If we are to have a livable planet going forward, we must take on this toxic, poisonous, and deadly industry that is apparently run by psychopaths with little regard for human life
I think that there is more than greed that motivates people to ignore their own survival and continue raping the earth and people.
That would be addiction, ego and the need for power.
When you have more money than you can spend on yachts, jets, mansions, private islands, what motivates you, to keep acquiring more, while destroying the world that enables you?
Addiction. Just as gambling is an addiction, porn is an addiction, OCB is an addiction so is the drive to money and power. And because men are social creatures, they are always seeking peer approval or dominance, and that means that they can't stop.
Money to get the power, more power to keep the money. And money is only a symbol for them, for us it is actual life and death.
It is not money that they care about, it is what money can achieve. peer approval, power, and control over that portion of society that can adversely affect their wealth, power and status.
On Wealth. We have been taught that wealth is money. It is not, Wealth are the things that make us happy, feel safe and security.
The only use the plutocracy have for money, is to protect their position, wealth and power. Otherwise they are merely numbers
And the threat of loss is always there, so like a shark they must keep swimming, otherwise they will suffocate.
Sharks don't breathe like other fish, they breathe by swimming and forcing water through their gills
We need to realize that the nexus between money and power, while hoary and ancient, is not necessary. It is our legal system, AND THAT ALONE, which joins the two. It is entirely possible to structure a legal system in which money is ABSOLUTELY
(sorry) FORBIDDEN to be used to bribe or pay off or lobby or influence or gift anyone with control over laws. It could be done. There are laughable, tentative attempts to control corruption which just point the way but never get to the end game. It is entirely conceivable that a legal system could be structured to make it impossible to get around such prohibitions and to enforce the constraints scrupulously. Then money would be usable for buying a fifth mansion, or more chocolate ice cream but not useful for buying people or influence. It can be done! All it takes is for the people to demand it and force it into place (demanding others act is too subservient - do it yourself). It is easy to conceptualize and perfectly possible to put into effect.
How do we go about it. Standing in the way is the constitution, which SCOTUS has usurped with Judicial Review, starting with Madison v Marbury
Also you would have to get Congress, which by the way is corrupted by donor cash, and the executive, which is the same.
Congress only pays about $174,000 a year, while that seems like a lot to us Jacks and Jills. Remember they have to maintain a home in their district as well as support a temp residence in D.C, or Maryland or Virginia (very expensive) not to mention wardrobe, cleaning service, food, appropriate dress wear for functions.
The only motivation for serving in Congress is ideological dedication to the exclusion of creature comforts, or the ability to make money based on knowledge and connections, and if one is subservient to corporate lobbyists, they can always get a job as a lobbyist or advisor after leaving congress .
Almost every member of Congress is a millionaire. Congress is two chambers, the House and the Senate.
On corporations. What drives corporations is that they are, now, created such that they are only capable of living in the now, and that means the next quarterly profit and loss statement
As Thom points out , there were charter wars, where Standard Oil and other corporations, said that they would move to the state that offered the best corporate charter. The charter wars.
Previously corporations had a shelf life, about 50 years, and had to have their charter renewed, but only if they could prove that they were operating to the benefit of society, not just shareholders.
Delaware, which is a corrupt state, came up with the most favorable charter, New Jersey was next, And both states are plagued with Governors and Senators that are clients of corporations. (Biden was known as the Senator from Wall Street).
Then SCOTUS, led by Lewis Powell (IIRC and might not) ruled that the sole purpose of a corporation and it's social responsibility was to produce a positive return on investment for shareholders.
Which is what the joint venture, London Company of Virginia (Aka Virginia Company) was founded on when it received its Royal charter, and when it finally failed to produce a positive result, the King dissolved it and brought Virginia under Royal peonage.
I hope all take note that the goal of GFANZ is not zero, but NET-ZERO. This little circumlocution probably slips by most people. It means that fossil fuel burners don't have to reduce their burning by one flaming stick. They just buy pollution credits (sic) somewhere and get the benefit of a zombie reduction in carbon dioxide generation (while it all stills pours into the atmosphere). That's the meaning of NET rather than ZERO. We need to demand ZERO, not NET-ZERO.
I am so tired of the Democratic Party being so weak in their messaging. They don't seem able to come up with counter phrases that will catch on as do the Rebublicans. To counter the "woke" message, why don't they say something like being awake is better than being asleep at the wheel. I am sure they could fashion this counter message into a catchy phrase. I think this is a way to bring people to reconsider the "woke" message.
I hope other counties or cities "follow suit" literally, especially if they are serious about getting some money out of these corporations. Strike while the profits are still so high.
I don't think these cases will survive the current Supreme Court, regardless it is the right thing to do. Similarly, the Our Children's Trust lawsuits have been trying to sue governments for their part in letting the climate crisis destroy their future. The latest one has been brought by youth in Idaho.The biggest case is Julianna vs. U.S. and there is a Netflix documentary called "Youth v Gov" . Here's the description from the Netflix website: "This documentary follows the journey of 21 young plaintiffs suing the US government for its actions in creating the climate crisis."
The Julianna vs. U.S. case was filed in US District Court for the District of Oregon on August 12, 2015. You can check what's happening in your state on the Our Children's Trust website.
Agreed , their is no addiction quite so annihilating as the duo of Money and Power . This is enabled by Corporations who were reinforced by corrupt and conservative Supreme Court judges .
This group has decided to completely disengage themselves from any consideration of citizens without wealth .
They follow the precepts of the white Nationalist Christians in their belief in their superiority . Included in this group are Catholics who also claim power over any group who does not meet and agree with their interpretation of Gods will for his special privileged folks .
Every time I see an infant I calculate the date when that baby will be my age. It's 2091. The earth stands little chance of being in habitable unless humanity does a complete 180. Doubt that is going to happen humans are greedy selfish and cruel it seems by nature. Sorry but who would plan to bring a child into this world now?
Forbes laid it out, as explained here, which was specifically a reference to ESG:
"In particular, Ramaswamy focuses his ire on those using environmental, social, and governance factors in investing and financial decisions.”
Enough with the politicians and all the constant banter about republicans, democrats (and even history).
This outlet should report on ESG investing and the SEC's proposed rulemaking.
Corporations are bad, and fossil fuel companies are bad too. But the basic story is basic - fdr consolidated power with the industrialists and Wall Street in order to win ww2; Truman could not resurrect the democratic political power to offset that power, and the country has never been the same. These folks (originally organized under and around Henry Stimson and other leaders of the m-i complex) believe USA is entitled to dominate all foreign markets, and to impose its form of imperialism everywhere.
This outlet should now turn more attn on reporting on the massive hoax perpetuated by Silicon Valley which completely compromises our ability to communicate, participate in community, or even think. This hoax has been a pillar of support - and will continue to be - for complete corporate domination and ruthless undermining of the agency and autonomy of individual humans.
Please take note of this podcast on jacobin which, clocking in at over 2 hours, includes a full discussion with 3 individuals who are active and expert at showing how so-called "artificial intilligence" (which Chomsky equates with "natural stupidity") will faithfully continue the rampage by Silicon Valley - a democracy-destroying imperialist undertaking that will reap even greater profits by facilitating more of the same:
- extraction of resources
- deportation of immigrants
- bribery of public officials and jurists
- location and exploitation of hard-to-reach fossil fuel projects
- war with China and Russia
- (even more) fascism.
If you're enjoying all the above and want more of the same, please pay no attention to the below broadcast /podcast.
I think that there is more than greed that motivates people to ignore their own survival and continue raping the earth and people.
That would be addiction, ego and the need for power.
When you have more money than you can spend on yachts, jets, mansions, private islands, what motivates you, to keep acquiring more, while destroying the world that enables you?
Addiction. Just as gambling is an addiction, porn is an addiction, OCB is an addiction so is the drive to money and power. And because men are social creatures, they are always seeking peer approval or dominance, and that means that they can't stop.
Money to get the power, more power to keep the money. And money is only a symbol for them, for us it is actual life and death.
It is not money that they care about, it is what money can achieve. peer approval, power, and control over that portion of society that can adversely affect their wealth, power and status.
On Wealth. We have been taught that wealth is money. It is not, Wealth are the things that make us happy, feel safe and security.
The only use the plutocracy have for money, is to protect their position, wealth and power. Otherwise they are merely numbers
And the threat of loss is always there, so like a shark they must keep swimming, otherwise they will suffocate.
Sharks don't breathe like other fish, they breathe by swimming and forcing water through their gills
We need to realize that the nexus between money and power, while hoary and ancient, is not necessary. It is our legal system, AND THAT ALONE, which joins the two. It is entirely possible to structure a legal system in which money is ABSOLUTELY
(sorry) FORBIDDEN to be used to bribe or pay off or lobby or influence or gift anyone with control over laws. It could be done. There are laughable, tentative attempts to control corruption which just point the way but never get to the end game. It is entirely conceivable that a legal system could be structured to make it impossible to get around such prohibitions and to enforce the constraints scrupulously. Then money would be usable for buying a fifth mansion, or more chocolate ice cream but not useful for buying people or influence. It can be done! All it takes is for the people to demand it and force it into place (demanding others act is too subservient - do it yourself). It is easy to conceptualize and perfectly possible to put into effect.
How do we go about it. Standing in the way is the constitution, which SCOTUS has usurped with Judicial Review, starting with Madison v Marbury
Also you would have to get Congress, which by the way is corrupted by donor cash, and the executive, which is the same.
Congress only pays about $174,000 a year, while that seems like a lot to us Jacks and Jills. Remember they have to maintain a home in their district as well as support a temp residence in D.C, or Maryland or Virginia (very expensive) not to mention wardrobe, cleaning service, food, appropriate dress wear for functions.
The only motivation for serving in Congress is ideological dedication to the exclusion of creature comforts, or the ability to make money based on knowledge and connections, and if one is subservient to corporate lobbyists, they can always get a job as a lobbyist or advisor after leaving congress .
Almost every member of Congress is a millionaire. Congress is two chambers, the House and the Senate.
On corporations. What drives corporations is that they are, now, created such that they are only capable of living in the now, and that means the next quarterly profit and loss statement
As Thom points out , there were charter wars, where Standard Oil and other corporations, said that they would move to the state that offered the best corporate charter. The charter wars.
Previously corporations had a shelf life, about 50 years, and had to have their charter renewed, but only if they could prove that they were operating to the benefit of society, not just shareholders.
Delaware, which is a corrupt state, came up with the most favorable charter, New Jersey was next, And both states are plagued with Governors and Senators that are clients of corporations. (Biden was known as the Senator from Wall Street).
Then SCOTUS, led by Lewis Powell (IIRC and might not) ruled that the sole purpose of a corporation and it's social responsibility was to produce a positive return on investment for shareholders.
Which is what the joint venture, London Company of Virginia (Aka Virginia Company) was founded on when it received its Royal charter, and when it finally failed to produce a positive result, the King dissolved it and brought Virginia under Royal peonage.
.
Right on Thom. Pulling no punches. Unless a liberal scientist comes up with a way to cool the planet down real quick, we are in deep $h#t !
I hope all take note that the goal of GFANZ is not zero, but NET-ZERO. This little circumlocution probably slips by most people. It means that fossil fuel burners don't have to reduce their burning by one flaming stick. They just buy pollution credits (sic) somewhere and get the benefit of a zombie reduction in carbon dioxide generation (while it all stills pours into the atmosphere). That's the meaning of NET rather than ZERO. We need to demand ZERO, not NET-ZERO.
I am so tired of the Democratic Party being so weak in their messaging. They don't seem able to come up with counter phrases that will catch on as do the Rebublicans. To counter the "woke" message, why don't they say something like being awake is better than being asleep at the wheel. I am sure they could fashion this counter message into a catchy phrase. I think this is a way to bring people to reconsider the "woke" message.
I hope other counties or cities "follow suit" literally, especially if they are serious about getting some money out of these corporations. Strike while the profits are still so high.
I don't think these cases will survive the current Supreme Court, regardless it is the right thing to do. Similarly, the Our Children's Trust lawsuits have been trying to sue governments for their part in letting the climate crisis destroy their future. The latest one has been brought by youth in Idaho.The biggest case is Julianna vs. U.S. and there is a Netflix documentary called "Youth v Gov" . Here's the description from the Netflix website: "This documentary follows the journey of 21 young plaintiffs suing the US government for its actions in creating the climate crisis."
The Julianna vs. U.S. case was filed in US District Court for the District of Oregon on August 12, 2015. You can check what's happening in your state on the Our Children's Trust website.
Agreed , their is no addiction quite so annihilating as the duo of Money and Power . This is enabled by Corporations who were reinforced by corrupt and conservative Supreme Court judges .
This group has decided to completely disengage themselves from any consideration of citizens without wealth .
They follow the precepts of the white Nationalist Christians in their belief in their superiority . Included in this group are Catholics who also claim power over any group who does not meet and agree with their interpretation of Gods will for his special privileged folks .
Every time I see an infant I calculate the date when that baby will be my age. It's 2091. The earth stands little chance of being in habitable unless humanity does a complete 180. Doubt that is going to happen humans are greedy selfish and cruel it seems by nature. Sorry but who would plan to bring a child into this world now?
The only thing we can do is teach our children. Bring them alongside us as we fight.
My daughter also lives in Portland, OR. I hope that they win this fight. However, if it makes it to SCOTUS, we will all lose.
Forbes laid it out, as explained here, which was specifically a reference to ESG:
"In particular, Ramaswamy focuses his ire on those using environmental, social, and governance factors in investing and financial decisions.”
Enough with the politicians and all the constant banter about republicans, democrats (and even history).
This outlet should report on ESG investing and the SEC's proposed rulemaking.
Corporations are bad, and fossil fuel companies are bad too. But the basic story is basic - fdr consolidated power with the industrialists and Wall Street in order to win ww2; Truman could not resurrect the democratic political power to offset that power, and the country has never been the same. These folks (originally organized under and around Henry Stimson and other leaders of the m-i complex) believe USA is entitled to dominate all foreign markets, and to impose its form of imperialism everywhere.
This outlet should now turn more attn on reporting on the massive hoax perpetuated by Silicon Valley which completely compromises our ability to communicate, participate in community, or even think. This hoax has been a pillar of support - and will continue to be - for complete corporate domination and ruthless undermining of the agency and autonomy of individual humans.
Please take note of this podcast on jacobin which, clocking in at over 2 hours, includes a full discussion with 3 individuals who are active and expert at showing how so-called "artificial intilligence" (which Chomsky equates with "natural stupidity") will faithfully continue the rampage by Silicon Valley - a democracy-destroying imperialist undertaking that will reap even greater profits by facilitating more of the same:
- extraction of resources
- deportation of immigrants
- bribery of public officials and jurists
- location and exploitation of hard-to-reach fossil fuel projects
- war with China and Russia
- (even more) fascism.
If you're enjoying all the above and want more of the same, please pay no attention to the below broadcast /podcast.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jacobin-radio/id791564318?i=1000618273661