And Now We're Headed For The GREATEST Depression

jackace

Golden Member
Oct 6, 2004
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Very good video on yahoo today. Not sure I agree with everything he is saying, but the general idea I do agree with.

The crux of the problem, Celente argues, is that the middle class has been wiped out. America used to be a land of opportunity for all, where hard-working people could build their own small businesses in their own communities and live prosperous and fulfilling lives. But now a collusion of state and corporate interests that Celente describes as "fascism" have conspired to help only the biggest companies and the richest Americans. This has put a shocking amount of the country's wealth in the hands of a privileged few and left the rest of the country to subsist on chicken-feed wages and low job satisfaction as Wal-Mart "associates" -- or worse.

The answer, Celente says, is to bring back the laws that prevented huge companies from getting so big and powerful, and put some opportunity back in the hands of ordinary people.

I have been saying this for a long time. Big corporations are what is ruining our country. These corporations are the ones driving off-shoring and other behavior that has crippled the poor and middle class workers.

And Now We're Headed For The GREATEST Depression, Says Gerald Celente
 
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DesiPower

Lifer
Nov 22, 2008
15,299
740
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Its difficult to look reality in the eye, its something almost everyone knows...
 

theevilsharpie

Platinum Member
Nov 2, 2009
2,322
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Big corporations are what is ruining our country.

Yep, big corporations exist merely to subvert America. Those big board meetings and shareholder conference calls are really just brainstorming sessions on the most efficient ways to keep the common man in his place. It's not like they're concerned about profit or anything.

It all makes sense now :hmm:
 

nobodyknows

Diamond Member
Sep 28, 2008
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Yep, big corporations exist merely to subvert America. Those big board meetings and shareholder conference calls are really just brainstorming sessions on the most efficient ways to keep the common man in his place. It's not like they're concerned about profit or anything.

It all makes sense now :hmm:

No , but many if not most of the people who are now running those big corporations seem to think those corporations exist only for THEIR enrichment.
 

JJChicken

Diamond Member
Apr 9, 2007
6,165
16
81
Yep, big corporations exist merely to subvert America. Those big board meetings and shareholder conference calls are really just brainstorming sessions on the most efficient ways to keep the common man in his place. It's not like they're concerned about profit or anything.

It all makes sense now :hmm:

Sum [1 to Population(US)] {max(individual profit)} < max (Sum [1 to Population(US)]{individual profit})
 

rudder

Lifer
Nov 9, 2000
19,441
86
91
Vote out the people in office who made it possible for these big corporations to be bailed out. Had they failed... that money and business could have went to the smaller companies.
 

jackace

Golden Member
Oct 6, 2004
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Vote out the people in office who made it possible for these big corporations to be bailed out. Had they failed... that money and business could have went to the smaller companies.

It goes way beyond the current bailouts. Our entire system is setup to benefit the rich and corporations. They just continue to grow and grow, while the poor and middle classes stagnate or decline. Look around your own communities how many locally owned businesses do you see these days compared to large corporations?
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
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No , but many if not most of the people who are now running those big corporations seem to think those corporations exist only for THEIR enrichment.
Of course they do. Their shareholders demand it and you and I are merely commodities and resources. Numbers.

And in fact I agree with the first post sentiment about corporations unduly influencing the US and I find the argument sound and beyond question. The corporations have thousands of lobbyists on staff. The increase in lobbying in the past few decades is literally by hundreds of times. They influence and poison every bill. Every piece of legislation has been royally fvcked from start to finish by endless bullsh*t from lobbyists. That is all any of these bills are.
 

Phokus

Lifer
Nov 20, 1999
22,994
779
126
"I have an idea, lets cut taxes for the rich some more!" - An idiot supply sider.
 

Anarchist420

Diamond Member
Feb 13, 2010
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I agree it's time to fire the people in office who voted for corporatism. However, the only problem is, is that most people, regardless of their income, like corporatism. You ask everyone if they would rather live in an Antifederalist society or a fascist one, and most (~.99) will choose fascism.

They feel the government with its military industrial complex protects them from innocent brown people, they feel that the government has the responsibility to boost the cost of medical care, and too many people like to buy everything on credit and don't want to go to a system where saving is easier than borrowing, so they don't sincerely care if the government makes the banksters richer through chartering a lender of last resort.
 

Mursilis

Diamond Member
Mar 11, 2001
7,756
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Of course they do. Their shareholders demand it and you and I are merely commodities and resources. Numbers.

These days, even shareholders are getting screwed by CEOs collecting huge sums authorized by bought-off boards of directors who are ignoring their fiduciary duties to represent the shareholders, NOT the CEOs. And yet many of those CEOs are still driving their companies into the ground.
 

hal2kilo

Lifer
Feb 24, 2009
24,459
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These days, even shareholders are getting screwed by CEOs collecting huge sums authorized by bought-off boards of directors who are ignoring their fiduciary duties to represent the shareholders, NOT the CEOs. And yet many of those CEOs are still driving their companies into the ground.

Yep, and they conned us all to have 401Ks so that we would be part of the investor class lol. How could you vote against corporate interests when your retirement depends on it now. We've all been hoodwinked!
 

Theb

Diamond Member
Feb 28, 2006
3,533
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America used to be a land of opportunity for all, where hard-working people could build their own small businesses in their own communities and live prosperous and fulfilling lives.

So if I wanted to start a small business as a remodeling contractor or a coffee bean roaster what specific steps would the government and larger corporations take to stop me? Would they set my building on fire? Send some guys over to harass my customers?

This guy sounds like the white Al Sharprton: "It's not your fault, the man is keeping you down. You can't do anything, just complain about how hard the man is making things for you."
 

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
37,562
9
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So if I wanted to start a small business as a remodeling contractor or a coffee bean roaster what specific steps would the government and larger corporations take to stop me? Would they set my building on fire? Send some guys over to harass my customers?

This guy sounds like the white Al Sharprton: "It's not your fault, the man is keeping you down. You can't do anything, just complain about how hard the man is making things for you."

Government regulation is it's own barrier to entry now. The basic costs for doing business can be absorbed by a giant corporation far more easily than a startup. As soon as you hire a single employee it's easy to get mired in costly regulation. Some regulations are relaxed for companies with fewer than XX employees but many are not.

The CPSIA for example put many small businesses out of business with the stroke of a pen. Want to make niche, small run kids toys? Better be prepared to pay out the ass because Hasbro was importing shitty Chinese made toys. Now you as an honest business person pay the price.

Want to write the next great computer app? Better hope you don't step on any of the tens of thousands of ridiculously obvious software patents that giant software companies are sitting on for the sole purpose of torpedoing anyone that crosses them.
 
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jackace

Golden Member
Oct 6, 2004
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Government regulation is it's own barrier to entry now. The basic costs for doing business can be absorbed by a giant corporation far more easily than a startup. As soon as you hire a single employee it's easy to get mired in costly regulation. Some regulations are relaxed for companies with fewer than XX employees but many are not.

The CPSIA for example put many small businesses out of business with the stroke of a pen. Want to make niche, small run kids toys? Better be prepared to pay out the ass because Hasbro was importing shitty Chinese made toys. Now you as an honest business person pay the price.

Want to write the next great computer app? Better hope you don't step on any of the tens of thousands of ridiculously obvious software patents that giant software companies are sitting on for the sole purpose of torpedoing anyone that crosses them.

Yep lots of this, and these examples are just scratching the surface. There are so many hidden costs with starting and running a business that for many small businesses just managing the business takes more time and money then actually servicing clients or producing products.