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 Nothing has Changed since MLK, Jr.Preface No. 1
“Well that appears to me to be a kind of socialism for therich and rugged hard individualistic capitalism for the poor.”Excerpt, in response to a question from the audience, from MLK,Jr.’s “The Other America” speech at Grosse Pointe High School,Michigan, March 14, 1968, three weeks before his assassination.
 
I just saw this news bit in February, 2009. The commentaryreally hit me hard.
 
Back, at a time when Martin Luther was describing thestate of economic affairs in the USA, he was also preaching aboutequality and freedom for people of all colors. However, in thecontext of this discourse, he was referring to a Federal bail out of the agricultural industry where the Government was payingfarmers not to harvest certain crops by way of a subsidy. Soundfamiliar?! And in the same breath, these monetary recipients werestating that black workers should pull themselves up by their own bootstraps to be successful. Quite a contradiction, if nothypocritical opinion. So, the Reverend King simply pointed outthis discrepancy, and hence, the truth. And they tried to kill thetruth, but only the human body was snuffed out......Return to today, in a moment of historical crisis wherehighly paid and professionally deceitful businessmen, like Madoff, Nadel and a host of unsolved others, who contrive Ponzi schemesto defraud the public, abound, what is essential for reflection isthese insightful words of a wise man who’s only goal was clarity of  purpose. With the weight on our new President’s shoulders for  past wrongs done by Americans, and still being inseminated, thererings an imperative upon which we the people must stand up,accept responsibility for the truth, and act in that light. We shouldno longer tolerate complacency for banking executives crookeddeeds. There are no repercussions or recompense for the loss,except possible imprisonment of the bad guy. And we havealready allowed $300 billion in 2008 to be awarded these fineindividuals to meet their year end bonus plan of corporate retreatsand charlatan budget entry shortfalls.As of this date, no evidence exists to corroborate thestrategy of dumping the randomly designed number of 700 billiondollars on this broken financial system. The experts said we had to pursue this strategy or the system would have collapsed. Plus, thistrickle down theory would free up liquidity to loan. As a locallysmall contractor remarked about his company recently, “Give themoney to me; I can supply jobs for people. Instead, I had to fireover half my staff.” Does not that sad tone ring in your ears?!Banks are still not infusing any cash into the broken system or lending to the small business owner to survive, and we are at the beginning of the third quarter, July 1, 2009.
 
Here it is full circle: we all need initial support to get a legup in this modern day depression. And I mean emotionally, mostimportantly. Yes, the funding will help. But the crux of the matter is within. What makes a mediocre football team make it to theSuper Bowl, like the Arizona Cardinals? Chemistry, coaching,tapped talent, teamwork, spirit, and more. What I heard those players and coaches say in interviews this year was basic: youhave to believe in yourselves. See the dream; be the dream; livethe dream. Without the appropriate relief on this front, we will become demoralized as a nation, and this ripple effect will spreadlike a pandemic disease.That is why the outpouring of millions of folks, withdiverse backgrounds and of many cultures, to watch theInauguration gives me hope. It’s the difference in making thiscountry what it will become. Lets avoid the extreme separation of classes and focus on assisting our fellow man or woman in need.All for one, and one for all, as the four musketeers declared. Thatmight be the best game plan we have. I suggest we contemplate itsmeaning and not let another 40 years go by with a certain famousleader, like MLK, Jr., being quoted in paraphrasing an analysis of the same unfortunate state of affairs then that exists today. Is thisforecast for our future, if not worse???
“Fix It”
(Reference to SNL weekend update, 11/08)
Preface No. 2
 Since the federal bailout debate, I have forgotten my own preaching of re-creating a new society, as further enlightened in“Wake Up, America,” the treatise that follows. I must re-ask thequestion: who are the new heroes of the 21st century??AIG, Bear Sterns. Lehman Bros., Merrill Lynch, Wachovia,and a host of other failed institutions to come? Federal buyoutswith our tax monies to save the day? Who are we kidding??Why? The experts predict that the old school method would havea major impact. On what?? As my wife reflected to me, at the endof last year, we allow the capitalization of profits but the socializedapproach to losses. Again, sound familiar? Are we communist??That’s a hell of a rationale to offer us lay people who work, rather slave, hard for what we get humbly in the trenches. No oneinitially bailed out GM, Ford, or Chrysler in the blink of an eye.
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