Forum Post: Do you consider those who vote to give billions of dollars to Goldman Sachs to be corrupt?
Posted 11 years ago on March 10, 2013, 6:45 a.m. EST by TrevorMnemonic
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This content is user submitted and not an official statement
Simple question asked in 3 different ways
If a politician votes to give billions of dollars to fraudulent organizations that manipulate and sabotage the economy and the government, are they corrupt?
Do you consider those politicians who vote to give billions of dollars to Goldman Sachs to be corrupt?
Do you consider those politicians who vote to give billions of dollars to big oil, like ExxonMobil, to be Corrupt?
I dont like labels. If you define "corrupt" as a pol taking money from a non-citizen, vitually all are.
If a green-energy pac gives money to a pol that then votes to help finance a wind farm - is that "corrupt" ?
Debating the definition of "corrupt" is a silly waste of time.
Do someting to stop all money from going from non-citizens to pols.
That is the issue
What have YOU DONE to fix this?
Are you really comparing green energy to Goldman Sachs?
What have you done to fix this other than act like Goldman Sachs isn't corrupting politicians? I don't know if you've heard this yet, but TARP was a scam.
THE CORRUPT MUST BE KNOWN. Otherwise they will stay in power.
I am NOT equation g GREEN to gs -
I'm pointing out that NO ONE who is not a citizen should be able to contribute anything
[ this includfes corps pacs unions parties ]
Specifically - what are YOU DOING to solve this problem ?
Knowledge is power. I'm trying to get people to stop voting for those funded by Goldman Sachs, those corrupted by a corporate takeover, and instead vote for those who do not do backroom deals with the corrupt corporations destroying our country. Doing business with the corrupt willingly is to participate in mutual hypocrisy. Those who are funded by Goldman and those who profit from their fraud and insider trading are the reason why our tax dollars are being stolen to prop them up. I'mtrying to help people understand why this is happening. Wall Street has corrupted the government yet you can't even admit those that work for Goldman hvae been corrupted by Goldman.
I've been in protests where we've gathered people to close bank accounts with corrupt banks. I call and email my congressman about changing laws in this matter as well to get money out. As with most things I could do more. But what are you doing?
You are making excuses for those who are propping up Goldman Sachs. And you can't even answer a simple question. I will not answer a single other question from you until you can answer my question truthfully. The question is that simple.
The obvious answer - YES. Giving billions of dollars to corrupt companies, especially tax dollars, is an obvious sign of corruption. Even more obvious when those very corporations work against the benefit of the tax payer. More obvious when they refuse to use anti-trust laws to split up these corrupt corporations. And refuse to prosecute them for their corruption and fraud.
The difference between me and you is that you are much too willing to compromise with power. I am trying to get people to choose the actual liberals and not those funded by corrupt corporations.
You should take Michael Moore's advice and read one of Chris Hedges' books.
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Do you consider the shopkeeper that gives in to the extortion demands of the mafia corrupt?
That is no comparison. The shop keeper has a gun to his head, the politician (and friends) stands to gain from his action, without a gun to his head. Very different scenarios. And to answer, no, he is not corrupt, only surviving. So please answer the question posed.
The mafia has more than one way to "kill" your business, or your career, so the comparison is accurate..
WallStreet, uses them all, so in answer to the question, I would say, some are and some are not.......
I disagree. In your premise, all wall street is bad, which is not true. In my premise, all mafia is bad, which is true. And wall street does not break legs, shoot, kill, etc. it's not even close. Please! When you say "some are, some are not" is that to mean that some politicians that give money to GS are corrupt, but others that give money to GS are not (per the post)? Just asking to clarify.
All of WallStreet works almost exactly like the mafia.
They extract value, from loan sharking, extortion, collusion.
It's what they do. It's what they've always done.
There is little that's honest about them.
That's a poor answer and totally wrong and you know it. There is no comparison. And again, all of wall street is not bad. Some, but not all. You did not answer the question either.
Some, but not all.
We're beginning to make some progress.
But yeah, they all work like the mafia. Some are just worse than others.
The puppets work side by side with them to kill our business and our careers. They collude with Wall Street for venal purposes of gaining power, fame, and money.
Accepting money from these corrupt organizations and then voting to give them gain is the epitome of corruption.
Corrupt - Having or showing a willingness to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain.
Giving a politician a free pass for corruption will not help anyone. The corrupt must be exposed. There is no forgiveness for selling the country out for war and wall street. People must know this venality so they do not vote for those funded by these criminal organizations in the future. Money out of politics, yes. But right now that money is still in there. And the corrupt must be exposed.
ALEC.
Unelect all of it's members.
Repeal and or re write all legislation it's ever had enacted.
Getting started is that simple and it's on a State level.
I fully agree. Can we get Lee Terry out too though? I really don't like that guy. He's going on 14 years of failure. He started out with the GLB Act and voted to give himself a raise during a financial crisis he helped create.
Federal level is very important too. Especially when ALEC members like Deb Fischer move on to the Senate.
We should also unelect everyone funded by Goldman Sachs and Koch.
One step at a time.
Concentration needs to be put in the States first, and that's where ALEC does it's dirty work..
I'm firmly convinced.
I feel like I can do both at the same time though. State and Federal.
I'm the anti-war guy, so federal is incredibly important to me.
You gotta deal with the States first.
That's where the FEDS come from.
It took the State Reps we send to DC cutting off the funds to stop Viet Nam.
Soften the FEDS but hit the States hard.
In the movie I just linked you to, there is a bit about how the politicians are given offers they can't refuse. http://occupywallst.org/forum/you-cant-miss-this-not-conglomerate-related/
I've seen it.
Get real. If it worked, where's the free energy?
I much prefer the Venus Project curmudgeon, but that's a ways off too.
You think the suppression of free energy is not real? What about crop circles, do you think those were man made? I personally think everything in the video is accurate but haven't checked out the sources.
No, I don't think anyone is suppressing free energy. Cheap? Yep, they suppress that, each and every day.
If it was free and limitless, it would be powering submarines today.
It's not.
Crop circles? Please. Perhaps tiny munchkins come out of the earth and bend them one at a time?
That's even more likely than people!
They were cracking salt water for power for the subs in WWII.
Cheaper than diesel, eh?
not even remotely comparable to the venality of politicians seeking power while profiting off the corruption themselves through insider trading and other bullshit.
In this story, you and I are the shopkeepers. We are being defrauded and the money we work for is being extorted for Wall Street fraud.
Think about the people who voted No and the people who voted Yes. Which had campaigns funded by banks or big oil and which profited from this?
It's exactly comparable.
WallStreet pulls the money.......your business/career is over.
And they use it as a threat in just that way.
So you're saying that politicians can't be corrupt?
Come on Shooz. Stop dancing around the question.
Those who accept money in pursuit of power and personal gain, who then vote to give billions to those they accepted money from, are they corrupt? Please take into consideration the massive level of fraud from those reaping in the billions.
There is a huge difference between a Koch whore and Dennis Kucinich or Alan Grayson. It's called corruption. THE CORRUPT WORK FOR WALL STREET. Wall Street hired goons and put them in power. You can separate the corrupt by who funds them.
I didn't say that.
I said WallStreet is MUCH more corrupt. A pyramid scheme that's run like the mafia.
That's what I said. That's what I mean.
Exactly.
And you can include private investment firms in that too, as they often provide muscle and the kind marketing/PR that WallStreet proper doesn't want to be connected to, because they are public and image is everything at that level.
Fire the puppets and they will just wire up the next batch.
Get the money out.
It's the only way forward.
You really should read the threads on what these fucks are doing to Michigan. You really, really should.
Wall Street is corrupt and so are the majority of politicians. After all Wall Street funds their campaigns and help them out with insider trading. They pick and choose based on who will best serve their interests. Financing the corrupt willingly accept and work for to get. Those pulling backroom deals and handing over billions to prop-up fraud are fully participating in the fraud when they do this.
The corrupt need to be exposed until the money is out, and afterward.
I've read several of the posts you mention. I think I got in some weird argument with a troll on one of those posts.
WallStreet dances it's puppets to distract your attention.
Not the other way around.
Unfortunately, it works far too well.
I don't necessarily forgive those puppets, but it's important to understand, that for the most part, they ARE puppets.
Wall Street uses it's puppets to rob this nation blind.
The politicians that serve them are just as guilty as the Wall Street hacks that fund them. In fact the puppets more than often benefit from the power and as previously mentioned are guilty of insider trading. As well as working for a criminal organization.
Puppets will not prosecute Wall Street. And this is why the puppets must be known. They must be outed. Just like the corrupt CEOs and Execs on Wall Street.
If you vote to give billions to Goldman Sachs, you are corrupt. If you hate on gays and the poor because you're funded by Koch, you are corrupt. If you give billions to big oil because of the oil lobby, you are corrupt. This is a simple concept.
Puppets don't get a free pass because someone else is pulling the strings. All those that play their roles in this corruption must be exposed.
I blame the corruptor to a much higher degree that the corruptee.
New analogy time, as I find your attitude has roots in Christianity.
As in: He who accepts the temptation of satan has sinned. but satan?
The temptor?
Hell he's just satan being satan, so what the hell would you expect him to do?
In reality the lions share must go to the puppetmaster, the temptor.
Satan should be in jail. His sinners will never prosecute him.
I don't do business with Satan either. Although I do drive a car.
In the case of this analogy, WallStreet/satan, you can't escape doing "business" with him.
Sadly our taxes and our money system props them up. So indeed there is no escape for anyone. Until we rise up together and break free.
Everything you buy and almost everything you do.
WallStreet gets a cut.
That's how the mafia works.
Pure corruption. For that's what the Mafia does. And it destroys all those who stand in their way.
Now you truly understand WallStreet.
YES!!
And personally I think the line for what we deem "corrupt" as a nation is waaaaaaaaayyy too forgiving.
That being said, the power to hire but not to fire is pretty telling of this "representative demockery".
Anyone ever try to get an amendment on a ballot? Ha! Good luck.
Yes
~Odin~
the downvoters don't think Wall Street is corrupting the government. How sad that so many still want to live in a lie.
TM. It is quite easy to answer. YES. Maybe not in strict legal terms, but certainly in moral terms. But I believe that after a while, most politicians are corrupt in one way or another. Nature of the business of the office, unfortunately. While an honorable person may get to washington (a rare occurrence), there are too many temptations and too many already corruptible influences surrounding them to not become tainted or eventually part of the system. Are their levels of corruption? Sure, but corrupt is corrupt, to me it is a binary question and answer. I tend to always vote out incumbents if possible.
insider trading.
"Corruption in the legal context refers to a wrongful design to acquire or cause some pecuniary or other advantage. Corruption may encompass a variety of wrongful acts, such as, among others, bribes, kickbacks, jury tampering, and abuse of public office."
Not only do they fit the English definition of corrupt, they often fall into the legal zone as well.
Goldman Sachs and the rest of the "too big to fail or jail" big banks violate anti-trust laws.
I think the real issue is their realisation that they can't be prosecuted.
http://blogs-images.forbes.com/halahtouryalai/files/2012/08/0426_lloyd-c-blankfein_620x434.jpg
Makes my skin crawl.
Our taxes helped pay for that suit he has on.
I understand hatred, but can't waste it on these ingrates.
oh no! the shills for the corporate takeover are downvoting me
more fuel for the fire! I'm hitting those nerves DEEP. All these downvotes mean you're going out of your way now. Comment stalking and you're clicking on my posts. Downvoted within 10 seconds. Yay for comment stalkers! Hi VQ!!
Corrupt? No.
Not caring? Yes.
Victim of the system? Yes. Disattached from reality? Yes.
Filled with so much hate for the other side, as planned by the media, that they no longer care about anything besides "winning"- even though we all lose-.....Yes.
How are they not corrupt? (edit - i added the term politician to my post because OTP thought I was talking about the civilian populace that votes)
How can you knowingly prop up a fraudulent system with tax payer dollars when the very company is screwing over taxpayers, how can you do this and not be corrupt? Especially when they're accepting campaign contributions along the way and they vote to give them billions is their repayment.
Look up the definition of corruption and come back.
Corrupt - "Having or showing a willingness to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain."
They are not victims. They are the puppets of the elite.
Too big to prosecute is a lie.
I def think that the politicians are corrupt, was more talking about some of the people that get duped into voting for them. Because in a way, when we vote for people who do this, we are too guilty to a certain extent.
When we vote for people who are "representing" us, and they vote to give billions to GS, then in a way the people are voting directly in favor of that action. kind of.
I updated the post to reduce future confusion. Added in the term politician.
and you are right when you say "kind of." It's much worse when they actually know about it too.
would you like to answer the question again, knowing i'm referring specifically to the politician voters in Congress.
If you are speaking of the politician voters, then I agree 100%.
yah I meant "vote" as in the nays and yays of Congress.
You've just restated, succinctly and accurately, the foundational basis for Constitutional self-governance: Consent of the governed. Care to discuss this, it's practical application, and implications as related to our current state of affairs? I've read a few of your posts, and think you've got an accurate grasp of our political realities.
I'm not talking about the citizen vote in my original post. If you thought that, I can see why there was a little confusion. I was talking about the politicians that vote to give billions of dollars to Goldman and the other fraud banks.
They're propping them up yelling "too big to fail"
And next election they'll accept even more money from these banks for financing.
I definitely agree that people get duped, I've been victim of this in 1 election myself. Thankfully it only took me one to understand the truth.
You're a quick study "it only took me one to understand the truth." Would you care to explore this subject a bit further?
yah I voted based on the TV and party rhetoric from my family... instead of researching and basing my decision on voting records, which is what really matters.
I thought I voted for the peace guy, but instead I saw new wars start, more countries bombed, and my taxes went to Goldman Sachs. Libya was the final straw. I was tired of the nationalist rhetoric. Then OWS came and woke me the fuck up.
I'm glad to here that. Welcome to the club. Happened for me in the late 70s and early 80s. I beat my head on the wall some. I see you've run afoul of the twinkle-team... A man is judged by his enemies, so say some. It appears to be true here. I've read some of your posts and think we've got some common interests.
“You can always judge a man not by his friends, but by the quality of his enemies. A good man will never have enemies who are anything but petty and childish. A bad man will have enemies that are legion. Who it is that dislikes a man reveals much about the man himself.” ~ Wicasta Lovelace
That's a cool quote. I never heard that before. I am disliked by many on this forum simply because I do not support the nationalist rhetoric, wars, nor the 2 party system that has sold out to a corporate takeover. I also don't compromise my morals, which is something the 2 party system and it's supporters constantly ask people to sacrifice.
That's a good thing. All good things. And a tough row to hoe. But you're finding that out now; that's a good thing too, in the long run. Especially if you keep your morals. It's easy to rationalize, so easy and tempting, going with the flow. Some twinkling posters here rationalize NDAA, drones and executive "action" -- abroad and here... Wonder why?
Wonder why? Good question. Making excuses for those provisions like that in the NDAA, the drones, making excuses for giving billions to Goldman Sachs and the banks, making excuses for the corporate takeover... helps no one.
Sorry to be so long in my reply.
Yes, it does help someone. Cui bono -- the elite. Goldman Sachs. The banks.
It's late and I'm tired, so forgive me... Perhaps you'll find this link interesting:
http://occupywallst.org/forum/keep-searching-for-ways-to-screw-the-corrupt-syste/
Thus, one either supports the status quo and consents to all the bad acts they claim to hate and detest... or you reject their hate and war and poverty by withdrawing consent at the election.
Stop me if I've shared this with you before, - Martin Luther King once said those "that persist in discrimination to retain their monopoly of jobs we have no common ground. To talk of alliances with them is to talk of mutual deception and mutual hypocrisy."
I agree. But before we can do much of anything, we have to break their grip on politics, governance and public imagination. We have to use our norms and myths, upon which they rely for power, against them Constitutionally, and thereby politically. We must vote to de-legitimize the parties, politicians, and sitting government -- thereby kicking their sorry asses not only out of office, but out of power.
All these downvotes and not a single person who downvoted can answer the fucking question.