I appreciate independent and now democratic candidate Bernie Sanders for telling the truth - the truth about how the economy, our economical and financial system is rigged against the lower and middle class. Most of us have the experience that our economical situation is not getting better over time, but worse - or that it stagnates. My income certainly has not improved over the last 10 years, and in the meantime housing costs have gone up 20-40%, healthcare costs about the same, food has gone up etc. Sanders describes on his website how massive the wealth transfer from the middle class to the upper 1% has been over the last few decades. It is shocking.
And why do we not drive electrial cars already, why is solar energy not common place, why do we engage in wars, while being silent or inactive on climate change - when it is about as certain as it can be that climate change is the most dramatic challenge to our way of life.
Why do we still engage in wars far away from the American mainland - at billions every year? Why is everything we buy now "made in China" and not in the US anymore? and on and on.
Because ........all this benefits the few billionaires at the top of the food chain. Because the Walton family makes much more money if they manufacture in China, that's why - just one example.
And more and more people are feeling the pain, the economical pain. And economy is the most important factor. With a great economy we can forgive a few other things, but we definitely want a great economy.
...and now to the point: Hillary has received about $ 700,000 for three talks to Wall Street companies. But of course, this is not going to influence Hillary, right? Oh no, she says, Obama has received a lot of donations from Wall Street firms, and then enacted some of the strongest restrictions...Really? How come the size of the 4 or 5 largest banks has gone up, their income has gone up? Business has not changed...
Isn't it funny, that physicians are not supposed to accept anything, anything at all, from pharmaceutical representatives! Nothing, nothing...because, studies have shown, that despite physician claims to the contrary - gifts from the pharmaceutical companies DOES influence!
SHould we not treat politicians just the same? Should lobbyists not finally be banned from Congress?
And, back to Hillary - obviously we all would love to find out what Hillary told the Wall Street managers in those talks - it would be very enlightening to find out what kind of information is worth 200K for 2-3 hours....Bernie had a very good comment: "at 200,000 a talk these talks must have been so great, so good - why do you not share them with the American people?
Yes, why not, Hillary?
She has been asked repeatedly by Bernie Sanders to make the content of these talks public - to no avail. Recently, during a townhall meeting, she was asked by the moderator if she would publish the content of those talks.
And here is her fascinating answer: "Well, if everybody else makes their talks at Wall Street public, then I will do it too, but I do not see why a different standard should apply to me"
This is rhethorical jiu-jitsu! Nobody has been trying to set a standard, nobody has asked everybody else to make their talks public, maybe similar to their tax returns. The clever and sneaky introduction of "standard" is the trick here.
This question is only and EXCLUSIVELY directed at Hillary, and maybe at Sanders, who of course does not give talks on Wall Street (well, except maybe with a bullhorn down on the street in front of some financial headquarter building, and he is certainly not getting paid for that...).
The question is directed at Hillary alone and the true question is: What relationship do you REALLY have to Wall Street, what do you tell them behind closed doors, and why do they pay you so much for it? It is not about standards, but about the credibility of a presidential candidate who proclaims toughness, but most likely will turn out to be in the pocket of Wall Street just like every other politician.
Ever wonder why nothing changes?
So, next time you see Hillary and get a chance to ask her a question, ask her to release the content of those talks - and no excuses please
Hillary is the establishment candidate, Hillary will make sure business as usual continues, and with that corruption as usual continues. The rich will continue to get richer and everybody else with continue to get poorer.
Yet, Bernie Sanders might not have succeeded this time, but another Bernie will in 4 years, or of not, then in 8 years!
