Just how deep does the rabbit hole go?
Posts tagged corrupt
Where Have All the Watchdogs Gone?
2On occasion one stumbles across a post that rings true to the thoughts one is currently thinking. This post on godfatherpolitics.com rang true to my thoughts entertained this evening.
###
Source: http://godfatherpolitics.com
There was a day, I think back when the dinosaurs were still alive, when journalism schools taught their students about asking hard questions and the importance of being the public’s watchdog against all-too-often-corrupt government.
Woodward and Bernstein were held up as examples, but also people like Edward R. Murrow, Edna Buchanan, Jack Reed and William Marimow, journalists who were smart and tough enough to pin down the politicians and bureaucrats and hammer them until they gave up the information the public needed.
Journalistic role models were typically old guys and gals who had risen through the ranks of crime and government reporters to finally earn that esteemed title of editor, men and women who had devoted their lives to finding the truth, who weren’t afraid to take a phone call from the Secretary of State and demand “what the —- does the president think he’s doing?”
Those journalists, if they ever truly existed as a breed rather than unique individuals, are long gone. What we have now is a cadre of go-along types who mostly regurgitate whatever pablum is doled out by the local government press office.
The old saw about “accuracy, accuracy, accuracy” has been replaced by “lie three times and we’ll say it’s true.”
It’s much easier to just rewrite the press release and file your story. Save the real investigations for the interesting topics, like baby hippo twins born at the zoo.
Case in point, President Obama’s recent million-dollar fantasy golf weekend where he got to play against Tiger Woods. The Washington press corps was incensed at not having access to the president — so much so that they issued a statement of protest saying they would continue to demand “tranparency” from the Administration.
When they finally got a chance to ask the president a question after he’d blown a million taxpayer dollars on yet another vacation, during a time when the government is raising taxes and running huge deficits because it can’t live within a budget, the press members all clamored to know … did the president beat Tiger?
So much for asking tough questions and ensuring transparency. …
Compare the press corps’ outrage over the Tiger blackout to its utter lack of interest in the dearth of information about the September 11 attack in Benghazi, Libya, that left four Americans dead. “Meet the Press” host David Gregory summed up the media’s attitude best: “Cover-up of what?”
“Transparency” on Benghazi doesn’t exist, and the media couldn’t care less so long as they get to cover the president’s round of golf, which mostly entails the press corps hanging around the clubhouse ordering daiquiris on their news outlet’s dime.
The majority of today’s journalists are lazy, sycophantic and dishonest about the job they are doing.
We need to find a real-life Perry White if we’re ever going to hold the government accountable.
Read more and image credit: http://godfatherpolitics.com
Disturbing Pattern! Yet Another Military General Forced from Service
02 months ago
Source: http://minutemennews.com
It’s a developing pattern of this Obama White House.
Barack Obama cashiered yet another battle-seasoned American general Tuesday, even as the war in Afghanistan continues along with numerous other serious global threats to United States security.
This is the fourth senior officer Obama has forced from the country’s service.
All four were tied somehow to the Afghanistan mess that Obama has long argued was the most important war. Each departure was staged as a resignation. They were usually tied to some personal indiscretions to save face for Obama, who would know of indiscretions as a product of the corrupt Chicago Democrat machine.
There was Gen. David McKiernan, the four-star who lead U.S. ground forces during the successful lightning Iraq invasion. He was asked to resign command of allied forces in Afghanistan just four months into Obama’s presidency in 2009. Never fully explained, but the implication was administration dissatisfaction with the war’s progress.
Gen. Stanley McChrystal, a special ops veteran who was McKiernan’s successor. He resigned when his staff was quoted making derogatory comments to an embedded journalist about the administration in general and VP Joe Biden in particular. If mocking Megamind Biden is worthy of resignation, then most of America needs to step down by lunch today.
Gen. David Petraeus, the archictect of the surge and successful counter-insurgency strategy in Iraq, was demoted from Central Command to return to lead the Afghan war. After that successful tour Obama named him director of the Central Intelligence Agency, which required his military resignation after nearly four decades of service.
Read More: http://news.investors.com/
###
Image credit: http://minutemennews.com
So are all these resignations related to this earlier post?
America’s $2.3 Trillion Dollar Foreign Aid is Mostly a Defense Contractor Subsidy
24 months ago
Source: http://judymorrisreport.blogspot.com
By Judy Morris
Here’s a ‘Connecting the Dots Moment’ for Americans to ponder: It’s a well documented fact that Congress wiped out the Social Security Trust Fund over the decades to the tune of at least $2.5 trillion and left a worthless pile of IOU’s, here. It’s also well documented that foreign aid, according to 2007 figures, totaled an astounding $2.3 trillion. How would Americans feel if they knew that the government they elected and trusted plundered their Social Security and that their retirement funds landed in the laps of defense contractors and corrupt foreign officials?
Flushing $2.3 trillion in American tax dollars down the foreign aid toilet, here, is not only an act of grand theft but also a gargantuan welfare program for defense contractors. The $2.3 trillion figure quoted in the link is based on 2007 data and hundreds of billions have been added to the foreign aid tab since 2007. Still, it has been estimated that 2/3 of foreign aid lands right in defense contractor laps.
Two Thirds of US Foreign Aid Is Really Military Aid
Foreign aid is one of the biggest scams ever because gobs of American taxdollars end up lost, missing, stolen unaccountable and untraceable. Nobody really knows what happens to unaccountable foreign aid dollars. Our government that disburses the money doesn’t even know or, more likely, refuses to disclose who got the money.
Revealed: How $6.6billion of taxpayers’ money sent to Iraq by Bush may have been STOLEN
It is thought to have been the biggest international cash airlift of all time, when $12billion in aid was flown by the Bush administration to postwar Iraq.
And now, for the first time, investigators auditing the cash have admitted that more than half of that huge amount may have been stolen when it got there in ‘the largest theft of funds in national history’.
Iraq isn’t the only recipient of massive foreign aid that is riddled with scandal. Although $90 billion in aid has poured into Afghanistan since 2001, here, nobody really knows where that money went and Afghan and US officials are determined to keep it that way.
Karzai blocking probe of missing U.S. $billions in Afghanistan
Afghan President Hamid Karzai is blocking efforts by U.S. officials to locate billions of dollars given to aid Afghanistan’s economy, stymieing efforts to combat money laundering of drug money, corruption and funding terrorists.
Karzai is prohibiting U.S. Treasury agents from accessing the Afghan government’s central bank by allowing and even contributing to “hostile working conditions” for advisers there, according to a new report by the U.S. Inspector General’s Office for Afghanistan Re construction.
Afghanistan is just one of many corrupt nations that are the recipients of tons of US foreign aid and even the NYT chirped in on the corruption in Afghanistan, here. Furthermore it is estimated that Afghanistan will need an additional $6-7 billion in aid over the next 10 years, even if aid dollars are slowing down a bit. Reuters reported that a staggering 90% of Afghanistan’s budget comes from aid, here.
More than 90 percent of Afghanistan’s $17.1 billion national budget comes from foreign donation…
How did Afghanistan survive before the era of BIG aid? Just fine! Heck, it’s heroine trade could comfortably bankroll any nation which, of course, raises the issue of precisely why America is so interested in Afghanistan. It’s widely believed and documented that the CIA, frequently dubbed Cocaine Import Agency, is the biggest drug dealer on the planet, here.
As fiscal and economic woes pile up in America, most Americans remain absolutely clueless as to what is really going on and what their government actually does.
###
Read more like this at http://judymorrisreport.blogspot.com/
Malaysians gather in tens of thousands demanding political reforms (PHOTOS)
04 months ago
Source: http://rinf.com
Thousands of protesters gather at the historical Stadium Merdeka (Independence Stadium) during a rally for electorial reforms in Kuala Lumpur.(AFP Photo / Mohd Rasfan)
Tens of thousands Malaysians have come out to protest in the country’s capital against the government calling for reforms and possible ouster of the ruling coalition. The rally comes before Malaysia’s general elections, which are due by mid-2013.
According to local police, 80,000 people marched through Kuala Lumpur to the legendary Stadium Merdeka, where the current governing alliance declared independence from Britain in 1957, reported The Malaysian Insider.
Opposition estimates that the turnout was even higher, at about 100,000, according to Malaysia Kini.
Protesters’ demands included better electoral and environmental laws, improved education system, abolition of student loans and fair royalty payments to oil-producing states.
The opposition argues that the country’s electoral register is fraudulent and has pro-government bias.
A protestor waves flag during a grand gathering at the historical Medeka Stadium (Independence Stadium) during a rally for electorial reforms in Kuala Lumpur.(AFP Photo / Saeed Khan)
During the rally people wore various bright colors including yellow and green, each representing an activist group.
The rally resembled a festival with food sellers and other vendors coming out to the streets. People carried flags and signs and some even wore Guy Fawkes masks, as popularized by the 2005 film V for Vendetta.
A protestor wearing a Guy Fawkes mask waves a Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) flag inside the historical Stadium Merdeka (Independence Stadium) as he takes part in an opposition rally ahead of looming elections in Kuala Lumpur.(AFP Photo / Mohd Rasfan)
Opposition leader Lim Guan Eng spoke at the protest urging for change from the country’s Prime Minister Najib Razak’s and his Barisan Nasional coalition, which has held power for the past 55 years.
The ruling coalition has been in control of Malaysia since independence from Britain.
“Our government is so corrupt. The government should listen to us. They need to reform. For more than 50 years they have ruled Malaysia,” rally participant Azlan Abu Bakar told News24.
Goldman Sachs Alumni Mark Carney Is Governor of the Central Bank of England
05 months ago
Source: http://occupycorporatism.com
By Susanne Posel
Occupy Corporatism
November 27, 2012
Chancellor George Osborne has named Mark Carney, who is the current governor of the Bank of Canada and Chairman of the Financial Stability Board of the G20, has been chosen for governor of the Bank of England and successor to Mervyn King.
In April it was revealed that Carney was being “informally approached as a potential candidate to replace King as head of the central Bank of England in June of 2013.”
Obsorne explained that Carney brings “strong leadership and external experience the Bank needs.” Carney and his leadership in Canada were recognized for having weathered the central banking schemes “better than any other Western country.”
The Bank of England, established 318 years ago, is expected to take a new direction under Carney’s leadership – a suspected necessity for the technocrats to gain stronger hold over the financial markets. There are rumors that the incessant printing of fiat will be curbed because of its inability to stimulate the global economy. This strategic move may also ensure that the City of London can repair its reputation.
Carney’s position as governor of the central Bank of England will last for 8 years; however Carney has indicated that he expects to serve for 5 years and hand over the position in 2018.
Carney appears to be a solid choice, as he has not been tainted by the planned implosion of the global financial market that was the Crash of 2008. He also has a long history with the technocrats. Carney was employed by the Goldman Sachs Group, Inc in the City of London. He also worked at Goldman Sachs locations in Tokyo, New York and Toronto. Carney has a masters and PhD degree from the globalist-funded Oxford University.
Yet Carney’s involvement in the 1998 Russian financial collapse that Goldman Sachs created seems to have escaped the mainstream media’s memory. In response, and to divert attention, Carney used precise coercion to convince the Russian government to become indebted to Goldman Sachs as a saving grace from the devastation that the crash threatened to produce.
Like any good technocratic institution, Goldman Sachs came to the “aid” of the Russian government with loans to the tune of $1.25 billion to be used for purchasing bonds. This scheme was not enough to save the nation, and just like clockwork; the Russian government defaulted and was indebted to Goldman Sachs.
Why the GOP Is Scared of Ron Paul and 4 Reasons He Might Still Get the 2012 Republican Nomination
19 months ago
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com
By
Why the GOP Is Scared of Ron Paul and 4 Reasons He Might Still Get the 2012 Republican Nomination
Wait, isn’t Dr. Ron Paul out of the presidential race? Isn’t it all tied up nicely in a bow with the Romney/Ryan ticket?
No.
Why would the GOP be scared of Ron Paul but end up nominating him?
I’ll explain.
Romney and the GOP have demonstrated both poor judgment and poor sportsmanship that might cost them by damaging Romney’s electability among the Ron Paul supporters thus leading to a splitting of votes, which in turn, could cost the GOP the entire election.
Dr. Ron Paul is still in the race for president and is a strong contender for the 2012 GOP nomination.
To be on the GOP ballot Aug. 27, 2012 in Tampa and get a 15-minute speaking slot, a candidate must have won the plurality (majority) of delegates in at least 5 states.
Well, Ron Paul did win the plurality of delegates in 5 states, enough to be eligible for the nomination and a 15-minute speaking slot at the GOP convention. The states he won are Louisiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Maine and Nevada. Then Ron Paul went on to win the plurality in Massachusetts, Romney’s home state and half the delegates in Oregon. Dr. Ron Paul also has around 500 delegates who support him. The exact number of delegates that Romney and Paul have is still a mystery but should be clarified at the convention.
So… Ron Paul won his 5-plus states, he’s on the ballot and writing his speech, right? Not exactly.
Ron Paul’s ‘Restore America Plan’ Smashes Federal Tyranny
011 months ago
Source: http://www.morphcity.com
By Cassandra Anderson
Ron Paul’s Restore America Plan is a 12-page budget that cuts $1 trillion in spending the first year and balances the budget by the 3rd year. Paul proposes eliminating 5 federal executive agencies that include the following departments: Commerce, Education, Energy, Housing and Urban Development and the Interior. The video below explains why it would be a tremendous benefit to get rid of the Department of Interior.
The Department of the Interior has over 70,000 employees and receives more than $12 billion in taxpayer funds.
Federally Owned Land
The Department of the Interior (DOI) is unconstitutional because control over land, water, resources and wildlife are not mentioned as an enumerated power in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution. Additionally, the federal government’s ownership of nearly 30% of US land, primarily in the Western states, is an affront to the Equal Footing Doctrine.
When the federal government exerts power that is not specifically given to the feds in the Constitution, it is a violation of the Tenth Amendment and states’ rights.
The Department of the Interior (DOI) has closed enormous swaths of land to development, resulting in economic devastation because most wealth is created from land. Under Paul’s plan, the States would regain control over their land.
Here are a few examples of how the DOI has abused its power over federal land:
• President Bill Clinton declared Utah’s Grand Escalante Staircase a National Monument (under control of the DOI), limiting almost 2 million acres from economic development.
• Nevada is over 80% federally owned, so Yucca Mountain has been targeted by the feds as a nuclear dump site for our country’s 77,000 tons of radioactive waste because it is less trouble to cut through federal red tape on federal land.
The DOI’s sub-agency, the US Geological Survey, appears to have fudged data that favors dumping in Yucca Mountain.
How to start a revolution: Learn from Iceland!
011 months ago
Published on May 15, 2012 by THEDUMBPLANET
The people of Iceland forced their corrupt government to resign.
A public assembly was created to rewrite the constitution.
The banks were nationalized, it was decided not to pay the debt that PRIVATE banks created.
All of this in a peaceful way…
What would happen if the rest of the world took this as an example?
####
[CIM]
Related Post: The Silent Revolution: Icelandic Anger, Debt Forgiveness and Activist Triumph
This is how it needs to be carried out. A tireless and active force remaining loyal to cause and carry out the actions in a peaceful manor! For us, we need only to return to our Constitution as the law of the land.
The time is NOW to take back our personal liberties and freedoms!
Ron Paul 2012: Restore America Now
http://www.ronpaul2012.com
Please visit Ron Paul’s official campaign site by following the link below and donate today!
Corrupt Canadian Banking System
01 year ago
This is my daughter. She gave this speech at a businees meeting in front of 600 people. Her eyes have been opened to a scam that is being perpetrated upon Canadians and the rest of the world.
I am the owner of this video.
Please copy the following
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axS-QdUkMqk
and add “Corrupt Canadian Banking System” to the description if you choose to re-upload
Feel free to use it freely without altering the content in a manner that would draw conclusions unintended by the speech but please redirect people back to the original post.
Please also see these great resources for more information and people who are trying their best to enact the necessary change in our country and the world:
Documentary (really good)
http://www.ohcanadamovie.com/
Bill Abram;’s mini documentary (really good)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7HMt5MgsDg
The Case against the Bank of Canada (lawsuit to have the BOC reinstated as our lender)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TN2USVC6QYQ
Torie’s Interview with Dan Dicks from Press For Truth:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YaDD3Dx0FA&feature=watch_response
David Stockman on Crony Capitalism between Wall Street & White House
01 year ago
Source: http://www.ritholtz.com
Moyers & Company explores the tight connection between Wall Street and the White House with David Stockman, former budget director for President Reagan.
Now a businessman who says he was “taken to the woodshed” for telling the truth about the administration’s tax policies, Stockman speaks candidly with Bill Moyers about how money dominates politics, distorting free markets and endangering democracy. “As a result,” Stockman says, “we have neither capitalism nor democracy. We have crony capitalism.”
David Stockman on Crony Capitalism from BillMoyers.com on Vimeo.
This is a work in progess, a self learning tool and fun little project. Please excuse the slow development as it seems the needed proper time is always lacking. It is my hope that the combination of content and links to other sources of information in this simple blog may help awaken a few of the sleeping masses and encourage and inspire others to initiate their own research, ultimately for each person to be a light to help awaken others. Opinions expressed belong to me, myself and I. Also, a big thank you to all that take the time to visit, it is appreciated :)
