Where are the Criminal Indictments of Big Bankers?
By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com
Last Friday, the Federal Housing Finance Agency filed lawsuits against 17 of the largest banks and financial institutions in the world. FHFA is seeking a total of $196 billion in restitution from these institutions for not disclosing risky mortgages sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that went sour. The government news release said, “The complaints filed today reflect FHFA’s conclusion that some portion of the losses that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac incurred on private-label mortgage-backed securities (PLS) are attributable to misrepresentations and other improper actions by the firms and individuals named in these filings.” (Click here to read the complete press release naming all banks being sued.)
“Misrepresentations and other improper actions,”—that’s it? This is all just sloppy work where the banks didn’t pay attention to the facts? What an outrage! There are still no criminal prosecutions, let alone any investigations of the major banks that caused a global meltdown. By the time this is over, millions of homes will be foreclosed upon. The bankers that caused the mess have been rewarded year after year with huge bonuses since 2008! The FBI and the SEC can’t find a single criminal act by a single one of these 17 institutions? The incompetent (and I think criminal) scoundrels responsible are still in charge!
Goldman Sachs was one of the 17 banks sued by the government. That complaint said, “Goldman Sachs Mortgage Company, GS Mortgage Securities Corp. and Goldman, Sachs & Co.’s misconduct was intentional and wanton. The immediate victims of Goldman Sachs Mortgage Company, GS Mortgage Securities Corp. and Goldman, Sachs & Co.’s fraud was Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two Government-sponsored entities whose primary mission is assuring affordable housing to millions of Americans.”
If there are allegations of “fraud,” why have there been no criminal prosecutions of Goldman Sachs or any of the other institutions? As early as 2004, the FBI was warning of widespread mortgage fraud. CNN reported, “Rampant fraud in the mortgage industry has increased so sharply that the FBI warned Friday of an “epidemic” of financial crimes which, if not curtailed, could become “the next S&L crisis.” Assistant FBI Director Chris Swecker said the booming mortgage market, fueled by low interest rates and soaring home values, has attracted unscrupulous professionals and criminal groups whose fraudulent activities could cause multibillion-dollar losses to financial institutions. ‘It has the potential to be an epidemic,” said Swecker, who heads the Criminal Division at FBI headquarters in Washington. “We think we can prevent a problem that could have as much impact as the S&L crisis,’ he said.” (Click here for the complete 2004 story from CNN.) The financial crisis cause by mortgage fraud was not even close to the size of the S&L crisis—it was at least 40 times bigger!! Why didn’t the FBI stop it, and why are they not prosecuting the crime now?
And what about the “robo signing” stories that came to light in the last few years? There were countless reports documenting the creation of millions of mortgage documents by foreclosure mills across the country. They were effectively forging documents, such as Promissory Notes, so banks could illegally foreclose on homes. The banks reportedly “lost” the proof they owned the property and had the right to take back millions of homes. If that was the case, how did the banks create mortgage securities without the required paperwork? Documents such as Promissory Notes are required to be filed with the mortgage-backed securities. No Promissory Note—no security. Why is the Securities and Exchange Commission not prosecuting securities fraud? If there were no documents in a large part of the securities, how did the ratings companies give triple-A grades to what are now called “toxic assets?” Why aren’t the ratings companies being pursued criminally?
The fact is, not a single high profile New York banker has been prosecuted criminally. But, hope springs eternal; Goldman CEO Lloyd Blankfein recently hired a high profile defense attorney. I am not holding my breath on any sort of criminal charges to be filed against Mr. Blankfein.
In closing, I just want to add what I think is one of the most preposterous things about the $196 billion lawsuit. Bank of America is being sued for $6 billion by the government. At the first of the year, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner forgave B of A $127 billion in possible buy backs of sour mortgage debt sold to Freddie Mac. I wrote about this extensively in a post titled “B of A Settlement, Another Taxpayer Rip-off.” Just a few weeks ago, Fannie Mae agreed to buy $73 billion in troubled mortgage debt from B of A. These two deals amount to $200 billion in back door bailouts for just one of the 17 banks being sued. We gave B of A more than $200 billion from Fannie and Freddie alone, and the government is suing to recover $6 billion? I have to wonder, is our government stupid, corrupt or both?
The government has not investigated or prosecuted crime that is obvious to anyone with a 10th grade education. Federal officials are giving the bankers that caused the entire financial calamity huge bailouts while pretending to punish them with a slap on the wrist. I think if there were widespread and genuine criminal prosecution, the entire system would collapse. That is probably why unmistakable crimes are being ignored by most federal and state authorities. Until fraud is removed from the system and criminal acts are punished, the country will not recover. Vibrant economies cannot thrive in an environment of lawlessness and mistrust.
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About the Author
Greg Hunter
Greg is the producer and creator of USAWatchdog.com. The site’s slogan is “analyzing the news to give you a clear picture of what’s really going on.” The site will keep an eye on the government, your financial interests and cut through the media spin. USAWatchdog.com is neither Democrat nor Republican, Liberal or Conservative. Before creating and producing the site, Greg spent nearly 9 years as a network and investigative correspondent. He worked for ABC News and Good Morning America for nearly 6 years. Most recently, Greg worked for CNN for shows such as Paula Zahn Now, American Morning and various CNN business shows.
greg i have tried contacting my tn. states attorney,s office emails,and phone calls. they seem to be non respondant to me.
this is a moral coruption problem. from the top to the bottom.
i can only ask how low will it go?
James,
Keep hammering them with your questions and concerns! Thank you for the comment.
Greg
Yes James, I have had that same experience here in Virginia.
This is the sort of thing that is driving me crazy Greg. There is tremendous official corruption going on in our country, not just by banks.
We have not only evidence of corruption, but out right admissions of it, and yet nothing seems to be done. Not just the banks, but the U.S. Government as well.
How about the fact that Bernanke gave TARP bailout money to foreign banks? Or that Paulson and his friends received “bonus'” from the bailout money. Or how about offloading toxic assets on the American people, even after it was revealed that they were toxic, for top values?
Between the banks and the government, there are a whole lot of people that need to be busting rocks in a federal prison somewhere, and yet nothing is being done. No investigations, no indictments, no prison time.
And from our “brave fighters for justice” in the whore media, all we get is a shrug and an eyeroll.
It’s not just financial criminality. The whole “Fast and Furious” fiasco, where the government has given thousands of guns to drug gangs in America and Mexico, has also been met with a yawn by the media, Congress and prosecutors.
This is what drives me nuts. We have massive evidence of criminality by government stooges and closely allied private sector friends, and no one seems to care.
The United States Government is an ongoing criminal enterprise. It has become and organization that is run for the benefit of a few corrupt thugs, and the rest of us are simply along for the ride.
-Ken
Yes Ken “The United States Government is an ongoing criminal enterprise.” It makes me sick and sad at the same time. Thank you for weighing in.
Greg
i believe the reason the bankers aren’t prosecuted may be the fact that the u.s. government i.e. the DOJ was forcing banks to create mortgages for minorities and illegal aliens in the country. if the government were to indict bankers i’m sure their reply may reflect badly on the federal government. you can’t have it both ways i.e., telling banks to create bad loans and simultaneously suing the banks for following government orders. it could get ugly.
Mark,
“mortgages for minorities” is only part of the problem. That would not have gotten done if the bankers didn’t want to do it, and the big banks wanted mortgages to bundle into securities. I think that’s the real reason why we had the meltdown. Thank you for your input here.
Greg
The Justice Department under Eric Holder is the most corrupt in my lifetime. It would not prosecute the Black Panthers for voter intimidation, and it will not prosecute political donor banker friends. They are both “protected species” under the Obama administration.
Besides, justice is too busy going after baseball players taking steroids. What a plague on our society!
Thank you Greg anyway for bringing this up. My question is; Where is the MSM outrage?
Thank you Hoppe, Jim and James for the comments! This is not the America we grew up in.
Greg
Greg, this is all just more kabuki theater by the administration in an attempt to look like it is a champion of the little people. We must remember Congress insisted on relaxation of qualifying and underwriting rules and Fannie & Freddie told the lenders they would buy the loans (no-docs, 105% loans, etc.). Now that the RE bubble that “nobody saw coming” has burst,the government wants to punish the banks for making the loans they were encouraged (or forced)to make.
In the end, when all agree to settle for billions in penalties, the banks will be damaged further and be given tax dollars to prop them back up…..again. Who really pays for the “sins”? The taxpayer, of course.
Every decision made by this administration is made based on political gain, not good governance.
Same old story. This whole country is entirely corrupted by politicians, bankers and coporations. It is corrupt right to the very core and it is going to all blow up sometime. There will be no recovery until the system is purged and the criminals prosecuted. Not to mention illegal wars and the swindels they involve. Everyone involved in the whole mess is a special interest intertwined into a totally corrupted government where the only people that are not of special interest to the government are the people being taxed to pay for this mess, the suckers. This is how fascism works, government picks the winners and losers that can pay them the most money so they can remain in power and do more deals for more bribes to infinity. You end up with a system that feeds off of itself until nothing is left but a bunch of crap. None of this can occur with a sound backed currency. There would need to be savings in order to lend money, it could not just be conjured up and given to insiders for free. Bad debt needs to be removed and people and banks need to realize their losses or the system can not rebound. Printing money does not and never has created wealth, all it does is make the old money worthless. Unfortunately any time any one tries to make real money or to stop using paper bs dollars the bankers use the US military to blow them back into the stone ages. Paper money will eventually reach its nominal value of zero because that is what it is worth, zero. With out fiat money and the Fed I do not believe any of this could ever have happened. With out government involvement into business this could not have happened and in a land of law this could never happen. We live in a totally corrupt, broke, fascist, lawless land. It is truly sad.
Not to sound too cynical but I think this is just another damage control scenario. File suit, announce a probably pre-arranged “settlement” wherein the banks take a hit equal to but a fraction of a percent of the actual fraud they have committed and in turn quietly and behind the scene get immunity from any further civil or criminal prosecution. They get the very public slap on the wrist, “Bad banks, don’t you do that again!” The actual word passed will more likely be “Bad bank, don’t let us CATCH you doing that again.” The bureaucrats get to make a public disply of their “looking out for the little guy,” pocket whatever graft or sweetheat deals in the Caymans and the criminals walk away free to continue fleecing the public at every turn. What a country!
Good analysis once again Davis!
Greg
I have to wonder, is our government stupid, corrupt or both?
Both. Squared.
Mara Evans,
Short but on target comment. Thank you.
Greg
Great article it really puts into perspective the corruption of our government. Let’s give away $200 billion to one of the 7 banks and then ask $196 billion back from all of them. Wow!
Greg,
Where are the criminal indictments of Big Bankers? I don’t think it will happen. My guess is that the banks will refuse to admit any wrong doings and they may blame it on administrative oversight. They will pay a few billions for fines in order to close the case and avoid any “future” criminal prosecutions. In exchange of their cooperation, the Fed will compensate them with billions from QE3.
In addition to “Too Big to Fail”, we have “Too Big to Prosecute”. As long as money flows between Big Banks, Big Corporations and Politicians in public offices, they live in perfect harmony. Politicians (Democrats and Republicans) help Big Banks and Big Corporations by making favorable laws. In return, Big Banks and Big Corporations make contributions for their buddies’ elections and offer them a well-paying position after they leave office. Also the Big Banks and Big Corporations probably have the best lawyers that money can buy. Even the Big Bankers are indicted; the chance that the prosecutor will win the criminal case is very low.
Ambrose
Ambrose,
You said,In addition to “Too Big to Fail”, we have “Too Big to Prosecute.” Bravo my friend!! I wish I would have thought of this line for my post. Thank you for getting it in here!!!
Greg
10th grade comprehesion may not be nearly enough, perhaps a 1st or 2nd grader who’s not yet been fully damaged by the DEPT of Ed. and
16 years of fluordated water,perhaps he or she could take a shot at it…
This is nothing more than another PR campaign to create the illusion
of reemerging ethics, another distraction to keep the “oxygen thieves”
confused.
And what if these suits follow through?? then the US (ie us) ends up
taking ownership of these institutions, just like GM and AIG, and the cycle begins all over again.
One FED agency suing another Fed agency, is like a prostitute suing the John for rape…. what a joke.
Matslinger,
Good stuff today man!
Greg
The Game Goes On And The Suckers Buy In.
Now that the German Supreme Court has succumbed to the pressure (bribes, threats?) and given tacit approval to Angela Merkle continuing to use German GDP as a piggy bank to prop up the failing Euro, looking at the market reaction one might think that once again “all is right with the world.” Well I for one am not buying it. This is nothing more than markets moving on the delusion du jure, and the HFT algos exploiting this latest MOPE (management of perception economics) to wring yet a few more tons of fiat out of the suckers before the next dose of reality sets in and the downward trend returns. Just when the internal German political reaction sets in remains to be seen, although I suspect it won’t take long.
In the meantime as the equity markets rebound on this so-called “good news” (good for everyone but the German investors, savers and consumers) the bankers get another opportunity to proclaim that “gold is in a bubble” and whack its price down a bit so that as they attempt to cover their huge short overhang on the COMEX and the LBMA they can at least reduce the size of their losses even if that means paying huge cash premiums because they can’t actually deliver the physical goods.
By reducing their short positions, even if only marginally they can put forth more propaganda that the light at the end of the tunnel can be seen and they won’t really get crushed by a short squeeze or a derivative collapse. Once again the “big lie” is in play as they fully well know that that light that they see is the onrushing train of the Hong Kong Metals Exchange. Once this exchange is fully operational in late October it will be 100% backed by physical bullion. If even only a small percentage of those pension funds, hedge funds or mutual funds, never mind private investors holding COMEX or LBMA paper certificates move their holdings to the Hong Kong exchange then the jig is up, game over, they can’t deliver. The COMEX and LBMA default, precious metals derivatives implode and quickly take out all the other derivatives based on whatever Wall Street marked to the value of unicorns fantasy in a massive collapse of confidence.
2011 may well end up making 2008 look like a stroll in the park. Someone might want to invest in some spike strips to put across the runways of whatever private Long Island airstrips the Wall Street tycoons have their Gulfstreams parked at.
Always good, Davis. Thank you for supporting this site!
Greg
Greg, $100 million to get elected to the Senate, $1 Billion to get elected to the White House!!! The desire and need on the part of politicians to keep the Bankers and Wall Street happy are quite obvious!!! Keep up your good work!!! Thanks,James Bouris
Thank you James and M Smith for the comments and analysis.
Greg
Sept 6,2011 at 10.37pm, Iceland tries ex- premier over collapse! Jim Sinclair has a article about Iceland, they are the only ones in the western world who gets it, over the counter derivative are a fraud and taking those responsible to trail for selling out their Nation for personal gain is what needs to be done, but when our court system is just as corrupt as the politicians, bankers and the regulators this is what we get, nothing but more of the same old crap of spineless lawmakers who turn their heads as the crooks fill their pockets. The more things change the more they remain the same! It’s a total FUBAR.
The bankers can’t go to jail, they got the green light from Congress to keep the people happy with easy money. If there was no easy money we wouldn’t of had these worthless wars . It’s all F up big time, we live in a lawless land. I just can’t believe the talking heads on TV. laughing and joking when the country is just living in one big lie. Some kids learn early in life, that lies on lies always end up with a bad out come. So we as kids who learn that lesson, understand it will have a bad ending. I just wonder what the plan is when the lies don’t work anymore.
You bare soooo right Bob!! Thank you.
Greg
Greg,
Now that corruption has been identified in depth and everyone knows the country is morally, ethically and financially bankrupt, what is the solution?
The only way you can ever fix the foundation of America is a total clean up on lobbyists and campaign funds. We had the same problem here in Canada in the 90s. The corporations and Big Banks had too much power. Self interest groups backed by huge corporate lobbies were starting to run the show. We stopped it with our votes, cleaned up our system and took our country back.
On the 2010 corruption scale by Transparency International, Canada was rated 6th and the US 26th. I’m amazed with your present financial and judicial systems that the states places this high. Canada is a true AAA rated country and over the last 2 years your dollar has dropped over 20% to our dollar. Our banking system is rock solid, medical care is the right of every citizen and we have invested in our infrastructure because we only owe 35% of GDP and aren’t spending all our money on interest.
From the perspective of a solution there has got to be some candidates that aren’t been fed by massive corporate donations. The real question is who is funding the candidates? When a candidate gets a million it is pure common sense that something is expected in return. When you curb Corporate abuse with donation levels the politicians have to listen to individuals because the control will go back to the individual. An individual that actually is a living person. In any case your real problem is that your Supreme Court has basically ruled that Corporations are people. I’m sure Mitt Romney would agree with this.
The best hope for America to sweep things up with candidates who don’t have a paid agenda. The records are public and contributors say a lot about a candidate. The Contributors and the amounts say a lot more.
Out of curiosity Greg, see any candidates that are remotely suitable to actually do what is in the best interest of individuals in the USA?
That’s my 2 cents or should I say 2.03 cents US.
Ross,
Yes, Ron Paul is the closest thing we have to do what is in the best interest of the country. In order to change things for the better the leaders need to be changed and that includes the big banks. Not only do the leaders need to be changed but the big banks need to be dismantled. I am not saying banks are bad in general. I am saying Big Banks are bad in general. That’s my 2.03 cents. Thank you for depositing yours on this site.
Greg
Hey Greg
Maybe they are just too busy with other things right now.
Help me understand something. On Apr 23, 2010 Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed an immigration bill into Law to protect the citizens of her state from Illegal Aiens. Our Bull S@#t president sued her state to kill the law, stating that the individual states could not carry out Federal Law even if that state has voted the law into effect at the state level and funded at the state level. Result, more of Arizona citizens as well as other Americans will die as their ability to defend themselves has been reduced. By the way, the Federal Government will not be enforcing this law at their level either.
Fast forward to July, 2011 and the California DREAM ACT. California is pushing through its own “Dream Act” to allow illegal immigrants to obtain state-funded financial aid for college. California Governor Jerry Brown signed the first portion, AB 130, into law in July allowing undocumented students access to private grants and scholarships, and Senate and Assembly approval of AB 131 in August and September meant students could potentially be able to access public education-funding. Our Bull S@#t presidant is cheering this on in the back ground.
By the way, an update on the failed congressional vote (Power of the People)………..
The director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement has made official the Obama administration’s declaration that the DREAM Act — the amnesty bill for illegal aliens — is now federal law, circunventing Congress, despite the bill’s having failed in the Senate last year.
So to sum it up, The BULL S@#t administration refuses to allow Arizona to pass laws to protect it’s citizens while refusing to fulfill it’s obligation to enforce the laws on the Federal books, and yet it cheers when California passes an Immigration Law that could not pass Congress and in the end becomes Federal Law through the backdoor passing of ICE chieftain John Morton’s memorandom. In a statement on June 27, ICE chieftain John Morton stated that ICE is not interested in deporting ilegals who are here illegally but have committed no crimes.
Did you notice the language there “illegals who are here illegally but have commited no crimes”.
What in Gods name is going on in this BULL S@#t administration. That’s like saying I did not kill that person that I murdered.
America. It is time to vote this power hungry bunch of sabbatours out of Congress and the presidency. Too much time has passed and too much damage is done to give them 4 more years. Some of you may be saying, WOW, those republicans sure are mad.
I AM A DEMOCRAT, and I’ve never been more ashamed to say so, so before you get on your high horse and start calling me a traitor, I prefer ENLIGHTENED. The best line from tonights debate was” the first act of an immigrant should not be an illegal one”. The president has a different agenda that solving our economic worries.
Phil,
Both parties are bad for the country. Thank you for youre comment.
Greg
Civil suit? That is criminal. I suspect this is a campaign dog & pony show. Imagine how much mileage Obama will get showing his administration is being tough on the banks. I agree, we need to take the big banks down and break them down.
We also need to stop voting for career politicians. The term should be struck from the English language.
The enemy of your enemy is your friend. A corrupt person has more in common with another corrupt person so justice is the enemy.
The only way to beat this problem may be along the lines of a “mass of justice serving people” strong enough to stop supporting these practices. Don’t bank with these people, don’t vote for their leaders, and don’t communicate with their peers.
Fear is the friend of corruption. Without fear we are free.
Good stuff Master luke!
greg
The man who singlehandedly almost stole Goldman’s algorithm that could “manipulate markets” (p 8, lines 4-7) is now the person with the biggest prison sentence to come out of the entire financial crisis. Sergey Aleynikov has just gotten a 97 month sentence for doing absolutely nothing but copying some Goldman code that would likely never be recreated by anyone. In the meantime the bank execs who should be in jail, are currently benefiting from their coopted Fed to allow them to collect taxpayer-funded dividend payments. Justice may be blind, but not in America, where its eyes have been unfortunately poked out. On the other hand, at least Aleynikov did not get the gas chamber…
http://www.zerohedge.com/article/sergey-aleynikov-gets-8-year-prison-sentence
Greg,
I was a small equipment finance fish working in an industry that has been decimated. I was trying to find work in the industry for the last 4 years to no avail. They(GE Capitals, Wells Fargo Equipment Finance, BOA, Citi’s) etc. They are not lending period. In reality, there probably is not that much demand. What is sickening is the fact that all these companies got major bailouts, paid huge bonuses, and some such as GE, raided future taxpayer money, to save their own asses. The government has backed this behavior and continues to utilize these people to attack us. (Immelt’s get over it speech) I am sick of it. The Buffett deal just underlines the problems as he is getting his 8%, preferred, as well as all the benefits of liquidation preferences. He may need them. I no longer respect the Big Banks and hope for their failure and transfer of banking system to the smaller banks that did not get bailouts. I also hope that one day we look back at this decade and understand how corrupt the government-Wall Street connection has been. They continue to pull the wool over the eyes of the American people.
Craig,
Thank you for enlightening me on the actual Buffett B of A deal. This is the most important point “the benefits of liquidation preferences.” Buffett is covering his ass anyway the deal goes down. Buffet continues to pay the bailout trade (and maybe liquidation too.). They are the only profitable trades left in the marketplace and Buffett knows it. Thank you.
Greg
Gosh… how many times do I have to say it? Criminals do not attack the syndicate. This is just all theater for people who still cannot comprehend the level of criminality of our civil governments; people like… well you!
Dan
There will be no indictments for bankers. They may have let the genie out of the bottle, but they did so following “the script.” The backbone of the current short term problem is based on money-from-nothing, debt currency, something that is characteristic of the desire to get to a real-time gold-money paradigm where precious metals are the currency and the dollar takes on its newer and more powerful role as a real-time measure for bullion payments. Something has to bridge the fiat & gold money paradigms when we still price things (economy) in fiat currencies. The dollar is that real-time bridge for the market driven transition to commodity based money.
Greg …. wake up ! Follow the script. Some evils are necessary even when all’s well that ends well.
You cannot pour new wine into old wineskins.
Now that gold floats in real-time, it’s demand and its ability to cover debt is attainable by the market. This is exactly why gold will go much higher as the recognition of its debt-free status is appreciated, especially now that it can be digitized (by weight) to be instantly liquid. Gold systems of the past were not a problem because of the bullion. They were a problem because of underlying liquidity issues of distribution, only. The FIXED peg had to go. Once gold floated, it still had to wait to be digitized and “pieced up”, a function of the information age.
As far as financial storms are concerned, these things simply must happen until the grass roots of society come to the rescue where the reality of any recovery will come from ordinary people in the market ….. bottom-up.
The elite’s job is to continue its role in carrying the stick (inflation) because the shift and the solution cannot be top-down. The reason that the shift cannot be implemented in any top-down fashion is simple. In the transition of any legacy system to a new system, it’s imperative that neither system crashes in its rate of change. The dollar is the legacy system in this context.
We’re all on the same stage. God is good.
therooster.
You are right on target and gold will go much higher for the reasons you listed.
Greg
Greg …
Thanks … I urge you to bring people to the real-time mindset. That’s what all the fuss was about in the institution of Bretton Woods. All the pieces had to get on the same chessboard before the FIXED peg was yanked and we entered real-time relationships between currencies and with gold and other commodities.
The economy is a real-time event and a monetary system should be able to reflect those fundamentals for the sake of proper balance and management. Everything since 1913 was in relationship to that very goal and then the application of real-time payments with gold could follow, but only then.
The ultimate destiny of the USD is/was to be a real-time measure. It’s existence as a currency has been a necessary evil along the way.
We must be as wise as serpents yet as gentle as doves.
The why not in 3 words. Tax revenue enhancement.
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. And continues to feed you. Tax revenues have to continue and will grow as the dog gets bigger. Bigger dog, bigger bite.
What you won’t hear tonight.
The question of course is what can actually be done to substantively improve the economic situation? Well here’s my 2 cents worth just for starters.
Reform the corporate tax code to create multi-tiered system.
Tier one: If your business income is derived from the manufacture, transport or sales of real physical goods you get taxed on that income at a very low rate. This would apply from top level heavy industry all the way to the bottom where the mom and pop shop is selling gas and potato chips. There should be differentiations within this rate depending upon what percentage of components or raw material goods are derived domestically and what percentage are imported. This would encourage the expansion of on shore business to produce or procure components or raw materials here at home rather than importing them. In other words, a tariff by other means.
Tier two: If your business income is derived from speculation, i.e. just moving money from one pile to another and not actually producing any real goods as exemplified by the FOREX carry trade, commodity speculation, stock and bond trading, you get taxed at a much higher rate and have severe restrictions placed on what are allowable deductable expenses. This would not include the individual who trades within small accounts or their own 401K or IRA to try and make a few extra bucks to put their kids through school or make their retirement a little easier. We’re talking large institutional speculators trading on their own accounts not managing the accounts of individuals below certain threshold levels.
This tier would not apply to transactions wherein these same institutions make loans to businesses engaged in tier one activities or mortgages or car loans and the like, provided they keep those loans on their own books and maintain a real interest and indeed risk in how well those loans perform. The very minute that they bundle those loans into CDOs (collateralized debt obligations) all previous and future income becomes taxed at the tier two rate. If they simply sell those loans to another entity, any profit derived over and above the normal expected rate of return on that loan would be taxed at tier two rates, except in the case where the proceeds of the sale are then used to extend further business and job creating loans.
Tier three: Over a set period of time either phase out and then ban OTC derivative trades and the creation of CDOs or tax and regulate them at such a rate as to make them completely unprofitable. Ban the issuance of CDSs (credit default swaps) to anyone other than the primary risk taker. Ban financial and securities firms from taking out CDSs on the securities they have sold to their customers either directly or indirectly through subsidiary companies.
Don’t hold your breath waiting to hear any of our politicians talking such common sense as long as the revolving door between Wall Street and the Treasury Department remains in operation. Even suggesting it would unleash a pestilence of lobbyists and under the counter campaign contributions to kill it like nothing that has ever been seen.
We have been suckered into believing the fixed pie theory. It’s a fallacy perpetrated by the left and the banks. The money exists, government policy, and in this case tax policy, must be changed to pull it out of speculative none productive applications and into manufacturing and trade where real wealth and jobs are created, the economy expands and the pie gets bigger.
HI Davis, The only problem I see with the tiered system is that it will corrupted just like the tax code has been hijacked. I prefer a “flat fixed pie theory” regardless of income since income is so manipulated by business using tax avoidence programs …..
Just commenting to say a good article and some well thought out comments.
Thanks Greg and keep it up. The corruption is so deep and so far ranging that anything or anyone that shines a light on it is a real blessing.
keith
Your comments Mr. Hunter are needed. Keep it up. Thank you.
Why no perp walks? Just look at the REAL masters of the government(s). Their names are mentioned just about every day. Here’s just a sample of the REAL leaders of the united States: Loyd Blankfein (Goldman), Jamie Dimon(JP Morgan), Ben Bernake(federal reserve), Tim Geithner (u.S. treasury). The list is endless. But the grand daddy is the Rothschilds.
“Give me the nation’s money and I care not who makes it’s laws”. A. Rothschild
And that my friends is exactly what happened in 1913, 1933, 1971 and 2008.
Without the fiat system of “money” issued by a private bank (federal reserve). The government as we now know it could not survive. All one needs to examine is the one’s who write the checks to the authorities are exempt from those authorities.
such extremism!
We all know the bankers have under ground bunkers ready.
All they have to do is come out and rule over whatever is left after setting us to war against each other…which I have to admit, is working out pretty good for them!
It should be pointed out…there wont be anything to come out of the bunkers to…
Perhaps its the fact the bankers don’t seem to care about that small detail that bothers me the most.
Fiery comment Katie.
Greg
Today is 911 and one thing that I can see is that the banksters have done more damage than Al Queda has or even could think of doing …..
and no terrorist banksters have been waterboarded yet to my knowledge ….. we can only hope they bring back the guillotine…..
Greg,
Last sunday I was at a local video store when a certain label caught my eye. It was “INSIDE JOB”, a film by Charles Ferguson on a Sony label. I thought it would be a common crime story. It was far from ordinary crime! It was a documentary about the cause of our economic collapse, the people involved and what happened to them, how it happened, including the financial instruments and banks involved. I warn you all to take your blood presswure pills.
I’m presently researching details revealed in it to accertain whether it had an agenda, and whether it was true in fact. The scope of it is so large that I”ll be busy for some time. Get this DVD and help me.
Bless you and all who read this,
Oldguy
OG,
I paid to see it at the theater. It was great. My big revelation was how academia played a giant roll in the sinking economy.
the uk had a rather unconvincing black guy in the paper…complete with “awful looks” by the police!
Thank you for putting all this information together in one place, I like how it’s set up to be able to walk through it.
I am seeing “alternate” private currency, product cards with real gold embedded in them coming into the market place and I believe in a very short time this will replace the “fiat” currency, it’s a big step in the right direction, call me a dreamer if you’d like but it’s beginning to happen.
I’ve been following the banking frauds for 17 years and warning everyone I know about it, for most it went in one ear out the other, given what’s been happening last few years people are now beginning to listen and starting to understand.
With the “Occupy” movement now growing larger the politicians will once again fear the people, even in communist countries they know people only get pushed so far.
The Internet and information that’s getting out today have been the game changer, hope you keep up what your doing, an awakened and educated public is and always has been the elitist biggest fear.
Thank you Dennis.
Greg
Thank you so much for your informative article.
Thank you Kay for supporting this site.
Greg
Thanks for more insight into a world of corruption among our thieves, I wonder if Armstong got any attention from the Dc boys? I dought it, if so, they did it bassackwards!