Money

“The Lord God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.” Gen. 2:15 NASB Adam was a gardener. “The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains…” Psalm 24:1-2 NASB Everything belongs to God; and we are stewards taking care of God’s creation. Since the Fall of Man, the ground has been cursed and only through painful toil did Adam eat. Now, men have specialized in certain jobs—some are farmers, some make clothes, some distribute food and clothing, etc.; and the people generally use money to buy and sell products.
“Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:21 God has entrusted us with a certain amount of money; and we can be content with what we have because God picked it out for us. Philippians 4:12, 18
Do we desire to be rich or poor or somewhere in between? ...give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread; otherwise, I may have too much and disown you...or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor God. (Prov. 30.8-9) If we have food and clothing, we should be content--air-conditioning is a good or bad product of mankind's industrial age. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. "The love of money is the root of all evil" 1 Timothy 6:8-10. "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Matthew 6.24.
"As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him, 'Good teacher,' he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?' ... 'You know the commandments...' 'Teacher, he declared, 'all these I have kept since I was a boy.' Jesus looked at him and loved him. 'One thing you lack,' he said. 'Go, sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.' At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. ... Jesus said, 'How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God'! ... 'Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.'" (Mark 10.17 -25.)  

Political Beliefs and Financial Desires

Of course, our political beliefs are influenced by our financial desires. We can be selfish, care only about how much money we can amass for ourselves—not  caring about the average workers and their financial welfare and comfort. I think Jesus cares about all people: “Do unto others as you would have done unto  
 

 you.”  Certainly the rich are usually better educated, more comfortable, travel a lot more, have better health and dental insurance, and have a better retirement plan. I think Jesus would want less income inequality. Some say if the very rich would have to give up more of their money to the government, the rich would quit their jobs; and I say that’s fine; of course they can quit their jobs; lots of people quit their jobs. Then there’s the trickle-down economist who got a Nobel Prize; so hat does a Nobel Prize prove? We’ve been running on trickle-down economics since President Regan; and the income inequality gap just keeps getting greater. Bill Gates has a solution for income inequality: distinguish between the wealthy who are using their money for good and those who are merely consuming it. Some wealthy people invest a lot in their business, some give a lot to charities, and some consume their wealth on yachts, planes, etc. The first two examples contribute more to society than the consumption example; so don’t tax labor but tax consumption. A good consumption tax report would report both income and savings; then subtract a standard deduction to come up with the family’s consumption tax. Rates would start low (10%) and increase up to 100%. For example, if a family spends $10 million a year and considers adding a $2 million wing to its mansion, this project alone would cost $4 million. The federal deficit would fall because of the $2 million consumption tax on the $2 million wing addition. This wouldn’t hurt the wealthy that much because they would redefine what is acceptable housing. Of course, for the plan to work, there would also have to be a hefty estate tax because the wealthy might pour their money into their savings accounts. U.S has passed some progressive laws in the past such as free, public education for K-12 because most people cared about having an educated workforce. More recently, the U.S. set up Social Security to help the disabled and the retired. Free education and Social Security help most working, disabled, or retired people.  

Unions, American Government, and Multi-national Corporations


Unions, American Government, and multi-national corporations are all directly involved with money. Unions were instrumental in developing the middle class in the U.S. in most of the 20th century. Globalization has impacted labor unions over the past 30 years; manufacturing has left the U.S. because business management doesn’t share well with employees and they found a way around the U.S. unions, globalization. Yes, some automobile union 

 employees were making good pay ($22 / hr,) but their management was making a whole lot more. According to Understanding Business, the average (non-union) Disney World cast member in the Right-to-Work state of Florida, earned $8.47 an hour in 2013. At the same time, Disney’s CEO Robert Iger enjoyed a total compensation package of $34.3 million per year. (pg 347)
I think it should be noted that the U.S. was not founded to help the majority (average citizens), but to help the minority (wealthy citizens). For the wealthy (minority) to maintain power in a “democracy” where only the white men could vote, the founders of the U.S. created 2 parts to Congress, the House and the Senate. The House was voted in governments; and the Senate had most of the power. James Madison “believed in democracy” but “…power should be in the hands of the wealthy.” The system was set up to prevent “democracy” so that the poor majority could not get together and take a lot of money from the rich. Wealthy white men bribed their way to the Senate and continued to keep the wealthy in power. Bribery and corruption to become Senators became so bad in the U.S. that citizens got mad enough to get the 17th Amendment (all voters had the right to vote for Senators, 1913) Was that studied in your History classes? Aristotle preferred the welfare state (socialism) to reduce wealth inequality. Socialism does not mean that everyone gets equal pay. England is a socialist democracy; but Queen Elizabeth and the Parliament get paid more than factory workers. The English government owns more businesses and taxpayers pay more taxes to help distribute money to social services; there’s less income inequality; and that’s what the average people like. The United States prefers capitalism (all for ourselves wealth builders.) The U.S. business culture is very capitalistic.
In the video, “End of the Road,” 2012, there was a short history of US money. In 1944, representatives from different countries met in Bretonwoods, New Hampshire, to discuss monetary policy. US was poised for an era of prosperity; gold had been the exchange; now, the dollar was chosen as world currency. The dollar was as good as gold. $35 could be exchanged for an ounce of gold. To avoid moving gold across the world, central banks in the US just moved the gold into separate stacks based on the country who owned it. But in the 60’s, President Johnson’s Great Society, manned missions to the moon, and the Vietnam War raised suspicions that the US was spending more gold than was in their pile. Other countries wanted gold delivered to their country because they felt the US couldn’t back up their dollars with gold. On August 15, 1971, President Nixon took us off the gold standard “temporarily”; but we never got back to the gold standard. Since 1971, we’ve never run a trade surplus but always a deficit. We buy more products from the rest of the world than they buy from us. We can print as much money as we want as long as people are willing to buy US Treasury Bonds. It’s a Ponzi scheme because we always need new investors to pay off the old investors. The “End Game” is when the Federal Reserve can no longer sell any US Treasury Bonds because no one will buy them.

      International corporations have killed the strength of the unions; but international corporations do not want to replace government; corporations want to make sure the laws are what they want them to be; and let government enforce these laws. The greedy wealthy use the government police and government military to help the corporations out. In the 20th century, the U.S. military was made up of mostly people from the right-to-work states because the military or college and technical training were the biggest ways out of poverty. Today, the military also includes many people from states that have lost their manufacturing union jobs because the military or college and technical training are the biggest ways to get out of poverty. Today, most states have greatly decreased their funding of state colleges and technical schools; so, tuition has greatly increased; and we’ve never had more student debt. Generally the wealthy industrialists and government leaders reign with the police and military enforcing (their) laws.
The video “Requiem for the American Dream” discusses that the expectation that things would get better – no longer exists. Democracy should mean that public opinion influences policy makers; and in the 60’s democracy was gaining power; but then President Nixon decided that something needed to be done to reduce the power of the people and increase the power of business. In the 80’s, the elite ruled. The major corporations funded the expensive elections; and in turn the major corporations guided the legislation to benefit the wealthy. Tax policy, deregulation, and rules of corporate governance were being designed to increase the concentration of wealth and power. The masters of mankind today are the financial institutions and multinational corporations. “All for ourselves, and nothing for anyone else.” There’s no disposition to share; and that’s what happens without popular interaction. In 1950, 11% of corporate profits came from financial institutions; by 2007, financial institutions had 40% of all corporate profits. General Electric makes as much profit by moving money around as a financial institution (no value to US economy) as they do from producing products in the U.S.
The video “Zeitgeist Addendum” discusses a crisis in conscience. It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. Today, 1% of world’s population earns 40% of the world’s income. 34,000 children die every day of starvation and poverty issues. 50% of world’s population lives on less than $3 / day. We’re enslaved to the monetary system that depends on debt. The central bank of U.S. (Federal Reserve) published Modern Day Mechanics “to describe money creation in a fractional reserve banking system.”
1. U.S. govt decides it needs some money and requests say $10 billion from the Fed Reserve (created in 1913.)
2. Fed Reserve says sure, it will buy $10 billion in fed bonds from U.S. government.
3. U.S. government prints up $10 billion US Treasury Bonds and sends them to the Fed Reserve.
4. Fed Reserve prints $10 billion Fed Reserve notes and sends them to U.S. government.
5. U.S. government deposits Fed Reserve notes into banks.
The money is created out of debt. Money equals debt. U.S. government is promising to pay the money back to the Fed Reserve. Actually done electronically, no paper used at all. 3% of U.S. money supply is currency; 97% of U.S. money supply is digital. The banks must currently keep 10% of the money in their vaults; so, they can loan out $90 billion. This fractional money system is inherently inflationary. $1 in 1913 required $21.60 in 2007 to match the value. 96% devaluation in 94 years since Fed Reserve came into existence. The last time there was no federal debt was 1835 when Andrew Jackson shut down the Central Bank; but the Central Bank was recreated in 1913. Now, banks, corporations, and governments spawn new schemes such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and economic hitmen; and the military helps when needed.

Conquer and Enslave a Nation

     On the international scene, there are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation. One is by the sword; the other is by debt. John Perkins was screened for many days by NSA and then hired by Chas. T. Main,  

Inc. as an economic hitman to advance the cause of corporate hegemony. He stayed with the  company for 10 years helping U.S. intelligence agencies and multinational corporations cajole and blackmail foreign leaders into serving U.S. foreign policy and awarding lucrative contracts to U.S. businesses. After several years struggling with his conscience about crippling foreign economies, he quit his job and started an energy company. He thinks the success of his company was due to keeping his mouth shut about his work as an economic hitman; he sold his company in the late 80’s and got involved with non-profit organizations in Ecuador and around the world. He writes books about his life as an economic hitman; and he’s involved with promoting sustainable lifestyles for the individual and the global community. The U.S. government enslaves a foreign country because the U.S. covets the country’s resources. Give the country a huge debt (World Bank) for building infrastructure (by U.S. companies) to help a few foreign rich people and our corporations. Sometimes, an economic hitman needs to convince the foreign leader to sign on to this debt. If the hitman can’t convince the foreign leader, then a “jackal” is sent in to get rid of the foreign leader. If the jackal fails, the last resort is to send in the U.S. military. The country won’t be able to repay the debt; so, the consequences are in the details: sell your oil resources, etc. really cheap to us, let us build military installations in your country, and / or vote with us at the UN.
Banana Massacre (Columbia), 1928. Workers were striking against UFCO (United Fruit Company, a US corporation). UFCO got the Columbian Army to stop the strike by shooting the strikers (years later, UFCO had to depend on AUC, a terrorist organization.) The Banana Massacre was one of the main events preceding Bogotazo (era of violence) by developing opposing guerillas. Opposition (to the AUC) was known as the National Front which created an ongoing conflict in Colombia.
Iran, 1953. Mosaddegh, democratically elected Prime Minister of Iran, wanted to audit Anglo-Iranian Oil Co. (AIOC), a British Corporation (now part of BP) and limit the company’s control over the Iranian petroleum reserves. AIOC refused to cooperate; and Iran voted to nationalize the oil and expel foreign corporate representatives from the country. Britain turned to US for help; and US CIA Kermit Roosevelt, grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt headed the group to overthrow Mosaddegh. The US CIA decided coups weren’t good for US CIA reputation; so, new civilian companies were created to produce the needed hitmen and jackals. Following the coup, Shah Pahlavi ruled as monarch of military government with the US supporting the Shah until his overthrow in 1979. In 2013 (60 years after the 1953 Iran coup), the US CIA admitted that the US CIA planned and executed the 1953 coup and set up the Shah to run the government. The Shah appreciated the 1953 coup: “I owe my throne to God, my people, my army, and to you (Kermit Roosevelt and US and Great Britain). A generation of Iranians grew up knowing that the CIA had installed the Shah. President Eisenhower (at the time of the coup) considered the coup a success; but blowback has haunted US / Iranian relations. The 1979 coup deposed the “pro-western” Shah; and Iran is now ruled by “anti-Western Islamists. US Supreme Court Justice said ever since the 1953 Iran coup, the US has been dishonored in the Middle East Moslem world.
Guatemala, 1954. President Guzman was the democratically elected president of Guatemala. President Guzman accused United Fruit Co. (later called Chiquita Brands, International) of exploitative neocolonialism. The multinational corporation had too much influence in Guatemala. The corporation deforested and drained marshlands; then when a farm yield fell, the company relocated elsewhere in Guatemala. The corporation, UFCO, built railroads and ports, provided employment and transportation and created schools; but it discouraged building highways and at least once destroyed the railroad upon leaving the area. In 1954, President Guzman threatened UFCO with land reform. UFCO had been the largest land owner in Guatemala and the largest employer. President Guzman threatened to expropriate 40% of UFCO land. Some UFCO investors were friends of President Eisenhower; and UFCO was able to convince President Eisenhower that President Guzman intended to align Guatemala with the Soviets even though there was not enough proof. Thus UFCO demonstrated the influence of corporate interest on US foreign policy. The US sent a jackal to take out President Guzman; but the overthrow of President Guzman failed to benefit the UFCO. Its stock market value declined along with its profit margins. Then, surprisingly, President Eisenhower proceeded with antitrust action against the company which forced it to divest in 1958. In 1972 the company sold off the last remaining Guatemala holdings. UFCO holdings in Cuba were expropriated in 1959 by revolutionary Fidel Castro. Castro warned the US that “Cuba is not another Guatemala” before the Bay of Pigs Invasion, 1961.

   Ecuador, 1981. Ecuador was ruled by pro-US dictators for many decades; then Aguilera won in a democratic election. President Aguilera’s main goal was to use Ecuador’s resources for the people of Ecuador. Hitman John Perkins was sent in to Ecuador to persuade, bribe, and let President Aguilera know that President Aguilera could get rich if he worked for the US, but he would “”go” if he didn’t take the bribes. President Aguilera didn’t take the bribes; a jackal was brought in; and the jackal assassinated President Aguilera; the President was killed in a plane crash. The bomb was put on the plane; and 3 key witnesses died before the investigation was over.
Panama, 1981. Panama leader Torrijos wanted to help the Panama people by renegotiating the Panama Canal Treaty. US John Perkins was the economic hitman. Torrijos told John that he didn’t want the bribe money but what he wanted was for Panama to be treated fairly; US should repay debts for all the destruction done to Panama. He also wanted to help other Latin American countries to gain independence from the terrible presence from the North (US). In May, Torrijos was assassinated (plane crash); but he had succeeded in renegotiating the Canal Treaty. The bomb was in a tape recorder that was given to Torrijos just before takeoff.
Bolivia, 1999. Bolivia couldn’t pay their debt to the World Bank; and the World Bank insisted that the Bolivian government sell the water resources of the third largest city to a subsidiary (Bechtal) of a US corporation. Water rates skyrocketed and the Bolivians revolted until the Bechtel contract was nullified.
Venezuela, 2002. Chavez was elected in 1998 after a long line of corrupt leaders. There was a 2002 coup. US. Television and a few thousand people made it look real bad; but Chavez overcame the coup.
Iraq, 2003. The US had thought that since the US had beaten the Iraq military, Saddam Hussein would come around and keep the oil flowing to the U.S.; but the US had to send in a hitman; and he failed to bribe Saddam Hussein. Saddam once worked for the US CIA to assassinate the former leader (but Sadam failed.) The US jackal also failed to assassinate Sadam; so, US had to send the military in and kill Sadam. We did get “great” construction deals (Halliburton) to rebuild Iraq. Many US citizens don’t realize we’re living off the benefits of the clandestine empire; the new emperor is corporatocracy. Exxon, IMF, JP Morgan Chase, CIA, and World Trade Organization control our media and most of our politicians. Corporatocracy maximizes profits regardless of social and environmental cost. Corporatocracy uses debt, bribes, and political threats and assassinations for global business interests.
Chiquita Brands (UFCO, divested), 2007. Chiquita Brands pleaded guilty in US Fed Court to aiding and abetting a terrorist organization (AUC.) The AUC had been paid to protect Chiquita’s interest in Colombia. The international agricultural company swayed enough power in Colombia to determine presidential outcomes, regional elections, and even which laws would be enforced and against whom; they silenced union organizations and provided weapons for Chiquita’s objectives.
TPP, 2013. The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a defunct proposed trade agreement between Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam, and the United States signed in 2016, which was not ratified and did not take effect. The United States Congress said TPP would lead to more fracking here in the U.S., more burning of rainforests for palm oil elsewhere in the world, and less protections for American workers. After the United States withdrew its signature, the agreement could not enter into force. The remaining nations negotiated a new trade agreement called Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership which incorporated most of the provisions of the TPP and which entered into effect on Dec. 30, 2018.