Nice article. I have one small disagreement about the third party "front groups" like the 4H clubs. If they take the money and use it unknowingly the first time, they may be naive and/or stupid. However if they continue taking money from tobacco companies after people have tried to educate them and show them the youth programs they sponsor are large lies, then they also become part of the criminal conspiracy of the tobacco companies.
The depths to which corporations will sink to make short-term, short-sighted profits are truly despicable. I'm flabbergasted that Nestle once again sponsored World Water Week. If corporate lobbyists continue to woo and pay off potentially progressive, big picture politicians around the globe, we're all in for a helluva difficult century.
Thank you Mr. Potter for all you are doing, BUT YOU NEED TO GET OUT THERE MORE TO REDEEM YOURSELF. I've been really involved and spreading the message since I saw your Bill Moyer interview and have thought for years that insurance companies have been scamming us. Bottom line is this...we don't need the middlemen (insurance companies and wallstreet) anymore..period !! We have an outdated system that is broken. These CEO's and their cohorts are making BILLIONS OF DOLLARS on the backs of everyday americans who are trying to get by and raise their family in this world. We pay into a system that does not benefit the american worker, but does line the pockets of the bigshots in the insurance industry and wallstreet...and in some cases OUR OWN POLITICIANS !! We can't afford to have this system anymore !! The president has advocated "the public option to keep the insurance companies in check" since day one of his campaign. WE NEED THAT !! If after that, the american people move toward that option (NOT COMPANIES BUT INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE) so be it. If the insurance companies get squeezed out of the picture and we go single payer as a result...so be it. That would be in fact WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT !! We need to call our congressman and tell them what we want. It doesn't take alot of time to get the phone book and make these calls. I've been doing this for years and we all need to get involved. The power of the people is much stronger than some think. MANY SOCIAL CHANGES HAVE COME ABOUT WHEN THE PEOPLE STAND UP AND SAY...NO MORE !!!
Hi, I'm trying to understand how it's fair or sensible for the City of Philadelphia to make a deal with JP Morgan Chase to cover the city's cash flow crisis which was caused by the failure of Wall Street in the first place. I feel this loan is exploitative even though the 3% interest rate, that could escalate to 8% in a few months, is less than consumers pay for mortgages, car loans, or credit cards. I feel it's a talking-point detail about JPMC paying back TARP and reality is that taxpayers continue to make multiple gifts to the banks in many different and expensive ways. How can an average person evaluate this decision? The budget saga has been on-going for a year and by now it's very difficult to understand what's fair, incompetent, or corrupt. I personally believe this confusion is by design. What do you think?
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/home_region/20090902_Nutter_says_loan_to_ease_financial_pinch_is_near.html
"JPMorgan, one of the most solvent large U.S. banks, has been offering itself as a friend to a number of states and cities in need, having repaid $25 billion in federal Troubled Asset Recovery Program funds.
"We're giving state capitols what they need most - capital," JPMorgan said in an ad that ran earlier this week in national and regional newspapers.
The bank approached Philadelphia, which had contacted at least two other banks that declined.
Under the loan plan, the city would repay the money at interest rates of 3 percent until Nov. 30 and 8 percent afterward. But Nutter said he expected to refinance the loan before the rate increased.
The bills pending before the General Assembly would give the city $700 million in revenue.
The unusual borrowing was prompted by the lack of a state budget, which prevents the city from getting more than $100 million in anticipated revenue. Pending legislation would temporarily raise the city sales tax and allow Philadelphia to defer pension payments for two years.
City officials opted for the bank loan because they figured Philadelphia couldn't attract investors to fund a "tax-revenue-anticipation note," which last year carried a 2 percent interest rate."
In your zeal to "out" corporate grassroots groups, let's not forget that folks on the left do exactly the same thing for exactly the same reasons. The DNC, SEIU and other groups use paid organizers under generic banners (e.g., "citizens for better healthcare") to push a particular point of view.
Your readers would be better served by an analysis of what's inaccurate in what "front" groups are saying.
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