Deceit and debauchery: The Road to Perdition

A fifty million dollar inauguration party? Oh brother. Once again I am in complete agreement with the folks at The Automatic Earth in that we should NOT be spending such a sum, on an inauguration, in these times. Not that we EVER SHOULD spend such a sum on something of this nature.

But then the powers that be, never assess what the middle and lower classes are feeling when they look at - details such as this expenditure. The monies spent on the election cycles are nauseating too and also, we need to put an end to this sort of fracas...because that is, all it is. There is so little "honesty" in any of our processes now.

When we nominate a man such as Timothy Geithner's to be Secretary of the Treasury - and find he is behind in his tax payments - much less claims he did not UNDERSTAND what he had to pay? Come on! I've paid estimated taxes for years and years, even though I was unemployed by my medical problems and my only income comes from the sale of my home - my only asset...having lost jobs for over a decade due to outsourcing: I ended with no pension or 401k. Sooo...I've paid those taxes faithfully - and I don't have a college degree, yet I "understand" that estimated, is due? And yet the Obama people still seem to be supporting this man. And supporting Summers and Rubin too despite their nefarious backgrounds.

Long ago things spun out of control in the land of the brave and home of the free. Free? hmmm If I did not pay my estimated - and my taxes properly on time - I would have people following me and probably be prosecuted. I too will NOT be watching the inauguration. I barely watch any news these days because the corruption - at all levels - is only addressed in the most cursory fashion...and generally not even prosecuted. What kind of a country has this become?

Last week I did see a PBS program entitled "The Ascent of Money" -- which delineates the timelines of the deregulation of the banking and financial markets and gives an overview of how the various fraudulent "instruments" in the form of subprime mortgages to hedge funds, were established and setup. Excellent show - if only every American watched it. Sadly I feel no optimism about the future when our new "change" President - doesn't see that change should encompass putting THIS $50 million dollars of the taxpayers money - elsewhere than into a PARtee.