The horizon is not so far as we can see, but as far as we can imagine

Open Thread

As usual, feel free to use the comments to discuss topics unrelated to recent posts.

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Week-end Wrap – Political Economy – December 29, 2019

12 Comments

  1. 450.org

    The success of the stock market is nothing more than a reliable indicator of wealth disparity. It’s a measurement of the wealth disparity gap. It’s also a measurement of planetary destruction.

    Yes, Trump is correct, it is a measure of the health of the economy. The economy is a growth economy that concentrates wealth and the successful stock market reflects this. The economy was never designed to lift all boats any more than a tsunami is intended to lift all boats.

    I have to laugh when Trump boasts about the stock market at his rallies to his drug-addled, obese, diabetes-stricken, braindead fans and supporters because many of the working class that support and defend him have no skin in that game. The stock market is the purview of the top 20% and yet these ludicrous louts cheer him when he tells them how wealthy he and his friends are getting at their expense.

  2. Tom

    https://theintercept.com/2019/11/25/iraq-children-birth-defects-military/

    No organization has contributed more to its nation’s own collapse than the US Military and its reckless disregard for laws and mass cover ups of war crimes for which only a handful are persecuted, and only after its leaked to the media with images and names.

    Then we wonder why America is going down the drain? The first step to turning things around in the US is to pull back from all the wars. Drastically cut the defense budget and reinvest it into infrastructure and healthcare. Fire the bulk of the Officers Corps and throw a lot of them in Prison. Cut off all Foreign Aid to everyone, and reinvest it into Americans. Reinstate the draft and only allow less than 15% of the Military to be full time Volunteers.

  3. 450.org

    How long until the vaunted “whistleblower” is gunned down by shadowy, nefarious characters much like Boris Nemtsov was mowed down? Now that Trump has implied to his soldiers of fortune to get the job done via his retracted tweet revealing the alleged identity of the “whistleblower.” Will Eddie Munster Gallagher take up the charge and do his boss and buddy a service in return for Trump’s pardoning of him? Maybe. You never know.

    The Dems are hypocrites and only care about the protection of whistleblowers when it’s their whistleblowers. Otherwise, their attitude about whistleblowers is “f*ck ’em.”

    I believe ALL whistleblowers deserve protection and that includes the likes of Eric Snowden and John Kiriakou. Obama doesn’t agree. The Dems don’t agree. To them, protection of whistleblowers is relative and not absolute.

  4. Hugh

    As Pam and Russ Marten have been pointing out, the stock market is currently hitting new highs because the New York Fed is making $2.93 trillion in short term loan available to Wall Street –over the next month!!! and this is in addition to the $60 billion in T-bill buybacks its making from its primary dealers. I suppose with this much money flooding the place it’s surprising that stock valuations aren’t even higher, but it is also a major indicator of just how much funny money is needed to keep the whole corrupt contraption from collapsing. The question is how much time will it buy before it does collapse.

    https://wallstreetonparade.com/2019/12/the-fed-fueled-todays-liquidity-crisis-with-one-key-moral-hazard-action/

  5. Z

    It’s not a casino, it’s a wealth multiplier for the already wealthy.

    The wealth of the 500 richest people surged 25% in 2019

    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-12-27/world-s-richest-gain-1-2-trillion-as-kylie-baby-sharks-prosper

    Z

  6. Z

    Some things that keep reminding me how insane this world, fueled by capitalistic greed, is:

    1. Fracking
    2. Derivatives
    3. Plastics

    Z

  7. realitychecker

    Anybody notice the news about Russia, China, and Iran planning joint military exercises?

    Looks like it’s time to give serious consideration to whether we would prefer to have Russia be friendlier with us than with China, doesn’t it?

    Who looks dumb now?

    Who looks smart now?

    Mirror time for a lot of folks, methinks. Interested to hear who likes what they see.

  8. globalresearch.org is carrying an article “‘Blinding the Truth’: Israeli Snipers Target Gaza Protesters in the Eyes” @ https://www.globalresearch.ca/blinding-truth-israeli-snipers-target-gaza-protesters-eyes/5698746

    “However, Amarneh was far from unique; Israeli snipers targeting participants in Gaza’s weekly Great Return March protests have aimed for the legs – and eyes. To date, Gaza’s Ministry of Health reports that 50 protesters have been shot in the eye since the demonstrations began March 30, 2018 – leaving them permanently blind.”

    If the number 50 is correct, and if the rubber bullet weapons have a high enough aiming accuracy to make the term “sniper” relevant, then we have the sort of crime that, IMNSHO, could actually be ended by international pressure. (This wouldn’t work for getting Israel to hand back land stolen from the Palestinians, etc. Israel is sort of a rogue state, so it won’t work, in general. However, blinding Palestinians is a horror that adds nothing to their national security. Israel has almost nothing to gain, but a lot to lose, from the whole world looking at them as grotesque sadists.)

    So, my next question is, “Where is the Greta Thunberg of anti-Israeli brutality?” *

    Such a Greta Thunberg could facilitate “one eye” days in schools throughout the West. Basically, wear a patch over one of their eyes, in solidarity with the victims. No need to even cut school.

    * more generally, where are the Greta Thunberg’s for a wide variety of issues? But one thing at a time.

  9. Looks like the Bear of the North, rc, one day closer to Jesus not floating down out of the sky on a flying rainbow unicorn with thousands of helpers on flying rainbow unicorns to carry all the chosen ones away to paradise. One day closer to testing the theory that when the bowel vacation makes contact with the oscillating air circulator we’ll be eating each other in a week.

    ‘Course, we could be one day closer to thousands upon thousands of cavernous spacecraft, vast slaughter-houses piloted by ravenous vaguely reptilian creatures, replete with horns and folked tail, intent not as benevolent overseers of the demise of this world and our current iteration in human evolution and our children’s evolution onto the next iteration of humanity but as ravenous reptilian creatures… you know, hungry lizards.

    We did, afterall, invite them to “Come Eat!”

  10. realitychecker

    @ TB

    It occurs to me that if we would all develop some skill at reality-checking, we would not have need for a God.

    As it is, I share many of your dark opinions, amigo. 🙂

  11. realitychecker

    I find it is very helpful to have a deep appreciation for the absurd. A good continuing supply is assured.

    Wishing all here a happy healthy and prosperous New Year. Especially our esteemed host.

    Let’s all laugh and think as much as possible.

    Peace and community are still good goals. 🙂

  12. Z

    The stock market can’t even be charitably called a casino when the House and the Clients are both on the same side and the House continually supplies the Clients as many chips as they need to come out ahead.

    Z

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