OIL BAILOUT?

 

 

World Bank and IMF in emergency BAILOUT talks to save countries from bankruptcy over oil

http://www.express.co.uk/finance/city/638779/Oil-crash-pushing-countries-to-the-brink-amid-fears-of-global-mayhem 

Really? Nations that were pulling in the cash at consumer expense for years are now facing financial crises because of falling oil prices. They want a bailout!

"Just 18 months ago oil prices were more than $100 a barrel but have plummeted to around $30 today.

Officials from the IMF and World Bank are now considering giving the country almost £3billion in cash, according to the Financial Times."

What the hell? When the banks screwed us over we bailed them out. We lost, they kept making record profits. What happened to all of the billions upon billions of dollars they made with excessive oil prices?  Was any of it used to deversify their economies? Was it used to help the poor? Did they build better homes and infrastructure? No. The majority of the profits were kept by the leading elite for their own personal gain. And now that profits are down, they want others to keep them in the luxuary they have come to enjoy.

Let's talk conspiracy for a moment. Is it not ironic that oil prices have dropped sharply just as the world was getting serious about alternative energy. With lower oil prices, the more expensive alternatives aren't as attractive. Are the oil barons manipulating public policy once again? Is it possible that the bigger producers are trying to get the smaller players off the field so even bigger monopolies can be forged?

Like a cornered rat, Big Oil and those who profit by it see that an end to their usuary might be in sight. They will do whatever it takes to to save their dominion. In time they will be the suppliers and controllers of alternative energy, the food supply, and information. Hell, they do that now. But this goes back to the sound of silence. Does the world sit idly by and let them make their profits by not only selling their wares, but also by not selling their wares? Are they too big to fail, also?

MARKET ACCOUNTABILITY: THE NEW EVIL

The Eu nations, with a few exceptions, God Save the Queen, have sacrificed sovereignty in order to achieve "Market Accountability." No more are we talking about accountability to people. Rather, the 'market' (Wall Street), is now the dictator of public policy. To give the 'market' veto authority over nation's budgets is the that this way comes. Why does no one see this and call it what it is? At least the Brits were not beguiled by the power of money-perhaps for the wrong reasons, but they had the courage to say NO.

Wherever you turn, governments are cowering to the 'market.' It is all about what is best for the investors, the people be damned. In Greece, according to the BBC, the plight of the people is so bad that they are killing their pets because they can't afford to keep them. For what, so some banker in NY can buy more bobbles and bangles? People's lives are being ruined, jobs lost, homes taken, pensions decimated, health care unfunded; all to ensure there is Market Accountability. 

WALL STREETS NEW CLOTHES

Can anyone please explain how raising the interest rates to Italy will help anyone?

I think people need to understand that the Emperor, Wall Street, has new clothes. In both Italy and Greece they have made loans impossible to pay off by raising interest rates. But, they don't lose at all. Either the EU bails them out-Wall Street gets paid, or, the nation defaults and Wall Street gets the spoils. And, to get bailed out, the nations must meet all kinds of requirements-lay off workers, loosen regulations and be indebted to international corporations or risk chaos.

This is also done to consumers. Those who are having financial difficulty get their credit card interest rates doubled, and more. Does this make sense? Does it make sense to raise mortgage rates when a consumer is on the edge? Why would it make sense to raise rates on a nation? While Obama is trying to ease rates for consumers, Banks are doing everything they can to increase fees and keep rates high.

Clearly, Wall Street knows they are in a win-win situation. They will always get their money and they get to dictate public policy. Is this really so hard to see?

WHO PAYS

While there is some touting about the EU financial plan agreement, the question is: WHO PAYS! All well and good to promise trillions of dollars, but unless they plan on just printing the money, who will pay for the losses and who will re-capitalize the banks? Beware government bailouts as they fall on the backs of you, me, and working people everywhere!

THE ECONOMY OR THE ENVIRONMENT?

There are those who would have us believe that resources and actions must be devoted to solving the world’s financial crisis at the expense of all else. These same people would also have us believe that addressing the issue of climate change and the environment must be put aside in light of this new priority. A recently released poll indicates that the issue of climate change has dropped to position number 20 as far as issues concerning the American public. It is clear that the economic stress has taken a bite out of concern for the environment. However, can we afford to lose sight of what is happening to the climate? Are the issues of the economy and the environment really separate issues? Can we have one without the other?

What is currently going on in the environment? Keeping in mind that everything is happening faster than scientists have predicted, a brief snapshot is as follows: Major Arctic and Antarctic shelves have collapsed which may make it possible for land glaciers to now slip into the ocean; Major rivers around the world are losing water; Icelandic glaciers are retreating at an alarming rate; the Bering Sea may soon be ice free in the summer; The magnetic North Pole is rapidly shifting; the oceans are being depleted of fish; tropical diseases are moving further north and south from the equator; species are dying off at an alarming rate (this time period has been labeled the 6th great extinction); the earth’s population may have already reached its sustainability limit; bird migrations are changing; storm severity is increasing; wildfires are more frequent; droughts and crop failures are spreading; sea levels are rising; drinking water is disappearing, and need I go on?

How can anyone possibly believe that we can address economic issues at the expense of climate change issues? Economies run on resources. If the forests go, there is no wood for houses; if the fish die, there is no fishing industry; if re-emerging diseases start killing everyone off, there is no one to buy the products; if storm severity keeps increasing, all the insurance bail out money is wasted; if crops fail, there is no agricultural industry. Industry would have us believe that getting the economy back on track is achieved by giving more money to banks and freeing up credit. The sad part is that politicians have bought into this argument and they keep giving them more money, but the economy still worsens. They do not want our precious dollars to go into new green companies or concepts because they are not yet prepared to gobble up those dollars. And a result, they have convinced many that it comes down to a choice, the economy or the environment.

President Obama has taken a more holistic approach to solving our major public policy issues. He seems to understand that you cannot treat the disease with a Band-Aid. All facets of life are interrelated and the health of the whole is equal to the sum health of the parts. What will it ‘profit’ us to regain an outdated economy at the expense of quality of life? Are we that selfish that we are willing to sacrifice the planet for a few more years of buying junk? The change that is coming is coming fast. It is not centuries away. It is happening now and may soon, if it has not already, be beyond the most valiant efforts to alter. The brain cannot function without a heart; the economy function without an environment. By our continued focus upon the things of life, we are losing any notion of the essence of life. It is way past time to put away our childish things and to concentrate upon a world at peace with itself and its environment. Blessings to the Earth!

BANKRUPTCY: NO HARM, NO FOUL

While numbers are not current, total personal bankruptcies rose 29% in 2008 and business bankruptcies rose 41%. Chapter 7 bankruptcies rose 36%. The headlines are replete with job layoffs reaching record highs, downsizing, bailouts, and general economic chaos.
For the consumer facing personal economic collapse, the motto should be, “no harm, no foul.” Look, if the leading corporations and banks in the world cannot make ends meet, why should there be any expectation that consumers can keep their financial ship afloat? We all know that we, the consumer, are wasting billions of dollars by trying to save huge corporations and financial institutions. They are killing us with interest rates, foreclosures, and zero credit. These problems have been generated by corporate greed, ignorance and basic stupidity.
Yes, we must take on the responsibility of our actions. We allowed ourselves to be duped by mass marketing and our own sense of greed. However, fair is fair, at least it should be. The large corporations are taking what little we have and what do we get in return? Layoffs and no credit. Actually, we do not need or even want more credit, we want out of debt. Why should the wealthy few still make their millions while the consumer has a hard time feeding their families? Why should the few take more of our money while we struggle to make ends meet? Why must the corporations get all of the bailout money and the consumer get nothing?
They tell you not to file bankruptcy because it will hurt your credit. What credit? Give money to corporations and there is no problem. Suggest giving money to people and they say, “Oh, that won’t work.” This is all madness. We have forgiven debts of foreign nations, paid corporate debt and given our dollars to banks that use it to buy smaller banks. What would happen if the government said, “We will require that all consumer debt will be reduced by 50%?” What would you do with all of that extra money? That’s how you get the economy moving.
So, for all of you that are worried about going into bankruptcy, don’t. If it is good enough for Wall Street, there is nothing to be ashamed of. The so called brightest economic minds have no clue how to end this crisis. Trust me, clear your debt and watch the credit card offers inundate your mail box. Is this what we want? No. But, feel no shame, there is no foul in taking care of your families.

THE POWER OF CONSUMER CONFIDENCE

Despite all of the power of mega-corporations like Exxon, Citibank and the barons of Wall Street, they cannot turn the economy around. Despite all of the trillions of dollars that governments are pouring into bailouts, they cannot jump start the economy. All fingers are pointing to one ‘savior,’ consumer confidence.

For generations, consumers have been told, and they believed, that they were at the mercy of the rich and powerful. They created products and told the consumers it was what they needed and the consumer, like lambs led to the slaughter, followed their dictates and spent untold billions. When the cash ran out, the powerful created their own money, called credit, and enabled the consumer to spend money they did not have, thus indebting them to an endless cycle of ‘buy now, pay later.’ When the bills finally came due, the system collapsed because credit is not real money. Using what money is left in the system; governments have given billions to help Wall Street recover their losses. They have also promised billions to extend more credit to the consumer, using consumer money to cover the bill. To the surprise of economic pundits, consumers are still not spending. Why, because they lack confidence. The implications of this one simple fact are astounding.

The simple truth is this, consumers have always had the power to control the economy and their future, and they were simply convinced otherwise. Those in power knew the “Secret,” while the consumer believed that there was no secret. It was simply the way things worked. Power and money, so they were convinced, were invincible. As the consumer believed, it was given unto them. Form, followed thought and the reality created was the result of accepting the beliefs of others. Books such as THE SECRET, JESUS TAUGHT IT, TOO: THE EALY ROOTS OF THE LAW OF ATTRACTION, THE MASTER KEY SYSTEM, THINK AND GROW RICH, WAKING GOD and many others have been hammering the message of the Law of Attraction and the fundamental truth as taught by Jesus and Buddha and Mohammad and all great spiritual leaders, …”as thou hast believed, so it be done unto thee.”

So what does it mean, as implied at the Davos Economic Conference, that “consumer confidence” is the real power behind the throne? Consumer confidence is merely a state of mind in which the consumer believes that all is well. It means that the consumer believes that there is a reasonable expectation that the economic system is functioning properly; that bills will get paid; that products are worth buying; and, that they will be able to pay for purchases without any undue hardship. This is why all of the bailout will not work. Consumers are no longer confident in the system and as they believe, so it follows that the system will not work. Let’s face it, for decades consumers have bought poor quality products; products that were dangerous; products that were destroying the planet; products made for slave wages and by child labor; and, products it really did not at all need. It was foretold that “all that is hidden, will be revealed.” This prophecy is coming true as the consumer now has a clearer understanding of an economic system that has kept in financial bondage.

What does this all mean? Quite simply, the consumer can now create a new economic reality. Here is my list that will renew my consumer confidence and get me buying again:
1) Produce products that are safe and totally environmentally friendly.
2) Produce products of high quality and workmanship.
3) Produce products in which fair wages are paid for the work and which are not produced at the expense of children, woman or minorities.
4) Produce products that are necessary and truly useful and not just a bunch of junk.
5) End the practice of charging usurious interest rates for credit and stop those ridiculous fees if you are a day late.
6) Help people get caught up with bills rather than trying to drive them deeper into debt. We have forgiven billions in debt of foreign nations; why not do the same for consumers?
7) Make products that are safe and that are healthy. Stop adding addictive substances to food and chemicals that that are poisoning out children.
8) Stop brainwashing consumers with the endless barrage of misleading commercials.
9) Be honest!
This is my short list and each could be turned into a book. But what must be understood is that consumers have the power. No matter what news you listen to it should be quite evident that the words, “consumer confidence” are the key to economic recovery. However, the economic powers would like you to return to ‘business as usual.’ I do not believe that this will happen; it cannot happen if we want our children to have a planet to live on.