Deep-Sixed

I heard a comment on a talk radio show yesterday that has my between-the-ears gears grinding ... and that was about the Virginia Governor, Terry McAuliffe, leak. The FBI investigation of McAuliffe's illicit campaign contributions has been going on for a year ... why would the Obummer administration leak this dirt on Hellery Clinton's bag man now? Perhaps, they have given up on Clinton winning in November and are ready to switch horses to Bernie Sanders? After all, Sander's polls now show he could beat Trump. Think about it ... Sanders is much closer to Obummer politically anyway and, if the Obummer-Jarrett tag team really have their hearts set on destroying this country, what better way than for Bernie to be our next president?

Next step then would be for this administration to green-light a Justice Department indictment of Hellery et al for their e-mail crimes. Yes, such a cold-hearted move on Obummer's part would mean the certain derailment for the Clinton Foundation gravy train ... so one would expect to see a bloody internecine war erupt in the Democrat party ... and this Clinton posse plays for keeps. They might even try to take down Obummer ... wouldn't that be special!

So readers, my spider senses tell me we are in for a very interesting summer ... spiced-up by Trump's comments from the peanut gallery. If Trump soon starts going after Sanders, you will know he has concluded the same thing that you have just read here. The problem is that it might be more difficult to sully Sanders now that he has such populist momentum. And think on this too ... why would Sanders stay in a loosing race so long unless he also sees that Hellery might eventually be getting deep-sixed?

Afterward: For a similar theory see: Ann Coulter's Prediction.

Payola

Back in the 1960's there was a national scandal when it was discovered that music production companies were giving cash and other consideration to radio disc jockeys to play their records on the air. This bribery scandal was nicknamed "payola" and it caused a general wringing of hands and a few slaps on the wrists. But one record spinner, Alan Freed, lost his jobs and was ruined  ... see: Payola. As a result, such blatant bribery in the sleazy music industry is looked on unfavorably even today. This, of course, doesn't say that it has disappeared ... it is now just further underground.

But there is another sleazy industry where different kinds of payola is rampant ... politics ... making the old form seem like penny-ante poker. Politicians have invented numerous ways of lining their pockets with mucho cabbage ... huge book advances that are never earned back, astronomical speaking fees for pedestrian comments to assembled employees, campaign contributions which are never spent and revert to the politicians, cattle futures trading where only winning trades are recorded, taxpayer purchased items misappropriated when leaving office, etc., etc. Have you noticed how very few politicians depart their jobs as paupers? The vast majority, no matter how poor they were when they were elected, retire into abject luxury.

Enter the Clintons who have used every one of these scams (and more) to go from rags to riches. Hellery Clinton on her own, since leaving the State Department, has received $21.7 million in speaking fees from fawning corporations  ... see: New York Post Article. Have you heard her speak? She utters platitudes in an arm-waving screech that can't be worth her airfare, yet she was in high demand. She also got a $14 million book advance from Simon & Schuster for that ghost-written book, "Hard Choices", that was almost unreadable. This publisher was lucky if it made back half of its payola advance.

These speaking fees and book advances are obviously bribes to curry favor were she to be elected President. Ask Donald Trump ... he was often on the dispersing side of such payola. And how has Bernie Sanders become so popular? I contend that one chief reason is that he has positioned himself outside of this payola swamp ... possibly the main reason that Bernie is ahead of Trump in current polls. (Trump would do well, if he thinks that Sanders has a shot at the nomination, to attack this impression.)  So, of the three candidates still standing, we have one payola receiver, one payola payer, and one who seems not to be either. One can almost handicap this November's election just based upon these profiles.

A Living Wage

Sir Ian McKellen has issued a plea for a “living wage” for actors … see: The UK Independent Story.  He notes that only one actor in 50 earns more than $34,000 per year. This is truly a noble gesture from a famous and knighted actor who pulled down over $10 million for his work on the Hobbit series of films.

Seeing that there are many other actors also earning equally extravagant and even greater fees for their (sometimes limited) thespian talents … and the stage hands on Broadway can easily earn six figure salaries for moving scenery around (see: Forbes Story), it would seem to me that this industry is a particularly blatant example of wage inequality … and the Democrats and Elizabeth Warren might start campaigning for a leveling of the playing field in Hollywood and on Broadway … just like they have done vis-à-vis Wall Street and the Koch Industries.

Nah, don’t be silly … then who would write the big checks for them to get re-elected?

Just Whistle

Last time around Wall Streeters (such as Goldman Sachs) contributed the big bucks to the Obama campaign ... this time, not so much.  But stepping into the vacuum are the lawyers ... particularly the lawyers representing government whistle-blowers (see: New York Times Article).  So far, this one small legal cadre have coughed up $3 million to Obama and will likely come across with lots more before November.  These lawyers have benefit under Obama to the tune of roughly 40% of the $1.6 billion that the government has rewarded whistle-blowers under the current administration.

I am in favor of the notion that whistle-blowers should be rewarded for the job-risks they take ... however I don't think that their lawyers are quite so exposed.  Also, I question the advisability of politicians taking big donations from a group of lawyers who benefit greatly if and when your administration caves-in on any legal matters they bring (to my mind, something Eric Holder has shown himself capable of doing.).  And, finally, I am also compelled to inquire as to how much the whistle-blower(s) on the $535 million Solyndra fiasco received?