Rich Lawyers, Corporate Welfare, Chile and Other Huge Annoyances

A few exasperated observations:

So, consumer spending is up in the U.S., but exactly WHO is doing the spending? Last I heard, it is the wealthy top 10% of the population, enjoying a spending spree of cheaper luxury items, as this country continues its march to full 3rd World Status.

Chile "looters": Once again, hungry people who are being denied relief (this time, in Chile) are being called "looters" when they desperately search for a way to feed their families. Get it straight, corporate media! It's NOT looting when you are starving, and NO relief is getting to you, despite millions of dollars of contributions. It's called survival. "Looting" is what the rich CEOs and Wall Street thieves do when they rip off the taxpayers to make sure they get their regular million dollar bonuses.

Unemployment extensions: So, Senator Bunning was entirely to blame for holding up an extension of unemployment benefits? I don't think so. Don't get me wrong. Of course, he is another privileged prick who doesn't give a damn about the working class heroes who are now suffering. HOWEVER, a unanimous vote of agreement is NOT necessary to get legislation passed in Congress. Just takes a little planning--the kind achieved whenever the rich lawyers who run our country want to get another welfare hand-out to some rich corporate or banker dude, one of their buddies. And this kind of planning involves something like ten days previous knowledge. Well, senators have known for several MONTHS now that benefits would run out at the end of February if they didn't act. So what kind of game are they really playing?

[Update: Just heard the extension passed. I believe it is only for 30 days, and includes highway funding, DISH satellite clause, etc. Bunning and others blame the expense of any unemployment extension bill on the unemployed. But take a look at what's included in this bill. It's amazing, if only a typical piece of legislation, I'd say.
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/dcblog/2010/03/senate_takes_up_unemployment_b.html]

Lying Leaders: It would be NICE, if for ONCE, these rich lawyers would let us know what they are really doing. For example, when Bush and Cheney wanted to bomb Baghdad to smithereens in 2003, they might simply have said, "You know what, we just want the oil, and a nice big military base in Iraq. We don't give a damn about Saddam Hussein. And we're going to do it whether any of the American public agrees with this or not."

At least then the public would have a better idea of where the average Joe and Josephine stand. Which is nowhere. What we think really doesn't matter much. And if Congress doesn't amend the constitution pretty damn fast, to head off an even greater corporate infusion of money into elections (thanks to our "unbiased" Supreme Court), we will matter even less. If that's possible.

I Want a Bail-Out!

So yeah. I want a bail-out, too. Or at least, one of those one percent loans the banks are getting. That's right, one percent! The banks, which never in your lifetime or mine will EVER give you or me a one percent loan, are getting exactly that from US. By US, I mean, all the taxpayers whose pensions are being thrown at these greedy pigs who got us into this mess in the first place. Give me a break! We should be pursuing criminal charges against these con-artists, and that includes Bush and Cheney, who would like to quietly go away and hide with all the billions they stole from US taxpayers. How did they do it? Branch companies under Halliburton, the biggest umbrella corporation in the world (and Cheney's baby), got no-bid contracts to "rebuild" Iraq after bombing it to smithereens. They also inflated prices (who wouldn't, when there is no chance of any competition?) on everything from labor to hammers. So who pays now? We do! We are being told to tighten our belts--buy just ONE rose for Valentine's Day, and spread the petals around (no kidding, I saw this on a "news" item!) the dinner table, while you serve boxed macaroni and cheese. Meanwhile these thieves have absconded with money earned by our blood, sweat and tears. They should be prosecuted like any normal criminal, their assets frozen, and eventually, these billions put back into the US economy--health, education, social services, would be a good start. If you stole one loaf of bread for a hungry family, you would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Yet these greedy criminals and war-mongers (convenient way to make a BUNCH of money!) can rob billions and apparently, get away with it. TIME FOR A CHANGE!!!!!