America's looking more and more like a speeded-up version of Rome. Now we're in the corruption and craziness stage that comes before the fall. The sad thing is that most Americans just want to be decent, honest, hard working citizens, but when the system's in the clutches of the power mad few the straight and narrow path looks like the road to suckerdom. I don't know about you, but here I am, trying to make a dishonest dollar daytrading. I've given up struggling to be the noble hero resisting the corruption of our values; I've taken up a life of vicious greed and unbridled hedonism. I was even thinking of dropping out of the church choir, but my pastor said if I did I'd have to look elsewhere for my drugs.
some brilliant chap at Goldman just downgraded Citi to sell from neutral...... I mean what could he have seen, some rumor about bad credits?.... GS is packed full of smarts....
They did cook their books, every company cooks their books to a certain extent. They just do it better than anyone else, pay more money to their lawyers and have the leeway to get away with what the rest can't. There are haters and there are nut huggers. We know which one you are. Then there are those who can recognize & accept reality. All the proof you need is in their balance sheet. Clever stuff but still kinda funny, it's like people are in denial.
I think you are dead on about most Americans being decent. Unfortunately, the media in our country perpetuates the fall of Rome by televising the coliseum and the gladiators, instead of focusing on the government, corporate America, and the SuperRich - which is exactly what they want. The media makes a national spectacle over the most trivial things - all the while, the 800 pound gorilla of real issues stares them square in the eye. The looting of America is taking place right in front of our eyes, and no one does a thing to stop it. Where is the public outcry over the crimes committed by corporate America? Where is the public outcry over billions vanishing, and ending up in a select few's pockets? EXAMPLE - A person runs a company into the ground, and gets awarded hundreds of millions of dollars for leaving after making the mess in the first place. This happens on a regular basis. Why? Because the Golden Rule in America is not "do unto others"....its "he who has the gold makes the rules". And the uberwealthy make the laws, are on the board of directors, control the government, and they all take care of each other. Its the SuperRich's world....and we're all just a squirrel.....well, you get the picture, Plutocracy is exactly right!!! Ok, that's enough of MY rant