Oh, World Economic Forum...

[GenuineRisk]

Where a billionaire who flew his two nannies to the conference on a private jet talks about how we must all learn to live on less.

And then there's this gem, from the CEO of Blackstone, explaining why he doesn't support giving more money to education:

"I’ve always wondered, what you do in a society with people who just retire,” he told conference attendees. “If you could get those people, like a board, [to be an] unpaid workforce, pay them next to nothing or nothing, and have them go into the school system to be mentors to kids, and be an example of a certain type of success that you would get dramatically different outcomes. If you can get unemployed people that cost nothing, that can have this dramatic difference, that costs nothing. I love things that cost nothing that have great results. Imagine if you laid on technology and other types of things, you could really set the world on fire with this type of stuff.”

http://www.ibtimes.com/blackstone-gr...RkMDNs.twitter

There's a word for an unpaid labor force... not volunteer... the other one... what is that word again? I think it was very popular in the South until sometime in the mid 1860s or something like that... Gadzooks... what was it?

[bigrun]

Originally Posted by GenuineRisk

Where a billionaire who flew his two nannies to the conference on a private jet talks about how we must all learn to live on less.

And then there's this gem, from the CEO of Blackstone, explaining why he doesn't support giving more money to education:

"I’ve always wondered, what you do in a society with people who just retire,” he told conference attendees. “If you could get those people, like a board, [to be an] unpaid workforce, pay them next to nothing or nothing, and have them go into the school system to be mentors to kids, and be an example of a certain type of success that you would get dramatically different outcomes. If you can get unemployed people that cost nothing, that can have this dramatic difference, that costs nothing. I love things that cost nothing that have great results. Imagine if you laid on technology and other types of things, you could really set the world on fire with this type of stuff.”

http://www.ibtimes.com/blackstone-gr...RkMDNs.twitter

There's a word for an unpaid labor force... not volunteer... the other one... what is that word again? I think it was very popular in the South until sometime in the mid 1860s or something like that... Gadzooks... what was it?

Plantation owners workers?

Reading your sig quote, really miss Molly..have some clippings of her humorous stories stored away somewhere, have to dig them out.

[Danzig]

Earlier this week, one of the Davos attendees, billionaire Jeff Greene, railed against American excess … after taking his wife, children, and two nannies along to Switzerland with him in one of those private jets.


“America’s lifestyle expectations are far too high and need to be adjusted so we have less things and a smaller, better existence,” Greene told Bloomberg. “We need to reinvent our whole system of life.”


Greene, who ran for U.S. Senate in Florida in 2010, has a less-than-stellar track record when it comes to being an advocate for environmental sustainability. According to a 2010 article in the Tampa Bay Times, in March 2005 Greene’s three-story, 145-foot yacht Summerwind—the size of ”a 14-story building turned on its side”—dropped anchor onto one of the planet’s most pristine coral reefs in Belize, inflicting a 50-by-200-foot swath of damage.

[dellinger63]

Originally Posted by Danzig

Earlier this week, one of the Davos attendees, billionaire Jeff Greene, railed against American excess … after taking his wife, children, and two nannies along to Switzerland with him in one of those private jets.


“America’s lifestyle expectations are far too high and need to be adjusted so we have less things and a smaller, better existence,” Greene told Bloomberg. “We need to reinvent our whole system of life.”


Greene, who ran for U.S. Senate in Florida in 2010, has a less-than-stellar track record when it comes to being an advocate for environmental sustainability. According to a 2010 article in the Tampa Bay Times, in March 2005 Greene’s three-story, 145-foot yacht Summerwind—the size of ”a 14-story building turned on its side”—dropped anchor onto one of the planet’s most pristine coral reefs in Belize, inflicting a 50-by-200-foot swath of damage.

Did the 'Fuhrer' Al Gore fly commercial?

[GPK]

Originally Posted by Danzig

Earlier this week, one of the Davos attendees, billionaire Jeff Greene, railed against American excess … after taking his wife, children, and two nannies along to Switzerland with him in one of those private jets.


“America’s lifestyle expectations are far too high and need to be adjusted so we have less things and a smaller, better existence,” Greene told Bloomberg. “We need to reinvent our whole system of life.”


Greene, who ran for U.S. Senate in Florida in 2010, has a less-than-stellar track record when it comes to being an advocate for environmental sustainability. According to a 2010 article in the Tampa Bay Times, in March 2005 Greene’s three-story, 145-foot yacht Summerwind—the size of ”a 14-story building turned on its side”—dropped anchor onto one of the planet’s most pristine coral reefs in Belize, inflicting a 50-by-200-foot swath of damage.

As a Democrat

[somerfrost]

Just another example of why I can't support either political party, the issue isn't which party is the most corrupt rather how can politics be returned to the average person without selling his/her soul. Doesn't seem likely as those with money will never surrender power.

[Pants II]

Well that line of thinking isn't traditionally liberal, somer.

If resources are in fact limited...then what is the benefit of our country accepting this globalism scam?

It is of no benefit to the average American.

So under this current political environment you can continue to expect less comfort and far more stress.

But at least we will all be equal? Which is a silly concept in the wild.

[jms62]

This should give the "Average American" a better chance

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/27/us...one-share&_r=1

[Pants II]

Yeah their influence on American politics outshines the House of Sau...err nvmd.

[jms62]

Originally Posted by Pants II

Yeah their influence on American politics outshines the House of Sau...err nvmd.

Sad state of affairs when Disability becomes a growth industry. It is not inconceivable that this program is riddled with fraud.

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/...isorder-429-dc

[dellinger63]

Originally Posted by jms62

Sad state of affairs when Disability becomes a growth industry. It is not inconceivable that this program is riddled with fraud.

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/...isorder-429-dc

All you have to do to qualify is to have earned 40 credits, 20 of which, must have been earned in the last 10 years.

Credits are limited to 4 a year and each credit equals $1,200 in income.

So work the month January for 10 years at $8/hour, (162 Hrs.) and you meet the minimum.

With a total contribution to SS of $1,488 (6.2% employee/6.2% employer on 12K) and an average monthly SSDI payment being $1,148 the claimant becomes a net burden to the program before his/her second disability payment.

Bringing the plan back to reality by raising each credit to equal $4,000 in income or reaching a maximum of 4 credits at $16,000/year would be a good start. While we all concern ourselves with individual fraudulent claims the bigger fraud is built into the program with the overly lenient qualifications.

Not so sure people whose mental disability is so severe they are dependent should be allowed to drive, drink, gamble, marry, vote or have any children or animals in their care? That consideration may encourage many to think twice before declaring themselves unemployable and because of mood swings.

[Pants II]

Yeah leave it up to the influential 'conservatives' to push for a cut.

This is a major example of why the system is rigged and both parties are part of the machine.

The last thing we should be doing as a people is go after other plebs. We're doing exactly what they want.

I get too heated talking about this stuff so I'll just stop. Poor people didn't create this mess.

[jms62]

Originally Posted by Pants II

Yeah leave it up to the influential 'conservatives' to push for a cut.

This is a major example of why the system is rigged and both parties are part of the machine.

The last thing we should be doing as a people is go after other plebs. We're doing exactly what they want.

I get too heated talking about this stuff so I'll just stop. Poor people didn't create this mess.

Exactly. And the Uber Rich have convinced the middle/lower middle class that they have more in Common with the Uber Rich than those of lower class. Even though what the Uber Rich are doing will soon push them into the lower class.

[Rudeboyelvis]

Originally Posted by jms62

Exactly. And the Uber Rich have convinced the middle/lower middle class that they have more in Common with the Uber Rich than those of lower class. Even though what the Uber Rich are doing will soon push them into the lower class.

It's already begun. You've got a president that's already crowing about how he's gotten everything is back to normal (with respect to unemployment).

Only problem, "middle class" by his standards is now a couple that makes 54K COMBINED.

So the savior of the universe has gleefully proclaimed "Mission Accomplished" and the disparity between the rich and the poor has never been greater.

Only one thing for certain, they are not going to bear the brunt of the 16 trillion dollar hole he's dug.

Both parties working together to destroy the nation by pillaging anything that isn't nailed down to stuff in their pockets. All bought and paid for.

Can't wait for the Jeb Bush / Hilliary Clinton debates in 2016. Should be scintillating. Or to be told how, yet again, I'm "throwing my vote away" by naively refusing to accept it

[Rudeboyelvis]

Take a very close look at Greece if you want to see the US in 15 years.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by jms62

Exactly. And the Uber Rich have convinced the middle/lower middle class that they have more in Common with the Uber Rich than those of lower class. Even though what the Uber Rich are doing will soon push them into the lower class.

Originally Posted by Rudeboyelvis

It's already begun. You've got a president that's already crowing about how he's gotten everything is back to normal (with respect to unemployment).

Only problem, "middle class" by his standards is now a couple that makes 54K COMBINED.

So the savior of the universe has gleefully proclaimed "Mission Accomplished" and the disparity between the rich and the poor has never been greater.

Only one thing for certain, they are not going to bear the brunt of the 16 trillion dollar hole he's dug.

Both parties working together to destroy the nation by pillaging anything that isn't nailed down to stuff in their pockets. All bought and paid for.

Can't wait for the Jeb Bush / Hilliary Clinton debates in 2016. Should be scintillating. Or to be told how, yet again, I'm "throwing my vote away" by naively refusing to accept it

[Danzig]

arguably the two worst things included in the budget bill just passed, because...hey, we don't want the govt to shutdown right? that would be horrible. so they voted to pass, even tho these garbage pieces were included:




#2) MAKE TAXPAYERS BAIL OUT BIG BANKS...AGAIN

After the 2008 financial crisis, a lot of people were understandably upset about derivatives -- a financial instrument that led to the crisis and taxpayer bailout of banks and insurance companies.

As Ben Protess of the New York Times explains, Congress used the 2010 Dodd-Frank law to create "a requirement that banks "push out" some derivatives trading into separate units that are not backed by the government's deposit insurance fund. The proponents of the push-out rule argued that it would isolate risky trading from parts of a bank eligible for a government bailout."

Since everyone from the Tea Party to Occupy Wall Street was infuriated by the big bank bailouts, you'd think Congress would be proud of a measure that makes bailouts less likely. Instead, they're using the omnibus bill to sneakily kill it.

The current budget deal includes a repeal of the Dodd-Frank derivatives rule that was literally written by big bank lobbyists -- A leaked document obtained by the New York Times revealed that 70 of the 85 lines of derivatives language reflect recommendations made in a piece of model legislation drafted by lobbyists for Citigroup, another bank that played a major role in the 2008 crisis and also received billions of federal stimulus dollars.

If all of this sounds familiar, it's because the House passed the exact same CitiGroup-written law last year, but it died after resistance from the Senate and Treasury Department. Now, Wall Street's allies in Congress have effectively copy-pasted the CitiGroup-approved language out of the old bill and into the current budget deal, which is much less susceptible to a veto threat since a veto would shut down the government.

As an aside, did you know Wall Street spends $1.5 million per day to buy influence in Washington? Looks like their investment is continuing to pay off.

#1) MORE BIG MONEY IN POLITICAL ELECTIONS

So, by now you've probably noticed a theme developing here. Everything on this list is a direct result of money pouring into our political system. That brings us to our #1: the huge political money loophole that Congress snuck into the budget deal.

In a provision conveniently located on page 1,599 of a 1,603 page document, Congress allows individuals to give more than $300,000 directly to political parties every year. According to the Washington Post's Matea Gold, under the new rules, one couple could legally funnel nearly $1.3 million to a party's various accounts. Check out this great breakdown from Jay Riestenberg for the full ins and outs of the new rule.

As the public debate over the budget bill devolves into partisan finger-pointing, it's especially important that we don't lose site of this critical fact: Both major parties had a chance to stop this new political money loophole, and neither of them did. NPR's Peter Overby reports that "the changes in campaign finance law surfaced without fanfare during negotiations when either Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid or Minority Leader Mitch McConnell could have vetoed them."

When we say that money has corrupted American government, this is exactly what we're talking about. Special interests pour money into our political system, and our government doles out favors in return, will of the people be damned. Until we put an end to this kind of corruption, all of us will continue to get screwed over by budget deals exactly like this one.

[Danzig]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/bus...class-is-lost/


the sad truth is that the money is still there in these companies, in their payroll.
but the bulk of it now goes to the few at the top.
why?
and how do we get it back to how things were?
the people working now work harder than ever, with soaring productivity-and stagnant wages in return.
it reminds me of the book 'animal farm'.

[Rudeboyelvis]

I read recently where Washington DC is now the third most expensive place in the USA to live, directly behind San Francisco and San Jose, CA.

>>>A 1 bedroom in the city of Washington DC averaged $1770 in December, while 2 bedrooms were $2750. This makes Washington DC the 3rd most expensive major US city, with an 2 bedroom price that’s nearly triple the national average. Across the entire Washington DC metro area, rents averaged $1,610 for a 1 bedroom and $1,970 for a 2 bedroom, with renters paying 40% more to live in the city itself.<<<

https://www.google.com/search?q=wash...utf-8&oe=utf-8

I lived there for 20 years (1980-2000) and it was never like that. You could buy a very reasonably priced condo in a decent (not great, but perfectly safe and convenient) neighborhood on a fresh-out-of-college entry level salary. Now they are stacked 4 deep in the same space just to make the rent.

Hmmm....what's changed? Government growth is virtually pacing Silicon Valley now, and by extension created a virtual real estate gold rush.

And you're paying for it with the money you used to save for crazy things like retirement, your children's education, family vacations, etc.