I started out with a vague idea for a little post about Globalization, and I ended up saying “OMG. OMG. OMG.”.
how globalization works
In the oligarchical world of US and THEM, I’m guessing you’re not a THEM nor do you know any of THEM. Me neither, so I consulted Wikipedia’s list of billionaires. But I only got as far as #1 on the list – Bill Gates, who attended the last two meetings of the World Economic Forum. Here’s a bit about the WEF:
The Forum is funded by its 1000 member companies. The typical member company is a global enterprise with more than five billion dollars in turnover, although the latter can vary by industry and region. In addition, these enterprises rank among the top companies within their industry and/or country and play a leading role in shaping the future of their industry and/or region.
Emphasis mine. It makes sense that Bill Gates would get an invitation, huh? Among other attendees of the 2008 World Economic Forum, there’s one name that kind of stands out — John Thain:
World Economic Forum 2008 attendees
John Thain is “unofficial advisor” to Tim Geithner. Our Secretary of the Treasury has an “unofficial advisor”? Weird.
John Thain
The Wikipedia article about the World Economic Forum also includes this criticism:
In the late 1990s the Forum, as well as the G7, World Bank, WTO and the IMF, came under heavy criticism by anti-globalisation activists who claim capitalism and globalization are increasing poverty and destroying the environment.
Japan's Prime Minister and the WEF are "committed to improving the State of the World"
Henry Kissinger and the WEF are "committed to improving the State of the World"
The member companies of the World Economic Forum can be found here and here. Among these super-duper companies that “play a leading role in shaping the future” are Bank of America & Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and PNC Financial Services. These industry leaders are also on the top of another list — OpenSecret’s list of TARP bailout recipients:
big important companies are shaping our future
Another link between the World Economic Forum and John Thain and the TARP bailout funds is BlackRock. Thain is a director of BlackRock. Check out those blue boxes. BlackRock is partially owned by Merrill Lynch. BlackRock is analyzing the assets of Freddie Mac and Morgan Stanley. BlackRock is managing the former assets of Bear Stearns and AIG.
BlackRock and it's people help shape our future
BlackRock’s CEO is Laurence Fink, who happens to be yet another “informal advisor” for Tim Geithner. Oh, and Fink is also an “informal advisor” for Rahm Emanuel.
Laurence Fink helps important people shape our future
Our friends in the PUMA section (over on the right) see the same picture. Here’s Murphy in April:
The evidence that we are ruled by a corporatist oligarchy increases every day. This morning the news that the obama administration plans to hold the auto makers and their working class employees to a VERY different standard than the one they’ve been holding their millionaire pals in the finance industry to is starting to sink in.
And another PUMA (over on the right) sees the same picture. Here’s Cinie in May:
Probably just a coinky-dinky that so many players at the time of the whole Lehman/AIG/TARP machinations ended up in the ObaCircle. It was Bush’s Paulson who was holding the gun to the Banksters’ heads after all, wasn’t it? Judicial Watch is just being snarky when they talk about some kinda coverup:
“These documents show our government exercising unrestrained power over the private sector. Despite promises of transparency, the Obama administration tried to cover up the very existence of these smoking-gun documents. And the cover-up continues, as the Obama administration protects Timothy Geithner by withholding a key document about his role in this infamous bankers meeting,” stated Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.
