in on making sure our BLACK president “failed” (which, of course, they were the ones who failed – Obama left individual 1 a country on the “rise”).
I remember seeing the movie “42” which caused me to view President Obama’s administration in a completely different “light.” President Obama couldn’t attack the racist opposition he faced EVERY day and the rest of us – well, in my instance, ME – failed to sufficiently do it for him – thus we “opened the door for” and ended up with individual 1. My prayer is this ends up being a positive because it’s FORCING “we the people” to address our “demons.” If that’s the end result I think I’ll believe the pain was worth it. And, keep in mind, my pain has mostly been worrying about what “we the people” are leaving for our children and grandchildren. Over the past several weeks we’ve all been watching examples of the REAL pain being endured by our Black brothers and sisters in this nation since, well, before this nation was a nation.
But, as I watch these protests (marches) by what looks to me to be a true rendering of America’s “melting pot” I feel a sense of encouragement. Just that our young people are becoming involved – I hope my naive side isn’t out of control – that they are saying this nation’s ideals are worth fighting for gives me a bit more encouragement about the future. Because, remember the Climate Crisis is on the horizon of the Covid-19 crisis. “Unity” will give “we the people” a much greater chance to address the looming crises with a chance for success – because, in my view, these crises are likely to be as challenging as any this nation has yet faced in her nearly 240 years of experimenting with self governance. Individual 1 seems to be saying a fascist dictatorship is the “answer” and, it appears to me, “we the people” are responding “no way!” Stay tuned………………….