2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumDoes Hillary talk about .1% owning 90% of the wealth? About redistribution of wealth?
If she does, please set me straight.
But I do not think there is a more serious problem than that in the US.
If you agree, Bernie is the candidate you should support.
And yes, the powerful do NOT want him to become President. They will do anything to stop it, including trying to incite racial politics to divide people with common interests.
Pick a side.
cantbeserious
(13,039 posts)eom
reformist2
(9,841 posts)After all, what is the main reason the 1% keep getting richer and richer, at the expense of the rest of us? Hundreds of little changes to the economic policies and tax codes and free trade agreements over the years, each one delivered by politicians bought and paid for by the rich with their campaign donations.
We need candidates who vow to undo Citizens United, to get big money out of politics. Candidates who make it their #1 issue - and better yet, who renounce receiving the big bucks from big money. Now, which candidate isn't likely to do any of this? :p
cantbeserious
(13,039 posts)eom
TheFarS1de
(1,017 posts)nothing but the sound of silence
mindwalker_i
(4,407 posts)tomm2thumbs
(13,297 posts)that is hilarious!
mindwalker_i
(4,407 posts)In the game Neverwinter Nights, there was a fight club with a sign that said, "First rule of the fight club, don't shoot the food," which was a reference to the game Gauntlet, from the 80's. When I saw that, I just bout died laughing.
"Elf, shot the food."
tomm2thumbs
(13,297 posts)"Remember...Don't Shoot Food"
mindwalker_i
(4,407 posts)... Too bad you shot that food, or you wouldn't be about to die
Bonobo
(29,257 posts)mindwalker_i
(4,407 posts)Barky Bark
(70 posts)I'm sure the owners were grateful.
mindwalker_i
(4,407 posts)Wow, I didn't know that. Might have to fire up MAME (or look it up on The Google)
Bonobo
(29,257 posts)Armstead
(47,803 posts)Agschmid
(28,749 posts)Armstead
(47,803 posts)And the fact that, as a relative unknown he does not have Clinton's longtime "connection" or whatever you want to call it with African Americans is a phony issue. He also doesn't yet have a connection with many white people, because it is still the early stages of the campaign.
If Sanders were to say racist shit,, or take actual positions or has done specific things that some might see as contrary to civil rights, social justice etc -- those would be subjects worth discussion.
(And the fact that one of his prominent campaign supporters can be considered obnoxious may be worth of some discussion, but not the obsessive hammering that is currently going on.)
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)Not the slightest, that wasn't my point.
My point was that what you call a "phony distraction" just isn't.
People are dying almost everyday due to gun violence in the U.S., sometimes police are the ones doing the killing.
IMO... That IS NOT a phony distraction.
Now if you want to clarify and say that was about something else I'm open to that clarification.
Armstead
(47,803 posts)But that is the context for a lot of the stuff that goes on here (and elsewhere).
Race is not a phony issue, Gun violence is not a phony issue. criminal justice is not a phony issue, Many other subjects are not phony issues.
How ALL candidate deal with these problems, and what they propose to deal with them is not a phony issue,
But this constant harping on Sanders regarding race -- especially the implications that there's something "wrong" with him and the people who support him -- is phony and misleading. He's a white guy. So are many otehr politicians. But he's a lot more attuned than most.
It's also a smoke and mirrors distraction to say that "economic" issues are irrelevant to African Americans lives, and Sanders is an insensitive moron because that is a major focus of his.
Yeah, those are phony issues,
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)No one was harping on it, no one even mentioned it.
Armstead
(47,803 posts)The fact that Bernie's "problems with Black People" has been used as a hammer to marginalize him repeatedly.
Jeeze at this moment there are God-knows how many damn threads about Cornell West, and other variations on the mme that he doesn't get along with blacks, is failing miserably at developing a diverse coalition, etc, etc. etc.
Which does relate to the point of the thread, in that some people seem to want to some up with bright shiny objects to distract attention from the debate over economic policies and priorities that S and C reflect
Le Taz Hot
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"than counting black people" This is over the top, and hurtful. The issues of racial diversity are important and this poster reduces it to this racist meme. Please vote to hide this over the top and hurtful comment. I can't even believe I read some of this stuff on DU, while people of colors posts are hidden and they are silenced. Stop the race baiting!
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Old Crow
(2,212 posts)But I suspect, once it becomes clear to her that she's about to lose the nomination to Bernie Sanders, she will. I mean, this is a politician who has adopted a southern accent when addressing southerners.
And I can predict what her speech will sound like:
~Hillary, in a blue pantsuit, is holding a microphone and addressing a not-very-enthusiastic audience~
"You know, I have been for government solutions all my life. And America has a long tradition of social solutions, like firemen. And policemen. And public libraries. In fact, you could say I've been a socialist my entire political career. And since I have more experience in public service, you could say I'm the socialist who can get more done in Washington than any other socialist!"
~a few quizzical looks from the audience ("Did she just say she's a socialist?" , followed by tepid applause~
Catherina
(35,568 posts)Yallow
(1,926 posts)She just has to convince me she will work harder for my families interests than Bernie will.
That's all.....
Errrr.... Btw....
TPP
Keystone
Jailing Banksters
Taxing Billionaires
Taxing Tax Free Corporations
Closing > ALL < Loopholes
Nominating Secretaries That Work For People Not Just Banksters
The list goes on.
Go for it Hillary.
Yallow
(1,926 posts)Pollution, and global warming
Getting the money out of politics
I need to go to bed.....
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)artislife
(9,497 posts)Happy they had this clip because I see Hillary in the back seat of that car.
Uncle Joe
(58,365 posts)Thanks for the thread, Bonobo.
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)Clinton reportedly made the comments in a meeting with economists earlier this year, when she was shown a graph that "charted how real wages, adjusted for inflation, had increased exponentially for the wealthiest Americans, making the bar so steep it hardly fit on the chart."
"Clinton pointed at the top category and said the economy required a 'toppling' of the wealthiest 1 percent, according to several people," writes The Times' Amy Chozick.
Bonobo
(29,257 posts)In fact, it isn't even in the same ballpark.
Let me know when she has the courage to do that.
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)Aka... #AnyDamnDayonDU
Bonobo
(29,257 posts)Agschmid
(28,749 posts)Bonobo
(29,257 posts)Seems to me like she is lukewarm on the issue.
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)Bonobo
(29,257 posts)Not much she can do about that though.
reformist2
(9,841 posts)Agschmid
(28,749 posts)His campaign from Billionares... Why not?
This again was not the point of the OP really... #MovingGoalPostMondays
reformist2
(9,841 posts)Agschmid
(28,749 posts)Bernie is the nominee...
Warren Buffet comes along and says I'd like to support the nominee Bernie Sanders, please accept this $2700 direct donation to your Presidential cmapaign. (All legal, all allowed, no Super PAC involved)...
And you are telling me Bernie will say "No" to that money?
Armstead
(47,803 posts)Say no to things like having head honchos of places like Goldman Sachs setting up stealth Super PACS
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)But he absolutely will take $$$ from Billionares, there is no reason not too.
reformist2
(9,841 posts)Agschmid
(28,749 posts)But he will absolutely take it as a direct campaign donation.
Why wouldn't he?
reformist2
(9,841 posts)To try to equate his position and Hillary's on this issue is preposterous.
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)He will.
No doubt in my mind.
#MovingGoalPostsMonday
It's me, the "class act" guy! rofl
It's not a mistake that many of Hillary's donors are also Jeb's donors. http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/08/04/hillary-clinton-s-mega-donors-are-also-funding-jeb-bush.html
After all, why support just Hillary Clinton or just Jeb Bush when you can hedge your bets and donate to both? This seems to be the thinking of a group of powerful men and womenracetrack owners, bankers, media barons, chicken magnates, hedge funders (and their spouses). Some of them have net worths that can eclipse the GDPs of small countries.
Yet *crickets" from her supporters. Why? Seriously, why? What makes Hillary so great that she should never be questioned and feel the need to rope in journalists?
And if you don't think those donors aren't worried, I have news for you. http://ringoffireradio.com/2015/09/hillarys-donors-are-getting-really-scared-demand-she-start-addressing-bern/
In private conference calls and closed fundraisers, some donors are telling Clintons brain trust something it certainly already knows: that Sanders rally shows no signs of slowing. Hes thrown some spiky roadblocks into what was once seen as her glide path to the nomination. And now its time, they say, for a strategy shift.
America is sick of Hillary. No matter what side of the aisle you're on. She's a puppet of the 1% and of course her baggage isn't helping her, like you know, dodging sniper fire in Sarajevo. http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/25/campaign.wrap/index.html?iref=hpmostpop
On and on it goes. Nope. America is ding, DONE with Hillary.
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)The guy who would like America to decide itself and not be told by random people what to think.
The OP was blatantly false, all they had to do was Google it to find out.
... Then when we find out she actually has spoken out it was determined it was loud enough...
... Now the new thing is America is sick of Hillary, and done with her...
Here is a novel idea lets see what happens with the primary where people get to vote, and you know let you know how they really feel.
Sounds good to me.
In the meantime keep on keeping on.
pinebox
(5,761 posts)You don't think America is sick of Hillary? Really?
Which link would you like?
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/msnbcs-donny-deutsch-americans-are-tired-of-hillary-clinton/
http://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/americans-are-just-tired-of-hillary-clinton-504595523514
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/03/25/why-the-dynasty-attack-on-jeb-bush-and-hillary-clinton-doesnt-matter-as-much-as-you-think/
People are sick of Bush's and Clinton's. Hillary is tanking in the polls, her favorability is severely under water. As far as "but she said something", ya she also said she supported NAFTA too and was for the sanctity of marriage.
She's stuck her foot in her mouth a whole heck of a lot. People see it. Let's look at what President Obama said in a NYT interview back in 2007 when he was then a Senator. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/27/us/politics/28q-aobama.html?pagewanted=print
Exactly.
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)Or even those links?
She has high unfavorables I'll give you that, but so does congress and we keep electing those folks. So does Trump and he is running away with the GOP nomination.
I'd also point out that nationally Clinton is still in the lead for the primary so we might not like her... But as of right now that doesn't seem to matter all that much.
If anything you might have had enough but some people seem to be ready for more, and they are entitled to that position... Even here on DU.
JackInGreen
(2,975 posts)LOUDER
SouthernProgressive
(1,810 posts)Fact is, you really don't care that she has discussed both. The answer to your question is amazingly easy to find.
This is how many news organizations report these days. Pose a question where the truth is known, deflect with a non-sequitur, and then bring it back to the question as if they are stumped as to the answer.
This is the "We report, you decide" style of misdirection. You flat out nailed it.
Bonobo
(29,257 posts)Don't make me laugh.
SouthernProgressive
(1,810 posts)Bonobo
(29,257 posts)SouthernProgressive
(1,810 posts)Though you wouldn't find that on a Google search as easily as you would the answer to your op. I didn't know either were required to enjoy the smile and happiness of others. The things one learns about being happy. Lol
I'm just really happy right now for our party. Sanders has brought some young newcomers into politics. While that aspect leads to things like your op, it overall great for the party. A percentage of you are going to stick around with the party. Of course some will just head back to hanging out at the mall. I just don't see it as a negative. I'm beyond happy that Sanders peaked the interest of people such as yourself to get into politics. Your op is a clear signal of the learning curve involved, but it's something many of us have already gone through.
Thanks from this non-Christian dude. Lol. Assumptions are something's else you will learn about as begin to read about the candidates running on our side. Like Fox News, you will find they base whole stories off of false assumptions. Similar to the false narrative concocted in the op.
brooklynite
(94,595 posts)(and then voting to repeal them for the 1%). Maybe you forgot?
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)No big surprise anymore.
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)The first portion is built around an economic populism of the sort that is sure to appeal to the left wing of the Democratic Party. In speaking with a group of students in the auto repair shop of an Iowa community college, Clinton said that though the economy has made its way back for many, the deck is still stacked for those at the top. She noted that though the productivity of the American worker has soared, wages have not been commensurate with that increase.
Her comments were notable on three fronts. First, it is an acknowledgement to supporters of Elizabeth Warren that their concerns are paramount. Second, the comments intercept the notion that Clinton will repeat the policies of her husband, whose Third Way of economics alienated some on the left.
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/7064176
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)http://www.businessinsider.com/hillary-clinton-economic-speech-2015-7
Bonobo
(29,257 posts)Agschmid
(28,749 posts)I'm pretty sure we should.
Bonobo
(29,257 posts)Who could possibly disagree!
It's just that they tend to be ummm, toothless.
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)Next you'll say its Tom Brady's fault...
(New England joke...)
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)Two years later, Clinton again voted no on the second round of Bush tax cuts the Jobs and Growth Tax Reconciliation Act of 2003 which dropped the top rate on long-term capital gains from 20% to 15%, and the top rate on dividends from 39.6% to 15%.
In 2005, Clinton voted yes on extending the first round of Bush tax cuts, some of which were set to expire. While not in favor of the tax cuts for the wealthy and the reduction in the top rate for qualified dividends and capital gains, Clinton voted yes in order to extend increased Section 179 expensing limits and the itemized deduction for state and local sales taxes, while also expanding the AMT exemption to prevent middle-class creep of the alternative minimum tax.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonynitti/2015/04/13/what-hillary-clintons-voting-record-reveals-about-her-tax-plan/
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)http://m.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2015/07/hillary-clinton-takes-aim-capital-gains-taxes-rich
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)In a speech at the New School in New York, Mrs. Clinton will outline a plan that she says will end more than a decade of wage stagnation that has hobbled the middle class and created a vast income gap between the megarich and the working class a problem that she identifies as the most urgent economic challenge facing the world.
Sounds like you and Clinton agree check that underlined part...
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jul/12/hillary-clintons-liberal-economic-plan-leaked/?page=all
Bonobo
(29,257 posts)Wouldn't want to call them out.
Best leave it nice and vague.
"Grow together!" Yeah, that's nice and safe! Who could possibly argue!
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)You aren't going to vote for her, trust me we know.
But your OP is totally false.
Bonobo
(29,257 posts)What with her golden parachutes to Wall Street sleazebags and her incredibly lucrative speeches to Goldman Sachs et. al. she really doesn't seem like she cares about it at all.
She projects the image of an out of touch rich person with massive ties to the .1 percent.
She is going to need to be a LOT more convincing because no one buys it.
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)But when a candidate addresses it at almost every stop and actually uses the language you wanted to hear yet you fail to even notice it, google it, or check it out on your own... I got nothing for you.
I've now documented several speeches, votes, etc where you totally agree with her, and actually use the same language, yet for some reason it doesn't seem to count?
I get it, she isn't for you. But don't say it's something she hasn't addressed when clearly she has.
Bonobo
(29,257 posts)For some reason, people can't see through her $200,000 20 minute speeches, her crony appointments of Wall St. people and her expensive vacation homes... they can't see the REAL Hillary!!!
I think she needs to hire a new team of handlers. They'll tell her how to rework her image I'm sure.
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)She's not my candidate but I'm not about to ignore reality like some.
So is the new argument she is too weathy? She should not be the nominee because her wealth disqualifies her?
Again #MovingGoalPostMonday
reformist2
(9,841 posts)Agschmid
(28,749 posts)Did you someone tell you otherwise?
She did allow contributions to be made from billionaires, that's accurate. I can't imagine that Bernie won't have (when he is the nominee) Billionares donate directly to his campaign... Why wouldn't they?
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)[sic]
And where is it all going? Clinton asked. Economists have documented how the share of income and wealth going to those at the very top, not just the top 1 percent but the top 0.1 percent, the 0.01 percent of the population, has risen sharply over the last generation, she said. Some are calling it a throwback to the Gilded Age of the robber barons.
[sic]
Thats what happens when your only policy prescription is to cut taxes for the wealthy and then to deal with the aftermath of a terrible terrorist attack and two wars without paying for them, she said. Regulators neglected their oversight of the financial sector and allowed the evolution of an entire shadow banking system that operated without accountability.
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/hillary-clinton-goes-populist
Human101948
(3,457 posts)Talking about it is fine but if you do not stake out some position that will take action, what difference does it make?
This is a serious question.
Katashi_itto
(10,175 posts)Agschmid
(28,749 posts)muriel_volestrangler
(101,321 posts)http://fortune.com/2014/10/31/inequality-wealth-income-us/
Bonobo
(29,257 posts)Agschmid
(28,749 posts)"Robber Baron's" and such...
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)Will you update the OP?
Bonobo
(29,257 posts)Because she doesn't, in my opinion.
But no, I won't update the OP.
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)Seems like the honest/fair thing to do here.
Bonobo
(29,257 posts)And you have had the opportunity, through my ignorance, to correct the record, right?
What else could anyone ask for in a political discussion.
Hell, no one even called anyone a racist in my thread.
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)riversedge
(70,242 posts)requested.
dsc
(52,162 posts)or do other groups get to ask about people speaking about their issues. When black people and their supporters asked why Bernie doesn't talk about police violence and other issues important to them (as he wasn't until confronted with those questions) they were called all kinds of vile names. So does the right to demand candidates speak to issues important to you only belong to you or to everyone?
Bonobo
(29,257 posts)You do your candidate proud!
dsc
(52,162 posts)and frankly I am past sick of you lecturing anyone about his. That said, it is a perfectly valid comparison. Black lives matter asked why Bernie isn't addressing their issues, just like you are doing in regards to Hillary. When they did it, and when people here did it before they did, they were called vile names and for that matter people did what you just did, if we dare bring up that Bernie gave a 45 minute announcement speech one day after the Tamir Rice case had a major development, that was the reaction we got, just what you did here. So again, is the right to have your issues addressed a right only you have or do others have it too?
Bonobo
(29,257 posts)But as to the rest of your post, I can't fathom what's got you so frothing-at-the-mouth angry, so I will just pass the change to engage with your further (even if I DID understand what you want from me, which I do not).
dsc
(52,162 posts)I just want a straight answer. Is there one set of rules for those who care about your issues (you get to ask for them to be discussed) and another set of those who care about say police violence (if they dare ask for their issues to be discussed they are race baiting)? Is that the rules we are working under? Is so you should be honest in taking your priviledge to have your issues discussed while others are called names for daring to ask for the same consideration. All I ask is for you to be honest. Your issues, and only your issues, merit 100 percent of the discussion in your world with the other issues not being worthy of even being asked about without that asking being racism.
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)Check up thread.
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)You knew it would come up eventually... Note it was a Sanders supporter who brought it up.
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"than counting black people" This is over the top, and hurtful. The issues of racial diversity are important and this poster reduces it to this racist meme. Please vote to hide this over the top and hurtful comment. I can't even believe I read some of this stuff on DU, while people of colors posts are hidden and they are silenced. Stop the race baiting!
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Le Taz Hot
(22,271 posts)Yeah, there's a thread up right now demanding that Dr. West be banned from campaigning. A prominent African-American academic and he's supposed to sit down and shut up. NONE of this racist shit is coming from the Sanders campaign. And Bernie's support from AA has gone from 1% to 14% in a matter of a few weeks so SOMETHING from his message is sure as hell resonating and the more he resonates, the shriller his non-supporters get.
Babel_17
(5,400 posts)She's done a lot of work in her life for those in need, but that's not the point. Yes or no, should the wealthy people of this country, many of whom are donating to her, be expected to pay more in taxes?
Part of our problem is how many members of government have an eye on becoming firmer entrenched as members of the wealthy class. Their attention is distracted away from their duties. Their pursuit of wealth brings about the temptation to compromise themselves so as to secure their future.
We can either recognize this, and deal with it, or we can keep paying the cost of having our government suborned so as to better serve those willing to pay for that service.
And this is all connected.
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)And in my posts above I cite where she voted to not lower taxes on the wealthy, and has called out the "Robber Baron" class.
Seems like she'd be fine with a tax increase...
Babel_17
(5,400 posts)Get the party united behind this point.
99Forever
(14,524 posts)... tells the REAL story about this issue.
The mega-rich are her BFFs.
pinebox
(5,761 posts)THIS.
"Hillary Clinton Should Be Worrying About a Debate With Bernie Sanders"
leveymg
(36,418 posts)That is precisely why both cliques have given her hundreds of millions of dollars.
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)leveymg
(36,418 posts)Last edited Tue Sep 15, 2015, 09:16 AM - Edit history (8)
Money buys power, policy and politicians. Hillary Clinton has come to symbolize to many the increasingly blatant capture of the corporate Democratic center by monied interests. Increasingly, in a globalized economy, the source of money in American politics is foreign. But, because there are still vestiges of laws that prohibit the direct campaign contributions to candidates, that money comes in through corporate middlemen. That, my friends, is what we will call corporate capture by proxy.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and neighboring Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC states) have acquired or made major investments in literally hundreds of US corporations in a number of industries, including energy, entertainment, banking and financial services, and control even more by "corporate capture". That is a term that is usually associated with how companies in an industry can come to control the regulatory process of agencies originally set up to create and enforce rules of commerce. We are talking here about how nations have been taken over, economically and politically, including the U.S., and how this corruption spreads.
Corporate capture by proxy works this way. Captive companies and their executives legally make contributions to PACS that benefits both parties and major candidates. These contributions are essentially pass-through of foreign funding of federal elections, a problem recognized by the minority opinion in the notorious Citizens United decision. Justice Stevens wrote for those four justices:
Saudi Arabia has an enormous diversified portfolio of US and global companies purchased or with a substantial interest over time. It is no secret that the Saudis actively seek to mold American public opinion and policy, and that money is their most effective weapon. Among these large companies in which they have taken a major interest is Newscorp, the parent of the conservative US news outlet Fox News. The total amounts of Saudi investments in the U.S. are estimated to in excess of $750 billion. In the next four years, the State-owned Saudi oil company, Aramco, plans on global acquisitions of $80 billion, compared to the $70 billion they will invest internally. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-11/saudi-aramco-said-to-plan-spending-80-billion-overseas
During his recent visit to the US, King Salman laid out the Kingdom's U.S. investment plans. KSA also seeks US corporations as partners in joint ventures in Saudi industries and sectors. While broadly invested in the US and UK economies, the greatest part of the Saudi economy is still largely closed to foreign ownership, including the upstream oil supply that remains nationalized. U.S. companies are attracted to offers of joint-venture investment schemes and contracts in the Arab states include the largest arms manufacturers, banks, and petrochemical firms.
According to the Saudi Embassy, the corporate elite lining up to see the King were the usual suspects which have long thrived in the Middle east arms for oil trade: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ff87679e-554f-11e5-8642-453585f2cfcd.html#ixzz3ljT0pHox
The king was accompanied by his son, deputy crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is spearheading the investment drive into sectors such as mining, oil and gas, health, education, retail, infrastructure and banking.
Energy state energy giant Saudi Arabian Oil Company is poised to launch a five-year plan, including opportunities in refining and distribution.
Healthcare US private sector investment is sought to help double hospital capacity.
Leisure industries Riyadh is looking to US companies such as Disney, Universal Studios and Six Flags to build theme parks across the kingdom.
Education the government seeks investment in technical training centres.
Banking with opportunities for US banks to finance mortgages and small businesses. Financial services reforms are planned to increase the role of overseas banks.
The Saudis and Gulf Arabs have also diversified their investments and acquisitions of U.S. political parties and candidates. The relationship with the Bush family led to the long-time Saudi Ambassador to the US to be dubbed, "Bandar Bush." The Saudis and Gulf states have also contributed at least ten million dollars since the late 1990s to the Clinton Foundation. Millions more were donated during the time she was Secretary of State. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/foreign-governments-gave-millions-to-foundation-while-clinton-was-at-state-dept/2015/02/25/31937c1e-bc3f-11e4-8668-4e7ba8439ca6_story.html
Some corporations and institutions qualify as captures of the Saudis on account of their huge revenues or contributions from that country. The Foundation Center reports that Boeing, for instance, anted up nearly a million dollars of its own to the Clinton Foundation at a key time to facilitate a multi-billion dollar sale to the oil Kingdom: http://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/arms-sales-ok-d-by-hillary-clinton-s-state-department-raise-questions
(Caption: King Abdullah, Clinton meet in New York January 8, 2011. . . . Abdullah bin Abdulaziz received at his residence in New York yesterday evening U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, accompanied by former U.S. President Bill Clinton. During the audience, King Abdullah and Secretary Clinton discussed the latest regional and international developments. The audience was attended by Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz, President of General Intelligence Presidency; Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Secretary General of the National Security Council . . .)
***
In addition to overt influence buying, until from 1985 until recently the Saudis operated a multi-billion dollar political slush fund, "al-Yamamah" ("the Dove" in Arabic) as a sort of reverse kick-back scheme through which a portion of BAE arms sales revenues to KSA was converted into an all-purpose global bribery fund. Some $43 billion in proceeds were distributed in a loosely audited arrangement as shares of oil that were extracted by Shell Oil and BP oil concessions in KSA.
At least $1 billion were paid out by Yamamah on a regular basis to an account at the now defunct Washington, DC Riggs Bank held by Saudi Ambassador to the US, Prince Bandar. These funds were channeled into a variety of projects, including support of covert operations -- including approximately $70,000 that were used by a Saudi national, Omar al-Bayoumi, who supported the Flt. 77 hijackers, al-Midhar and al-Hazmi, when they arrived in the US in early 2000. Other Riggs Bank funds held by the Saudi Embassy paid for donations to favored politicians in the UK and US. Not surprisingly, Riggs Bank also had long ties with both the Bush family, Jonathon Bush was a Director, and the Central Intelligence Agency. http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB110444413126413199
Like the BCCI-network of corrupt banks with similar dark money ties, funds held by the Saudi Embassy paid for covert operations abroad, including $55 million that went to the contras during the Reagan Administration. These covert operations funded with Saudi Embassy funds out of Riggs continued until the bank was fined $25 million and shut down in 2004 for its role in these money transfers.
By Stephen Fidler
Financial Times (UK)
July 2, 2007
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/c8286b10-2833-11dc-80da-000b5df10621.html
Investigators from the U.S. Department of Justice examining BAE Systems' compliance with anti-corruption laws in its arms dealings with Saudi Arabia will find themselves scrutinizing a deal that was used, with the help of the British government, as a secret tool of Saudi foreign policy.
BAE said last week that the DoJ had launched a formal inquiry into the 20-year-old Al-Yamamah arms deal with Saudi Arabia.
The Al-Yamamah agreement, originally signed in 1985 by the Saudi and British governments to pay for the Saudi purchase of Tornado jets, was employed to distribute Saudi oil revenues outside the country's official budget. "It was a way of Saudis paying money to Saudis," said one person involved in the deal.
The mechanism has been used to pay for more than combat aircraft. According to one account, it bought arms from Egypt for the Mujahideen fighting Soviet forces in Afghanistan and paid for clandestine purchases of Russian arms to oust Libyan troops from Chad.
BAE serviced this contract and has always denied wrongdoing associated with it, arguing that its work was part of a government-to-government arrangement. If the payments were approved by the British and Saudi governments, how could it be doing anything illegal?
The arrangement, at least initially, involved a special account controlled by the Saudis, at the Bank of England. This would receive funds from the sale of Saudi oil lifted and sold by BP and Royal Dutch Shell, which took a commission. Press reports in 1996 suggested this exact arrangement changed -- but over nearly two decades, tens of billions of dollars were directed through it.
The first oil lifting under the contract was on January 31, 1986, of 1.8m to 1.9m barrels. The Saudis agreed to deliver 300,000 barrels per day [plus or minus 10 per cent] for the first three years of the contract. The amount of oil delivered varied with fluctuating oil prices up to a reported maximum of 600,000 bpd in 1993, when a new and expanded contract called Al-Yamamah 2 came into force, and fell to 400,000 in 1998 after the last Tornado was delivered. At times, the kingdom replenished the account with cash -- and at other times there was a surplus that was available for distribution.
Some or all of the payments from the Bank of England account were routed through the U.K.'s Defense Export Services Organization, part of the Ministry of Defense. For this service, the MoD was paid a small commission.
U.K. media reports have alleged Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the former Saudi ambassador to Washington and now national security adviser to King Abdullah, received more than £1bn from BAE as part of these arrangements.
Prince Bandar has dismissed the allegations as "grotesque in their absurdity." He has said the payments came from a Saudi government account and were paid into another account belonging to the Saudi ministry of defense and aviation, to which he was a signatory.
The Guardian detailed how detailed the international financial network that spread commercial and political corruption around the world: http://www.theguardian.com/baefiles/page/0,,2095831,00.html
The deal made the career of BAE executive Dick Evans [biography], who rose to chair the company on the strength of it.
Police later calculated that more than £6bn may have been distributed in corrupt commissions, via an array of agents and middlemen.Newly obtained documents and our own investigations have revealed details of where the money may have gone.
Millions went to Bandar, according to US sources. Up to $30m (£15m) at a time is alleged to have been paid into his dollar account at Riggs Bank [profile] in Washington.
More millions were paid by BAE into Wafic Said-linked accounts in Switzerland.
Bandar's father, Prince Sultan [biography], was described by a British ambassador as having "a corrupt interest in all contracts".
Legal sources say BAE disguised many of the payments by making them through an anonymous offshore company, Poseidon.
Large amounts were also alleged to have been transferred in this way to Mohammed Safadi [biography], a Lebanese politician.
He acted for Sultan's son-in-law, Prince Turki bin Nasser (biography), who controlled the Saudi air force.
At least £1bn is said to have gone down the Poseidon route. More payments were allegedly disguised in inflated bills to BAE from local subcontractors.
. . .
The cash for all these payoffs came, simply enough, from overcharging.
Accidentally released UK documents [article] reveal that the basic price of the planes was inflated by 32%, to allow for an initial £600m in commissions.
That was only the start. Many UK sub-contractors - for jet engines, weapons and electronics - have revealed that they too were required to pay commissions.[article]
Spare parts, maintenance, construction of local bases - every aspect of al-Yamamah is alleged to have involved corruption.
DanTex
(20,709 posts)That's an interesting new game, though, make up some false numbers and then insist that Hillary has to repeat them LOL.
But, yes, she talks about income inequality a lot, it's one of the major points on her platform.
http://correctrecord.org/the-points/hillary-clinton-a-lifetime-champion-of-income-opportunity/
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)From an email I just recieved from Bernie:
It's time to break up the banks.
The greed, recklessness, and illegal behavior on Wall Street drove this country into the worst recession since the Great Depression. Their casino-style gambling has helped divert 99 percent of all new income to the top one percent. And it has contributed to the most unequal level of wealth and income distribution of any major country on earth.
In the midst of all of this grotesque inequality sits a handful of financial institutions that are still so large, the failure of any one would cause catastrophic risk to millions of Americans and send the world economy into crisis.
If it's too big to fail, it's too big to exist. That's the bottom line.
Banking should be boring. It shouldn't be about making as much profit as possible by gambling on esoteric financial products. The goal of banking should be to provide affordable loans to small and medium-sized businesses in the productive economy, and to Americans who need to purchase homes and cars.
That is not what these financial institutions are doing. They're instead creating an economy which is not sustainable from a moral, economic, or political perspective. It's a rigged economy that must be changed in fundamental ways.
Let's be clear who we're talking about: JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley, and other institutions; they're all too big to fail. So they must be broken up.
Wall Street can't be an island unto itself separate from the rest of the productive economy whose only goal is to make as much money as possible. I fear very much that the financial system is even more fragile than many people may perceive.
Millions of Americans are working longer hours for lower wages, while virtually all new income goes to the people who need it the least. In fact, the top 14 wealthiest people saw their wealth grow more last year than the bottom 130 million have in total.
Thank you for all of your support.
Senator Bernie Sanders