Forum Post: Just saw this and I am STUNNED...
Posted 13 years ago on Oct. 22, 2011, 5:02 a.m. EST by ComplexMissy
(291)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
Offsets, carbon credits, clean development mechanisms? Um, yeah, not as beneficial as you might think... more like a new scam! This is something that everyone who supports OWS should watch. You can buy the documentary at the link below or watch it on NetFlix.
"Trading on Thin Air" (2011)-->
The most profitable industries in the world (energy, healthcare, finance) have been given billions in government handouts and tax breaks. Meanwhile, they keep raising charges causing hardship for millions. With all those massive handouts, tax breaks, and obscene charges, profits rise to record high levels. Millions in bonuses are paid to the executives. With record high profits, record high dividends are paid. 1/2 of all dividends in the United States are paid to the richest one percent. The bottom 95 percent of Americans share about 3 percent (that's three percent) of all dividends. The rest are paid to the top 5 percent and foreign investors. All of this causes a gradual concentration of wealth and income. This results in a net loss for the lower majority who find it more and more difficult to cover the record high cost of living, which again, is directly proportional to record high profits for the rich. As more and more people struggle to make ends meet, more and more financial aid becomes necessary. Most of which goes right back to the health care industry through Medicare, Medicaid, and a very expensive prescription drug plan. This increases government spending. This has been happening for 30 years now. During the same time, tax rates have been lowered drastically for the richest one percent. Especially those who profit from investments. These people pay only 15 percent on capital gains income. As even more wealth concentrates, the lower majority find it more difficult to sustain there share of the consumer driven economy. Demand drops as more and more people go broke. Layoffs results. Unemployment rises. This results in less revenue and more government debt.
Massive subsidies and tax breaks for Wall Street, massive tax breaks for the super rich, heavy concentration of wealth, record high charges along with record high profits and record high cost of living, more hardship for the lower majority, more government spending in the form of financial aid to compensate, more concentration of wealth, less demand, layoffs and unemployment. All of this results in slower economy and less tax revenue. At the same time more and more financial aid becomes necessary. It's a horrible downward cycle which gradually pushes the national debt higher and higher. The other big factors are the wars in the Middle East.
This post is not intended to excuse those who sit on the couch collecting welfare, make no attempt to find work, or squease out kids they can't provide for.
I will be the first official OWS candidate to win the next election for the CT 4th district. My platform is described on my blog that I have been writing since 2006. read it http://overthecoals.blogspot.com/
More to come. I will be the Green Party candidate. Please support me and please nominate a Green Party candidate in every USA district.
Invite me to the general assembly to hear my strategy. read my blog http://overthecoals.blogspot.com/
No need to waste your money. You can watch it for free on Hulu.
Did you see it? I thought it was all kind of shocking.... I guess I shouldn't be surprised though.