Politicians and Wall Street profiteers looted our savings – and they’re still at it
Reprinted from December 10, 2008 Current Newspapers of Atlantic County
Last week, Governor Jon Corzine sent me and thousands of others, this e-mail, which included a link to a slick YouTube video:
? “The economic crisis facing our nation has touched all corners of our great state. Soup kitchens and food banks . . . are opening their doors . . . Please take a moment to watch this video to find out how you can get involved locally. . . . Right now my administration is working . . . to ensure that these worthy organizations have the emergency funding they need. . . .
The video showed Governor Corzine and other upscale Princeton types putting factory-packaged food items into boxes for the needy – along with this message: “If you need food or economic assistance, find out how to get help at http://nj.gov/governor/home/plan.html.”
Corzine just started his re-election campaign with these three big lies:
1. The “economic crisis” is a random, natural disaster. We must all share in the sacrifice to help its victims.
2. Corzine did his part, when he spent a half-hour at a food bank and urged us to do the same.
3. High taxes, more debt, and robbing pension plans to buy votes before an election are really part of an “Economic Assistance and Recovery Plan” that will end this “economic crisis.”
Corzine sent me this propaganda because eleven months ago, he required an “RSVP” from everyone who spoke at a “Town Hall Meeting” on his $40 billion toll hike scheme. When I responded, I was instructed to submit detailed contact information, including my e-mail address. Corzine also collected e-mail addresses from thousands of other voters who asked for help or information on dozens of other state issues during the past four years.
Every candidate who runs against Corzine next year must spend a bundle to e-mail these same voters – unless Corzine gives them equal access to the e-mail addresses he gathered with taxpayer money. Corzine says he is for “campaign finance reform” and a “level playing field.” Let’s see what he does.
And here are just a few “inconvenient truths” that Corzine’s slick e-mail and video propaganda piece left out or covered up.
1. Most Americans today don’t have money or confidence to invest because Corzine and his Wall Street friends cheated and looted our savings and retirement plans during the past 25 years-and still do it with “bailouts!” For details read books like “Liar’s Poker” or “The Money Culture” by Michael Lewis. To end the crisis, remove these crooks from power, put them on trial, and take back the wealth they stole from us!
2. Corzine and his Wall Street friends still have their power and wealth is because they were smart enough to share much of their stolen loot with key Republicans and Democrats, and the folks who run our leading newspapers and television networks.
3. Corzine got $400 million when he was kicked out of Goldman Sachs by current Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson in 1997. Goldman Sachs paid Paulson $20.8 million in 2003, $29.2 million in 2004, and $38 million in 2005. When Paulson became Treasury Secretary in 2006, he owned $700 million in Goldman-Sachs stock. Paulson’s big contribution was “intimate relations with the Chinese elite. . . he visited the country more than 70 times” (Source: Wikipedia).
4. Robert Rubin ran Goldman Sachs before Corzine. In 1992, Rubin became Economic Advisor, then Secretary of the Treasury for Bill Clinton. In 1994, he pushed through the NAFTA treaty, and Goldman Sachs brought its junk bond culture to Mexico. In 1995, Mexico’s economy collapsed, and Goldman Sachs faced heavy losses – until Treasury Secretary Rubin bailed out Mexico with $20 billion in U.S. loan guarantees. As with Fannie Mae, middle-class Mexicans lost their life savings, but Goldman Sachs got paid in full and made obscene profits. At that same time, Goldman Sachs profited from deals that destroyed the economy of Argentina, until then a rich country. Now, Rubin runs bailed-out CitiBank.
By the way, when Republican George Bush seemed likely to become President in 2000, Goldman Sachs bought the Wall Street firm of Spear, Leeds & Kellogg – with well-known partner, George Herbert Walker IV (cousin of President George Herbert Walker Bush). A lesser known partner was Todd Christie, brother of Chris Christie. Goldman Sachs paid $100 million to Todd Christie alone in 2000. During the next three years, Christie’s family gave $144,000 to the New Jersey State Republican Committee. At the end of 2001, President Bush appointed Chris Christie as U.S. Attorney for New Jersey.
For more information, visit www.libertyandprosperity.org or contact Somers Point attorney Seth Grossman at grossman@snip.net or 609-927-7333. Seth Grossman hosts a two way talk radio program every Saturday from 8am – 9am on WVLT Vineland, 92.1 FM.
