Category: General

According to a new study released by Berkley, 23.5% of all income earned in 2007 went to 1% of the US population. The other 76.5% was graciously distributed to the other 99% of us. The top 14,988 richest families saw their income rise by 6.8%. Everyone else’s combined grew 2.8%.

http://elsa.berkeley.edu/~saez/saez-UStopincomes-2007.pdf

Researchers for this article went on to find that “The possible repeal of the federal tax on large estates in coming years would certainly accelerate the path toward the reconstitution of the great wealth concentration that existed in the U.S. economy before the Great Depression.”

All of this is because “Real income growth for the bottom 99 percent had been very meagre during the Bush expansion starting in 2002. Even including 2007—a good year for ordinary US families-the top percentile captured 65 percent of total real income growth per family from 2002 to 2007”.

The Bush tax breaks. What a win…for 1% of income earners. I guess the “it will create jobs” rhetoric didn’t work out so well huh?

Trickle Down Economic theories = Piss on the Poor.

Where did he get that idea?  Compassion is not a visible trait among Americans.  During an interview about his 2004 best seller Confessions of an Economic Hitman Perkins said that he thinks that once Americans know why other parts of the world have so much animosity for the US that Americans would change because we are “compassionate people”.

Uh, John…no, we’re not.  Is it any mystery that America is the world headquarters of personal greed?  Just look at the right wing attack on health reform.  One of the biggest complaints opponents have is that they don’t want to face a tax increase, even for the ultra wealthy, to pay for “deadbeats” who can’t afford health care for themselves.  American’s don’t even care about each other.  What made you think there is enough “compassion” in America to believe we would change our behavior because of the opinion of another nation or culture?   These are nations and cultures clearly below the standards set for consideration by most American’s.  America is the ultimate superpower empire on earth.  The place where the living standards are the highest and the rest of the world is beneath us.  What, you didn’t get the memo?

For those not familiar, John Perkins was recruited by the National Security Agency to convince foreign nations to take out large international loans for domestic infrastructure projects and then collect the monies owed to US corporations.  For example Ecuador owes 50% of their GDP (gross domestic product) to international lenders and corporations.  When they can’t pay they have to turn over assets, like the Amazon rain forests, to energy companies.  If they don’t turn over assets or pay then the “Jackyl’s” would be sent in.  These Jackyl’s, which are CIA sanctioned operatives, would cause internal strife such as military coups and even assassinations.  When they fail to get the assets US corporations are pursuing then “we send in our young men and women to die and to kill, like we are doing in Iraq today”.  To date not one source has been able to scrutinize or denounce John Perkin’s claims.  Those who tried to dispute his claims quickly retracted when confronted with evidence.  In John’s words “it’s all about building Empire”.

Watch the interview and learn more than you want to know about the Empire that is larger and more powerful than the US government.  It is the community of world corporations and their ambitions above and beyond all international laws.  NAFTA and the WTO are their vehicles to legitimacy.  The corporations grow rich regardless of any social or moral destitution they create.  The mandate of their executives is profits at any cost, even lives.

More foreclosures than last year are on the way and people will be without a place to live. This is because job loss is now the leading reason for foreclosures. The perfect people can’t blame the problem on the irresponsible ones any more. Those now facing foreclosure are people who were not in trouble, had good credit and wouldn’t have a problem today if their job hadn’t been outsourced overseas or eliminated all together to turn their salary into earnings on shareholder reports.

But I’m sure there are still perfect people who will make some pretentious comment about how these folks should have “planned ahead” and “shouldn’t have borrowed more than they could afford to pay back”. That’s because there will always be assholes among us who may not ever know a hardship thanks to nepotistic handouts, free rides and other financial blessings, earned or not. And they’ll always have a condescending comment regarding the failure of others as long as their self-perceived perfection saturates them. It’s arrogance and it permeates American society like a virus that we are not trying to cure. The scary thing is the pending economic doom we’re facing may even catch up to the trust fund kiddies this time. You know, the ones who preach independence and responsibility working at Starbucks in SOHO while mommy and daddy pay the $2600/mo. rent.

American’s who actually labored their whole lives are the ones facing the fire right now. Those who are wealthy enough to be vested in the markets are trying to maintain their wealth at the expense of the American worker. And they will for a while. So the kids of rich bankers and investors will talk down to people who are rapidly losing their life savings as if they have a clue what it’s like to actually work hard. Meanwhile unemployment benefits will run out and families will be forced to the street.

Greater demands will be placed on our social service networks and the “real Americans” will scream that it’s not their place to provide for people who “don’t want to work”. I never seen so little compassion for the plight of people facing hardship as I do in America right now. From health care reform to social support the conservative right has taken a position that it’s not their responsibility to help others. I called out conservatives but this is really becoming a class divide. The haves and have-nots are going at each other hard now. The “real Americans” are mad, screaming and in self preservation mode.

Amy and I have our immediate family, on both sides, very close to where we currently live. After watching and analyzing the situation for years I am completely serious about my next comment.

Unless unexpected changes take place my goal, that I will focus on intently over the next decade, is to get my family out of this country. American greed, arrogance, nepotism and narcissism are tearing this country apart. People are becoming increasingly vocal that they do not care about others. They only care about themselves and feel they are responsible only for their own well being and should not be required to care for others. I don’t want to live in a country full of people with this attitude.

Yesterday I watched NRA advocates in Phoenix carry automatic weapons to health care rallies to promote their cause.  A cause that is not even in jeopardy except in the minds of those who perceive their government as a constant threat.  I realized I don’t want to live in a place where I’ve got to teach my children to protect and care for themselves and no one else. I don’t want them to be part of a society they cannot find acceptance in without proclaiming hatred for their government.   To speak of the greater good implies weakness and in America (at least in NC) and it is rarely tolerated.  Thanks to years of believing bullshit jargon like “the one who dies with the most toys wins” all the self centered, arrogant, narcissistic American’s are beginning to reap the rewards of their demise.  I don’t think it can come fast enough for some.

Growing up I was actually proud and comfortable being an American. Now I despise the omnipresent fear that many use to manipulate the American social construct.  Many have forgotten that “The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself”.  Instead scare tactics have now become the weapon of choice for the Republican party who uses their vocal “leadership” to make comments such as those suggesting government run “death panels”.   According to these standards to be a “real American” you must comply with party policy, accept the propaganda, checking your individual decision making abilities and thought processes at the ballot box.  Otherwise you are not a true “patriot” or a “real American”.  Just shut up, drink the Kool-Aid and thank God for it.

I personally believe other countries and governments have been more correct, in many ways,  about planning their social structure and governance than the US but the sheer arrogance of many if not most Americans will never let them recognize any successes of other nations.  The “real American’s” will never accept implementation of policy that is not perceived as an American original despite any visible success in other countries.  The perception of other nations that American’s are pompous and arrogant is not without established merit or basis for belief.

To show your disgust for this writing go out and put a magnetic American flag decal on your car.  You know, the one made in China.

The crazy thing is the ad was created and is running in Singapore, a country with permanent anal retention status.  Click to see the new BK “Super 7 Incher”…

I may have just gotten my first side job using my newly acquired Fluke Optiview Series III Integrated Network Analyzer.  Running cable is nasty work but hey, it’s money.  This Fluke meter can test and certify Category 5e/6 and 6a (Gigabit) ethernet drops and LC, SC and MT-RJ fiber connections.   I have no intention of running fiber drops any time soon unless I come across someone willing to pay for the cost of materials.

The only up side is the extra money.  The down side is the time.  I already work 10 hours a day on occasion plus commute time.  I really love my kids and would like to get a chance to see them.  I don’t know that I’m doing this out of necessity but it sure won’t hurt.

The potential for side jobs to grow out of control always worries me because if I do ever start getting bigger jobs I’m going to have to go through the whole process of  getting a Federal Tax ID, filing quarterlies with the IRS, the major accounting stuff – oh joy.  I remember all this from the PC-Pickles days of the 90’s.  I also remember working 60 hours a week plus the accountability and liability that comes from being a small business owner.  I question if I ever want to go that far and quit my day job again.

For now I will settle for jobs of 48 copper drops or less at $59 each plus materials.  I can handle that overhead out of the gate working with one other person at about $15 to $20 an hour.   I’m starting small and might stay small.  We’ll see what happens.