[Vision2020] message to Douglas Stambler
Bill London
london@moscow.com
Sat, 22 Feb 2003 14:03:34 -0800
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To Douglas Stambler:
As I recall, the last communication from you to Vision 2020 promised that=
you would not return until you were able to explain your innocence after=
being caught un-subscribing a group of V2020 subscribers. Did I miss th=
at explanation of your innocence?
I also would like to remind you of an agreement made by the subscribers t=
o Vision 2020 to not individually monopolize this community communication=
system. We agreed to post not more than one message daily. Your recent=
torrent of postings far exceeds that minimum. Please cease.
thanks BL
Douglas Stambler wrote:
> Poverty In 21st Century America
> by Douglas Stambler
>
> Take away the statistics: Inflation, the GNP, the federal deficit. And=
what do you have in 21st century America? An unusual rate of poverty. =
Last year, it was estimated that over 50% of all Americans were invested =
in the Stock Market. This should come as no surprise: In the mid-1980s, =
large, American corporations started cutting expenditures by slashing hea=
lth and retirement benefits, and instead, giving their extra revenue to 4=
01k stock-sharing plans. But when the market busted in the mid-90s from =
an under whelming transition to a =93virtual economy,=94 the American wor=
ker was caught in the middle of market forces and corporate cutbacks.
>
> Now, in the 21st century, there is talk of powering cars with hydrogen =
and bombing terrorists, everywhere. But the real, =93next=94 commodity t=
o trade in America, has to be POVERTY. Actors trade in talent; metal wor=
kers trade in skill; in 2003, Americans will trade in POVERTY. And, if t=
he current bull market is any indication of how many companies will be ad=
versely affected simply by the FEAR of poverty, just think for a minute h=
ow the market will be affected by shrinking employee salaries, shrinking =
disposable income, and shrinking municipal budgets. The possibilities ar=
e numerous, and the sheer number of Americans who will soon be at or belo=
w the poverty level, indicates that indeed, POVERTY itself will be an act=
ual commodity: discussed, debated and experienced at every level of Ameri=
can society.
>
> In 1929, the stock market experienced a unique downturn: it was the fir=
st time in American history when gold bullion was being moved by savvy in=
vestors to places like Switzerland, Thailand and Australia. During previ=
ous downturns, notably in the 1880s and 1890s, consumer demand was blamed=
for a national economy that was shrinking in jobs and production. But w=
hat set off The Great Depression was not the flight of gold alone: No, ac=
tually, it had a lot to do with an increase in poverty. As more American=
s borrowed on credit for cars and household items in the 1920s, they beca=
me increasingly dependent on church benevolent societies and wealthy phil=
anthropists just to get by. Indeed, it was ironic, that even though more=
products were in the marketplace, working Americans had less means to pa=
y for those products, and they had far fewer opportunities to earn money =
to pay for what they wanted for their homes and families. In other words=
, the capitalist market structure was by d!
> efi
> nition producing commodities at a far greater capacity, than Americans=92=
ability to pay up front for those commodities. Hence, consumer deficit.=
Hence, poverty.
>
> Poverty in 21st century America is taking root in similar, if not extre=
me, fashion. In America=92s credit card capitol, Wilmington, Delaware, b=
anks operate almost tax-free, because of Delaware=92s historical status a=
s a generous state: Initially, companies that moved to Delaware like DuPo=
nt Chemicals were welcomed for their wealth and high society connections.=
Taxes were rarely charged in Delaware during the 19th and 20th centurie=
s, because large corporations backed their investments with gold bullion.=
Rich people could move to Delaware and not have their luxury purchases =
taxed at all: Hence, Delaware became host to many large, American banks i=
n the 19th century, and then to credit card companies after WWI. But the=
banks succeeded because their assets were backed by gold bullion. What =
is absolutely an indication of America=92s rapid descent into poverty, is=
the fact that Delaware=92s banks have been backing their assets with CRE=
DIT, instead of gold bullion. Couple this with th!
> e a
> larming trend of stock market purchases being made on credit (margin), =
and it=92s obvious that when the New York Stock Exchange falls again like=
it did in 1929, the only difference will be that BANKS will not have gol=
d to fall back on: Banks will be virtually locked-in to repossessing the =
products that Americans have purchased with credit. In other words, sinc=
e repossession is the most abhorrent idea to Americans in a capitalistic =
market, banks will simply merge and also go bank-rupt. Needless to say, =
banking problems inevitably result in a shrinking economy: When banks rec=
ede, companies produce less. It=92s a fact.
>
> If you understand having to eat instant noodles every day for a month, =
then you clearly can relate to what poverty is. The question is, though,=
how many Americans will go into poverty this time? And, more importantl=
y, with AIDS at high rates and global warming the cause of the warmest ev=
er Winter in the Northwestern United States in 2002-3, what will be the o=
verall, net effect of poverty this time around? Mass migration to more p=
rosperous parts of America? Disease? Crime? It=92s hard to say, but it=
=92s certain that Poverty In 21st Century America is coming fast, and it =
might be here to stay.
>
> _____________________________________________________________
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> mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com
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To Douglas Stambler:
<br>As I recall, the last communication from you to Vision 2020 promised
that you would not return until you were able to explain your innocence
after being caught un-subscribing a group of V2020 subscribers. Did
I miss that explanation of your innocence?
<br>I also would like to remind you of an agreement made by the subscribers
to Vision 2020 to not individually monopolize this community communication
system. We agreed to post not more than one message daily.
Your recent torrent of postings far exceeds that minimum. Please
cease.
<br>thanks BL
<p>Douglas Stambler wrote:
<blockquote TYPE=CITE>Poverty In 21st Century America
<br>by Douglas Stambler
<p>Take away the statistics: Inflation, the GNP, the federal deficit.
And what do you have in 21st century America? An unusual rate of
poverty. Last year, it was estimated that over 50% of all Americans
were invested in the Stock Market. This should come as no surprise:
In the mid-1980s, large, American corporations started cutting expenditures
by slashing health and retirement benefits, and instead, giving their extra
revenue to 401k stock-sharing plans. But when the market busted in
the mid-90s from an under whelming transition to a “virtual economy,” the
American worker was caught in the middle of market forces and corporate
cutbacks.
<p>Now, in the 21st century, there is talk of powering cars with hydrogen
and bombing terrorists, everywhere. But the real, “next” commodity
to trade in America, has to be POVERTY. Actors trade in talent; metal
workers trade in skill; in 2003, Americans will trade in POVERTY.
And, if the current bull market is any indication of how many companies
will be adversely affected simply by the FEAR of poverty, just think for
a minute how the market will be affected by shrinking employee salaries,
shrinking disposable income, and shrinking municipal budgets. The
possibilities are numerous, and the sheer number of Americans who will
soon be at or below the poverty level, indicates that indeed, POVERTY itself
will be an actual commodity: discussed, debated and experienced at every
level of American society.
<p>In 1929, the stock market experienced a unique downturn: it was the
first time in American history when gold bullion was being moved by savvy
investors to places like Switzerland, Thailand and Australia. During
previous downturns, notably in the 1880s and 1890s, consumer demand was
blamed for a national economy that was shrinking in jobs and production.
But what set off The Great Depression was not the flight of gold alone:
No, actually, it had a lot to do with an increase in poverty. As
more Americans borrowed on credit for cars and household items in the 1920s,
they became increasingly dependent on church benevolent societies and wealthy
philanthropists just to get by. Indeed, it was ironic, that even
though more products were in the marketplace, working Americans had less
means to pay for those products, and they had far fewer opportunities to
earn money to pay for what they wanted for their homes and families.
In other words, the capitalist market structure was by d!
<br> efi
<br>nition producing commodities at a far greater capacity, than Americans’
ability to pay up front for those commodities. Hence, consumer deficit.
Hence, poverty.
<p>Poverty in 21st century America is taking root in similar, if not extreme,
fashion. In America’s credit card capitol, Wilmington, Delaware,
banks operate almost tax-free, because of Delaware’s historical status
as a generous state: Initially, companies that moved to Delaware like DuPont
Chemicals were welcomed for their wealth and high society connections.
Taxes were rarely charged in Delaware during the 19th and 20th centuries,
because large corporations backed their investments with gold bullion.
Rich people could move to Delaware and not have their luxury purchases
taxed at all: Hence, Delaware became host to many large, American banks
in the 19th century, and then to credit card companies after WWI.
But the banks succeeded because their assets were backed by gold bullion.
What is absolutely an indication of America’s rapid descent into poverty,
is the fact that Delaware’s banks have been backing their assets with CREDIT,
instead of gold bullion. Couple this with th!
<br> e a
<br>larming trend of stock market purchases being made on credit (margin),
and it’s obvious that when the New York Stock Exchange falls again like
it did in 1929, the only difference will be that BANKS will not have gold
to fall back on: Banks will be virtually locked-in to repossessing the
products that Americans have purchased with credit. In other words,
since repossession is the most abhorrent idea to Americans in a capitalistic
market, banks will simply merge and also go bank-rupt. Needless to
say, banking problems inevitably result in a shrinking economy: When banks
recede, companies produce less. It’s a fact.
<p>If you understand having to eat instant noodles every day for a month,
then you clearly can relate to what poverty is. The question is,
though, how many Americans will go into poverty this time? And, more
importantly, with AIDS at high rates and global warming the cause of the
warmest ever Winter in the Northwestern United States in 2002-3, what will
be the overall, net effect of poverty this time around? Mass migration
to more prosperous parts of America? Disease? Crime?
It’s hard to say, but it’s certain that Poverty In 21st Century America
is coming fast, and it might be here to stay.
<p>_____________________________________________________________
<br>Get 25MB, POP3, Spam Filtering with LYCOS MAIL PLUS for $19.95/year.
<br><a href="http://login.mail.lycos.com/brandPage.shtml?pageId=plus&ref=lmtplus">http://login.mail.lycos.com/brandPage.shtml?pageId=plus&ref=lmtplus</a>
<p>_____________________________________________________
<br> List services made available by First Step Internet,
<br> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
<br>
<a href="http://www.fsr.net">http://www.fsr.net</a>
<br> <a href="mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com">mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com</a>
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