caucus99percent

free-range politics, organic community

The "Fake" Economy

Oil, War, and the Petrodollar

The corona virus has upset the global economy, now the old normal. It has provided a distraction that has allowed for the transfer of trillions of tax dollars to the largest most corrupt corporations. The Fed has cranked up the presses and is pumping out dollars at an unprecedented rate. Now many people say the US dollar (USD) isn't based on anything and is just paper. However, it is based on something, oil. Ever since we cut the deal with the Saudis in the early '70's all countries must buy their oil (and many other commodities) in USD. Last week oil went negative because there is such a glut and lack of storage. So in comes the Fed propping up oil prices with our tax dollars, also boosted by Trump's threat to shoot down Iranian gunboats. How do we get out of this mess? How about a war or two?

Lesser of Two Evils II

“If they’d wanted to win, they wouldn’t have run Hillary Clinton.”
--my mom, 2016

I've been puzzled by the amount of anti-China propaganda, until I read this.

The white Queen infamously told Alice "The rule is, jam to-morrow and jam yesterday – but never jam to-day."
So here's a Jam from yestidday.

Virus as maybe, but things are looking up. Fred's on the porch, soaking up the sun.

In the middle of cooking a Thai green curry, so this will be quick.

What with the recent stillness of life:

Glazunov's 1st piano concerto on in the background. If you like Russian stuff, this will turbo charge your tulips.

You might think that in the middle of a pandemic, combined with a collapse of the labor market, that politicians might show a little sympathy for the working class and want them to get health care.
Obviously you don't know Oklahoma Republicans.

by anthony freda

The House passed the Senate version last night; they’d already agreed to.  It’s long, but it needs to be, imo.  Consider it a a rage of fury on behalf of the underclass.

‘The bipartisan “small business” swindle: Billions for the banks and corporations, pennies for workers and shopkeepers’  Barry Grey, 23 April 2020, wsws.org

A Look at China Part One

Morning. Over the next few weeks I am going to share some of my thoughts and readings on China. It is one of the few places in the world not colonized by a Western power. Our growing antagonism towards China is part of a longer cycle of admiration and disdain for the Chinese culture that has played out for centuries.