Dylan Ratigan Jimmy Dore
First up, congratulations to Dallas Cowboys 35- 27 win this last sunday in Detroit against the Lions ... really an exciting game to the end! Sunday the 24th will be a big challenge for the Cowboys, as they go to Boston to take on the Super Bowl champ New England Patriots, which will be a big game watch nationally, opening point spread, Patriots by 6.5 points. Now, down to business ... this posting will serve 3 series of this journal/ blog, and will be a one on one interview/ conversation with Dylan Ratigan (wikipedia) on "The Jimmy Dore Show" ... this is one of the best interviews Jimmy had on his show, and one of the better ones I seen online, and well worth the listen, despite the length, so I wanted to highlight it in here. I started the video at 53:14, where the conversation really gets good, and in depth look at where we are today in America (and the globe), and how we got here. I guess Dylan is best known for his show in the past on MSNBC ... but there is much more to Dylan than just that, I been hearing this guy out for several years, I love hearing this guy out, and Jimmy, whether I agree with everything or not ... it's great food for thought. Dylan is also a little more objective and logical too, than what you will get out of much major media or popular websites that cover the political and financial arena, and he makes sense. Dylan was once the Global Managing Editor for corporate finance at Bloomberg L.P. as well ... he explains and simplifies things that are somewhat confusing, at least for me, when it comes to scams and games that the big money plays on us, and their strategies, of how to take over governments and societies of the globe, and basically rob us blind, of our money, minds, liberties, and anything else ... most of which are issues that I been covering throughout these series. This aristocracy of thieves, con artists, and tyrants, have no allegiance to any country ... and many of these "corporate communists" are our enemy, with no regard for our Republic, democracy, Constitution, and citizenry.
Also, I'm changing the series name of "Corporatcommunazica" to "Corporatocracy" to simplify the title ... because corporatcommunazica is just a word I made up, that combines corporatism, communism, nazism, and America, and looking at it, no one would even understand what it means at first glance. We have a corporatocracy, and as Dylan points out, is communism, that now controls damn near everything, including our failed politics, or at least, what these tyrants have molded politics into over the last few decades. While creating a system of racism and extreme classism even longer, and now increasingly incorporating religion into it, and making corporatism, like a type of religion, for people to submit to, and injecting it into captalism. And this time instead of kings of past, we have the CEOs of banks and corporations as the new high priests, that say they been chosen by a higher power, to dictate our finances as well as our morality ... just the same old shit of past centuries repackaged. Which is also why I'll change the name of the series "Neoliberalism Crisis", because we are beyond a crisis, neoliberalism is already the law of the land, also imposed by these tyrants, and their lobbyists, politicians, and judges ... so it will now be the "Neoliberalism" series for the title. Dylan also explains to Jimmy below, why he is so optimistic, because Jimmy is not ... I agree with Dylan on that, as I also point out time and again in these series ... although I do believe it will get worse before better, and it should, it's the best for us, if it does get worse, and must. I also included a couple links below the video that is related to what Dylan and Jimmy are discussing. I'll add a few remarks of my own at the bottom.
Dylan Ratigan: The Super Rich Have No Country. ... Thanx to The Jimmy Dore Show
***** NAKED CAPITALISM | Yves Smith: The Obama Administration Bails Out Private Equity Landlords at the Expense of the Middle Class: Government Guarantees for Rental Securitization ... (newsread)
***** CNN BUSINESS | Matt Egan: For the second day in a row, the New York Fed spent billions to control the financial market ... (newsread/ video)
*****************************************************************************
***** PD/ RCJ: "CORPORATCOMMUNAZICA" ... PART'S 20 THRU 1 (**** this series will be called "Corporatocracy" now)
***** PD/ RCJ: "THE AWAKENING" ... PART'S 55 THRU 1
***** PD/ RCJ: "NEOLIBERALISM CRISIS" ... PART'S 9 THRU 1 (**** this series will be called "Neoliberalism" now)
*****************************************************************************
Thomas Hudson Pickering/ Ranch Chimp
So many good points that Dylan makes, that should make us question more. For me, this also explains why after the last recession and bailout deal ... why President Obama was constantly telling us "no more bailouts". Because of the new financial reform and Dodd- Frank (wikipedia), which was not Obama's plan, but the plan recommended to him ... basically they all (banks) would take care of it ... being Obama knew that we were unlikely to have to decide or vote anymore whether or not to do a bailout, because of the new legislation. But you can see, as Dylan discussed Obama, how they basically had President Obama in a sort of hostage situation (go to 1:41:00 in video), like they do to many others, same shit as old school racketeers of the 1920's thru 1940's done. There is a silver lining to that though, I guess ... being that instead of having to vote when we are seeing cracks in our financial systems or any trouble, the Federal Reserve can simply rustle up billions to smooth things out without having to go through Congress (still a bailout of sort, and still funding their mistakes with our money). The downside though, is losing that power of the vote ... but it would seem to lessen the blow of any uncoming recession, on how it would impact our economy overall. I didn't know much about how the credit default swap worx, but did know the purpose of creating mass debt for control over us, as I point out throughout this journal/ series time and again ... bottom line, the more indebted society is to these entities, the more money these entities make, and the less power society/ consumers/ citizens have, and strongly weakening democracy, while simultaneously building monopolies that we become increasingly dependent on. I was one of those folks years ago, that had accumulated quite a bit of credit card debt (over $20K, but under $30K, as a working man, it felt significant at that time), back in the mid 1980's to mid 1990's, and it took me a decade to get out of it. I knew the basics of how things worked from what I read, because as I was reading it (financial reports and magazines), much sounded very shaky, you can clearly see scam plans written all over it ... I mean, I have no background education in finance or much of anything, but what I learned on the streets showed me much, enough to know when a bite/ scam was in the details. Also importante, is how the euro has damaged economies in some European countries, as well as trade, and the sovereignty of countries. Globalization is not designed to make us a big happy family, as much as it's to weaken our countries/ people.
When I seen the 401(k) deal starting to replace pensions in the 1980's, I read up on that too ... and called that for what it was. My first introduction to 401(k), was a promo offer at a company meeting I attended, to replace our standard retirement plan (I worked at a Fortune500 insurance company, running the pre- press printing operations). They had us at a luncheon, selling us this deal with added incentives to join it ... most employees seen it as great, and it did sound attractive, the way it was presented ... after reading up on it, I had too many questions about it ... I didn't see it as more secure than the standard retirement plan they already had, paid a bit more (depending on the stock market, and the options you chose to put your money, that "they" offered), but had increased risks, fees, penalties. I knew folks like my Dad, and other uncles/ aunts/ friends that had decent pensions, back up on the east coast (New York and Pennsylvania) years ago, and were far more financially secure over the years, than most in todayz society. Bottom line, I was putting pieces together I found here and there, like a sort of jigsaw puzzle ... seeing how exactly Dylan points out, that all of the money was being redirected from the masses, to smaller and smaller groups of investors. Sadly, as Dylan points out, through things like 401(k), these folks are even investing our money in private prison systems, and well as dirty energy, and many things that are against our interests. When you got rid of Glass- Steagall (wikipedia), that was also to get all of even millions of folks saving/ checking accounts money to play with/ investments (luckily we have FDIC to cover our money), and todayz big banks are of mass fraud and theft ... consumers, customers, taxpayers have the biggest risks these dayz. But giving someone else your money to invest and gamble for you, and paying them to do it, while you are bearing all of any losses, is just insanity, to me. My question is/ was, would these entities give us their money/ capital to invest for them? ... of course not. Bottom line, as Dylan points out above, the goal is to suck dry all capital/ assets, or anything that holds any actual value ... but this includes, a huge transformation of government, to where these largest entities become the new governing body, something I been pointing out throughout these related series. And year by year, regardless of which party is in power, it's increasingly going in that direction as far as money ... even our basic liberties/ rights are being attacked by the same entities buying our politics/ legislation ... which you can clearly see for yourself.
I voted for Obama both terms, and liked him, seen him as bipartisan, thought it may do good to have a more moderate centrist constitutionalist like him, etc. But that was a decade ago, and I had not followed politics much before I got online and started this blog/ journal in 2008. So my political views have changed over the last decade, seeing now, bipartisanship as a failure. Even though I been voting Democrat, I agree with Dylan, and even Jimmy to some degree, when Dylan sayz that both political parties are hostile to America ... absolutely. We have got to the point now through corporatism, to where we are basically voting against who we hate most. The other day in the news, Obama told Democrats to stop moving too far left ... I guess because of the fear of "electability" (but Obama has been raking in big money off wealthy donors and the corporate/ banking sector over the last couple years too), this has gotten a bit insane ... "fear this, fear that" talk. We are told year after year, that we need to move more and more to the right ... why? We have already moved to the right, to where left is almost nonexistent, gave out more olive branches than an olive producer, we have held hands, kissed ass, and bent over backwards, including Obama ... what in Hell good has it done? Why should people fear, asking to be heard, and to be part of the process? You don't want to be ripped off by banks and corporations, more balanced distribution of gains/ capital, not to sell out our country to the highest bidder? ... so that is too far left? ... that's insane! When Obama first went to office, we had a Democrat congress, senate, and President ... Obama asked for a 20% public option on health care, which was bipartisan, pro- business, and would NOT suddenly eliminate the private related industries, but at least force them to compete ... I thought it was a brilliant idea, considering how dependent our economy was on health care industries, etc. And I called that one accurately as well in the start of this journal, when I seen the games the establishment Democrats and their Republican allies started playing ... kicking the can down the road as well with shit like the "trigger plan" (Washington Post), which was, we'll hold these industries accountable if they don't clean up their act in the next 5 years, or we will start a single- payer or whatever. In 2009, it was clear to me, that they were going to push a bipartisan plan, orchestrated to allow only a couple key Democrats to defeat public option, regardless of their talk, and legislate law, to force millions of the most vulnerable working classes, to buy inferior insurance at premium prices. And when people say they want something like "Medicare for All", well, they mean just that ... not a corporate plan where it will be about 10% government, and 90% of parts (A, B, C, D, E, F, etc) to be covered by private unreformed monopolies, don't be surprised if politicans push a "Medicare for All" plan like such.
Here we are a decade later, and health care is in worse shape than it was then, and now taking up even more of the GDP, with a growing majority still asking for choice and options ... we have gotten none. The prices are through the roof, not just nationally, but on a global comparison. I had to get a prescription some years back (4- 5?) after my kidney stone surgery, insurance didn't cover it, the price was $1277 here in U.S., and you needed prescription ... I got the same identical drug in Mexico, for $150, and they didn't even need my prescription ... go figure. I was asked back then, to take 2 full body scans, called MRI (?), by 2 competing doctors, within about a week, and these are not cheap, sending me to a flashy, doctor owned new hospital, takes about an hour, where you lay on a type bedding, listen to music, and they X-ray all around you in some donut type structure ... I told the 2nd doctor ... "why can't we use the X-ray I just took a week ago?" ... he said "sure, that'll work". In other words, if I didn't say anything, they would have milked my insurance for a couple thousand more? Premiums and out- of- pocket/ co-pays have been going through the roof too, year after year, chipping away at your benefits ... I can hardly believe the health insurance plan I had in early 1980s. I paid a small $20 premium (per 2 week paycheck deduction), full family health and dental (The Hartford), most was employer paid as part of my benefit package, I had thousands done in dental work, with maybe 10% out- of- pocket on it, and low deductible. Even when I worked for the insurance company, the coverage and out- of- pocket was multiple times better than these crap plans of today. We alwayz hear of cuts to Medicaid needed, eh? ... for politicians whining about Medicaid costs, single payer would actually eliminate Medicaid, and take a burden off states and employers. When the "Affordable Care Act" was made (aka ObamaCare) years back, I looked at it, and seen it had nothing to do with Obama, but a corporate designed plan, to force millions of poor to buy junk plans, that no politician would even want, and medical providers milking Medicaid, like some do to Medicare (inflated billing and unnecessary tests/ services, etc). And unless you had something catastrophic, you won't even meet deductible, nothing but premiums, out- of pockets, and endless debt ... poor folks were better off going to county hospitals with no insurance, and Trump was right saying people shouldn't be forced to buy it (although, that was mostly political talk). A single- payer is more benefits than losses, and every politician knows it. Senator Amy Klobuchar was honest, when she said that "Medicare for All" won't happen, even though folks whined about what she said ... because she knows that her and many other Democrats with Republicans, will do all they can to stop it in its tracks.
I also agree with Dylan, as far as him being so optimistic on the future ... I felt exactly the same way as him throughout this journal, without even hearing it from him or anyone else. Why?, because I have more faith in people, scientists, those that have innovative ideas, etc ... than I ever had for the political establishment, corporations, or religious leaders. History shows us that people fight back, and even start to make unconventional decisions on their own, and will, as Dylan sayz, do things under pressure, that they wouldn't otherwise do. When disasters strike, natural or man made, who is first in the trenches to help? ... people/ neighbours/ strangers ... most politicians only show up dayz after the damage or storm, to declare it an official emergency, or to give worthless prayers. And look at how people band together when push comes to shove ... the only ones who divide us and damage our societies most, are these ruling entities of mass wealth, who come back every so many decades to try to make us obey and submit. These entities contribute nothing at all, that we can't do ourselves, and have done all ourselves ... their biggest fear, will come when people realize that they never needed them to begin with, and simply walk away. That's why Dylan sayz that the huge risks make way for even bigger opportunity and reason for people to decide to make changes ... it alwayz happened in the past, and will continue. Which is also why I welcome things to get worse before they get better ... we need it ... it gets people off their ass. Jimmy sayz we need folks like "Yellow Vests" ... absolutely! ... and more dissent, disobedience, opposition, even non- violent, combined. And watch them start to whine like babies, and hide in fear, when the tables turn on them ... in time. If the Democratic Party changes, it will come from only more progressives moving into the party ... the likelihood of that must come from the party. Simply using progressives to boost your ratings, then later turning on them, is not good policy, for the sustainability of the party. And this talk that people who ask for simple justice and fairness are "purists", don't cut it either ... you establishment democrats, should stop and look in the mirror, at the type of purist ideology that you embrace ... of "our way or the highway", and rejection of voters that ask for reasonable change and basic accountability and fairness. Year after year, after year, Democrats are told they need to move further and further to the right, be more bipartisan, etc, etc, by the Democratic establishment ... NOT ONCE have I heard anyone, Democrat or Republican, ask the Republicans to be more moderate, centrist, bipartisan, and to move even slightly to the left. I am looking forward to a day, that if we don't see change, a new mass peoples interests party to form ... and not the existing Green or Libertarian, which are also outdated, but something that will serve the times and condition much better.
Word Out ....
*****************************************************************************
Goodreads: "Greedy Bastards" Goodreads: "Your Country ...."
*****************************************************************************
***** RANCH CHIMP JOURNAL "WELCOME" POST
***** RCJ MUSIC/ ART'S HONOUR ROLL SOCIETY (my hand- selected music/ arts picks)
***** "THE RESISTANCE | PERILS OF THE POWER POSSE" ... ( a 2 part futuristic Ranch Chimp Journal dream to dream on )
*****************************************************************************
