The KGB Oracle Forums General Public Discussion (SPECIAL ACCESS) KGB Political Debate Central Corporate social irresponsibility

In fairness, that was then - we are talking about the now. Plus, despite any hyperbole tossed around, I don't think any is saying there is no opportunity.

I actually agree with Sini on many of the problems, we just widely differ on the best way to address those problems.

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If we want to look at the real measure of systemic inequality, the metric I favor is actually the price of money. It is also a good metric for examining the level of corruption in public life, and its wipespread effects.

In a nutshell, its pretty simple.

Goldman Sachs and others pay a couple basis points on basically unlimited cashflow as needed. They are not able to do this because of any amount of hard work, or any type of free market. They are able to do this because they control the actual political offices and pseudo-govt entities that have been allowed to take control of such things. This is a true aristocratic upper class that gets, by virtue of their position and connections and control over public life, the ability to obtain unlimited funds to buy your company, put you out of work, and sell off the pieces - or repackage the pieces, sell some, and sell derivatives against the rest. This allows them to buy up debt of entire countries like Greece, using bribes and shady connections, to make huge transaction fees - and resell the debt, putting whole nations in debtor status. Or recently prop up dictators, yet cast a shadow of unmanageable debt - like they did with Venezuela recently. It gives them the leverage to buy out one piece of a distribution chain, then squeeze the rest of the chain, and force them into compromising positions to extract yet more wealth from the Main St economy. And many other things, such as hoarding gold, or artificially inflating whole commodities segments like corn or aluminum.

Again, they don't have this ability because of any free market mechanism. They have it, because they are literally allowed to use your and my, and everyone elses money to do it.

Flip that around 180, to a normal person without a well-off family background. Joe Schmoe pays literally over 1000% APR if they need a short term loan, but don't have the assets yet as collateral. Maybe if they get into college they get a starter visa at 27%+fees. Even people who get established with good credit are still paying about 16-17% APR, even if they swap around from deal to deal - because there are usually strings and fees.

Yet, since so much of the capital these days originates from the corrupt aspects of our financial sector, actual savings pay like 1%. Why are interest rates so high for most people, yet interest gained so low? Except for a few, connected segments?

Because the bulk of that capital investment and speculation is originating from inflationary practice, ultimately backed by tax dollars and the momentum of our currency, and is not originating from any type of savings - and flowing into the hands of a select, political few.

Thus, there is an enormous class divide between people on the bandwagon who have access and the people who service them, and those who do not. The financial market is extremely distorted as well.

This is not sustainable. This will, and is, literally destroying our society.

Of course this is the 10-second nutshell version, there are a thousand other aspects large and small. But the type of corporate, and aristocratic welfare we practice is an order of magnitude more destructive than any social policies that redistribute money to the poor.