COLLECTIVE MADNESS


“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."

Thursday, February 05, 2009

We are the Whirled, We are the Children



Everyday, I shake my head at some bit of news. Yesterday, it was this:

February 5, 2009
Obama Calls for ‘Common Sense’ on Executive Pay
By STEPHEN LABATON and VIKAS BAJAJ

WASHINGTON — In announcing executive pay limits on Wednesday, President Obama is trying to hold the financial industry accountable to taxpayers while aiming to change an entrenched corporate culture that endorses outsize bonuses and perks that often bear little relationship to corporate performance.

Mr. Obama also needs to deflect a growing populist outrage over sky-high pay among the banks and other companies now on the public dole. His announcement comes just days before the administration is expected to unveil a new strategy — and possibly request more money from Congress — to guarantee or buy outright hundreds of billions of dollars in bad assets held by banks.

The new rules would set a $500,000 cap on cash compensation for the most senior executives, curtail severance pay when top executives left a company, restricting cashing in on stock incentives until government assistance was repaid and prod corporate boards to closely scrutinize luxury perquisites like private jets and country club memberships. To read the rest

My first reaction to this story was, "That's Socialism!" Whatever it is, these days, I hear way too much talk about "the death of capitalism..." To hear the President of the United States dictating corporate salaries is too much for my tinnitus plagued ears but I shouldn't be surprised by anything. Lately, it seems to have been revealed that our so-called experts and betters are actually either "empty suits or animated mannequins."
_____________________________

Life gets more surreal by the day.
Help, I fallen through the looking glass and can't get back.
Obama searches for an honest man (or so it appears) and because he is being advised by the status quo, inside the beltway Democrats, he seems to be having a hard time finding one. The daily news is about one nominee after the other with tax problems.

Well, I'm sure that is something we can all identify with. Tax evasion seems to be the thread that binds us. Isn't it warm and fuzzy to learn that underneath it all, no matter what our political stripe, we are all the same. We do not like paying the tax man, but together, yes, we can.
All together now...

We are the Whirled,
We are the children.
We are the ones to make a brighter day,
so let's start giving.

5 comments:

  1. Here's a guy - another guy - that fell down a rabbit hole, into a whirled world. Seen stories like this before. We've become so stupid even the simplest most obvious things are beyond us.

    If we would control our southern border as well as Mexico controls its southern border it would be a heck of an improvement.

    I hope the jury has some sense, but maybe it's filled with Mexicans. Illegal immigrants sitting on the jury--o why not? It's a rabbit hole, isn't it. Illegal immigrants are legal, "if I say so" might say the Queen.

    Alice might call a spade a spade, thought it's really a diamond, or a heart, or even a tart.

    Chapter 11: Who Stole the Tarts?

    At the trial, the Knave of Hearts is accused of stealing the tarts. The jury box is made up of twelve animals, including Bill the Lizard. The judge is the King of Hearts. The first witness is the Mad Hatter, who doesn't help the case at all, followed by the Duchess' Cook. During the proceedings, Alice finds that she is steadily growing larger when she is suddenly called as a witness herself.


    Chapter 12: Alice's Evidence

    Alice accidentally knocks over the jury box as she stands in alarm. She argues with the King and Queen of Hearts over the ridiculous proceedings, eventually refusing to hold her tongue. The Queen shouts her familiar "Off with her head!" but Alice is unafraid, calling them out as just a pack of cards. Alice's sister wakes her up for tea, brushing what turns out to be some leaves and not a shower of playing cards from Alice's face. Alice leaves her sister on the bank to imagine all the curious happenings for herself.


    Such is justice in America the Rabbit Hole, these days.

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  2. What's a wabbit whole in a whirled whorled world?

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  3. Who Stole The Tarts?

    Down The Rabbit Hole

    Entire Series

    Dali, Alice in Wonderland


    My aunt had some nice reproductions of these.

    Dali claimed to believe in reincarnation, and that he had once been St. John of the Cross, but that now he was his brother who had died before he was born, as his mother had said.

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  4. 20. Walt:

    While murd’rous muslims slink like rats
    Obamaman relaxes
    Appointing honest Democrats
    With trouble with their taxes
    The Daschleman he know not rules
    He thinks that cars and drivers
    Are free to those from elite schools
    And gummint nine to fivers
    The Treasuryman he pay no tax
    Is put in charge of henhouse
    The Doddman’s sweetheart mortgage backs
    Enough to keep his penthouse
    Obie say close Gitmo down
    And no more wiretapping
    But he look good in sleeping gown
    It’s time for some more napping
    While dangers round each corner lurk
    Just who’s gonna defendya
    This just elected piece of work
    This noble man from Kenya
    I know there’s plenty say so what
    Is honor just to serve him
    I know the man’s the prez we’ve got
    But I’m not sure we deserve him

    ReplyDelete