So High Above

When the Auto Executives appeared before Congress much ado was made about the Executive's Salaries. Not that I condone the excessive salaries of corporate executives whose companies are failing and are seeking Federal Economic assistance while continuing to pay themselves excessive salaries, but I do find it strange that the U.S. Economic System is failing and Congress has seen fit to not only maintain their salary but have even voted themselves a raise. Being that this Congress has done absolutely nothing in the last two years they should return their salaries to the Treasury, never mind voting themselves a raise. The utter gall of these people to vote themselves a raise while the American People are suffering from the worst economic times since the Great Depression. U.S. Treasury Bills are yielding a negative APR, yet Congress thinks it is entitled to a raise. Most Americans have lost 4,000 - 7.000 dollars per year in real income because this Congress failed to stand up and act a

Wow!! Send up the fireworks, The Federal Reserve announced, "sweeping Credit Card Regulations" as they claim. The rules, which don't even take effect until July 2010 do absolutely to correct the abuses that the industry has fostered upon the American public for the past eight years. The rule changes amount to increasing the billing cycle to 25 days from the current 21 days before late fees can be charged, however, they do not limit late fees, credit card companies currently charge up to $60 for a late fee, even if one day late. The law should limit late fees to a daily percentage based upon a reasonable rate such as 5% annually. The new rules state that the credit card company can not raise the rate on an existing balance, however, do not restrict the company from charging a higher rate on a new purchase. As usual, the Government puts on the face of helping the working family and they really do nothing. What the Credit Card Companies have been doing is tantamount to l

George W. Bush is still trying to reconstruct the Historical Importance of his Presidency. Now he is claiming that he gave America the tools to "fight terrorism". The tools that he suggests that he is leaving are all questionable in the eyes of the foundation of the principles of the United States. He cites, "Gitmo", an illegal holding facility holding foreign prisoners without charges and without the right to defend themselves against accusations that are mostly false, and totally against the premise of United States Law. The delusional President also cites the loosening of wiretapping restrictions, no-knock warrants, and domestic spying by Federal Agencies that are charged with gathering foreign intelligence, all illegal under our Constitution. The President also thinks that condoning torture is a good weapon against terrorism even though most experts in the field of interrogation concur that torture often leads to misinformation. The right-wing media likes t

A House Sub-Committee has announced that it will investigate the Madoff Investment Scandal as the Attorney General has removed himself from the case because his son represents one of those who may be involved. SIPIC is supposed to make good on schemes like this but SIPIC has only a couple of billion dollars in their coffers to make good on these high-end investors who were baited into the Madoff Scheme by their greed. Now you will see how swiftly the Federal Government acts to replenish the wealth of the super-wealthy who were suckered in by Madoff. Meanwhile, Millions of ordinary, struggling Americans are drowning in Credit Card Schemes where the interest rate is charged more than 40%. Do you see any headlines about Congressional Sub-Committees investigating credit card companies? Are there any Federal Programs being put in place to return the money that Credit Card Companies have swindled from ordinary Americans? Don't hold your breath, it is clear that the only concern of thi

As President Bush was giving his farewell press conference to Iraq, an Iraqi journalist removed his shoes and hurled them at Bush. President Bush was missed by the shoes as he ducked the first one and the second was thrown off target. We have learned from the press coverage that in Arab society the soles of shoes are an insult. If this were an American tradition there would be a lot of shoeless people whenever George came to visit. Most Americans are disgusted by what has transpired during the last eight years under the Republican Administration of George W. Bush. Two invasions and Occupations of Sovereign nations supported by Trillions of Dollars in no-bid private contracts without any semblance of accountability. Over five thousand American Military Personnel were killed, tens of thousands maimed and injured, an Economy on the verge of the largest Economic Depression that the United States of America has ever experienced, and disdain for America throughout the world because of t

Responding to a Freedom of Information Act request by Bloomberg News to disclose the recipients of the Federal Bail Out money that has been secretly handed out to the banks, the Federal Reserve said, F%^* Y(*. In a story reported by Mark Pittman on Bloomberg.com, Mr. Pittman reveals that on Nov. 7, 2008, Bloomberg News filed suit under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act requesting the terms of 11 Federal lending programs created in recent months to feed Financial Institutions money to keep them afloat after their financial games have collapsed the Nation's Economy. Mr. Pittman notes that the Dec 8, 2008 response to the suit by the Fed was that they feel they do not have to reveal internal memos dealing with the programs. In other words, the Federal Reserve has created a secret slush fund of over 2 Trillion dollars that they have been handing out to Banks, most of which have foreign minority ownership without any pre-conditions or safeguards. This should be most egregious to all A

As the United States Banking Industry continues to suck money from the Federal Treasury unrestricted they continue to farm out their back office operations to cheap labor in India, Pakistan, and the Philippines. When these back office workers are assigned debt-collecting duties for past-due credit card bills they have access to American Citizen's personal financial information. Does any American feel safe knowing that this contingent of cheap labor has access to your Bank Account Numbers, Credit Card Numbers, Social Security Numbers, Phone Numbers, Addresses, and income information? Putting aside the fact that these Banks after accepting U.S. Taxpayer Money, continue their financial Ponzi schemes of leverage and trading exotic financial instruments that have no intrinsic value, why are they not hiring Americans in America at livable wages to conduct their business in the United States of America. The cause of the Financial Bailout was never explained to the American Public, ther