The Third Conspirator
by Wayne Flaherty
Most average Americans would probably agree that both the politicians and the big bankers are corrupt. I submit they are not acting alone. They have a third conspirator. That conspirator is the mainstream media – that group of people who interpret and convey the news to everyday Americans who are the ultimate victims of the politicians and their co-conspirators, the bankers.
While the bankers were busy bundling worthless mortgages into derivative investments to pawn off on unsuspecting investors, the politicians to whom they had funneled billions of dollars of campaign contributions were turning a blind eye on those criminal activities. If you wonder why, consider the basic objectives of the two groups. Both groups want exactly the same things: money and power. Both want money – not just enough money to live lavish lifestyles, or protect themselves against future economic disasters but more and more and more money. They are never satisfied with any amount but must always have more. If there were a banker’s crest I would expect it to be emblazoned with the Latin, “Magis Magis Magis” – “More More More” in English. The bankers also want power but, unlike the politicians, they prefer to wield their power from behind the scenes.
Politicians have two primary objectives – get elected and stay elected. The twin benefits of more money and more power are easily attained once they are in office. Politicians prefer their power in a public forum. Not satisfied to wield power from behind the scenes, they prefer to satisfy their egos in the most public way possible. Once in office, no lie is too big, no action too outrageous, no crime too risky if it will keep them in office or put another dollar in their bank account. All concerns for the citizens whose sweat provides the revenue that supports their profligate ways are abandoned. They care only for themselves and their cronies. They know about all the crooked schemes their co-conspirators are engaged in. With the full power of the government behind them do you really believe that they just woke up one morning and suddenly discovered a big bank was about to go under – or that a Bernie Madoff was running a crooked operation. An Iowa brokerage firm CEO embezzles $100 million over 20 years – but nobody notices? JP Morgan Bank loses nearly $7 billion but nobody is aware of it as the bank covered up the losses by falsifying reports. Recently released Federal Reserve Bank of New York documents show they knew of Barclays manipulation of a banking rate known as Libor for 5 years – but did nothing. They knew then and they know now about every crooked scam being run by their banker buddies. It’s the criminal code of honor in action, “Never rat on a fellow criminal.”
But what of the media? Didn’t they know then and don’t they know now? You bet they knew then and you bet they know now. They knew for years that congress had made itself exempt from using information gained in congress for their personal financial benefit (a practice outlawed in private business as “insider trading”). They know now that the official government unemployment figure of 8% is only half the actual unemployment rate of 16%. They say nothing when the government simply removes Americans from the roles of the unemployed because their unemployment benefits run out – even though they are still unemployed. Our local daily paper regularly suppresses information that might have an adverse effect on an election issue they favor. Obama’s Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, is preparing to sign a UN treaty that will supersede your right to bear arms as guaranteed by the US Constitution. Still, there is no media outrage at this backdoor method of gun control of US citizens. The loss of a basic right of Americans should spark outrage in the media. Instead it evokes only mild interest. Why do the media turn a blind eye? I don’t know - but I suspect it has to do with money and power. That seems to be what drives those who exert great influence over our government or actually run that government.