Thieves

Ever been broken into? Stolen from on a very personal level? It really pisses you off for a while doesn't it.

Maybe the glass door isn't broken right now but robbery and theft go on every day. The thieves are called Wall Street, the Federal Reserve, the U.S. government and corporations who's aim is to not break glass but to break our spirit. Control is easier that way.

Scott Crieghton gives us some numbers from the theft. Some of this money, in theory, is stolen from me....and you. And yet we don't feel the anger the same as if our physical homes were broken into.

Tarp money, what Tarp money?

NY AG Andrew Cuomo has reported that more than 4,700 employees of the 9 top banks that received Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) money, have been given bonuses in excess of $1 million dollars. 836 of them received more than $3 million.

Citigroup Inc. gave employees $5.33 BILLION in bonuses for 2008

• reported $27 billion in losses for 2008
• gave 738 of its employees bonuses of at least $1 million
• gave 44 of it’s employees bonuses of at least $5 million
  
• received total of $45 billion in government money
• has NOT repaid TARP loans to date

Bank of America Corp. gave employees $3.3 BILLION in bonuses for 2008

• earned only $2.56 billion in 2008
• gave 172 of it’s employees bonuses of at least $1 million
• received total of $45 billion in government money
• bought Merrill Lynch with $20 BILLION of the TARP money
• Merrill Lynch lost $30 BILLION in 2008
• Merrill Lynch paid 696 employees at least $1 million in bonuses
• has NOT repaid TARP loans to date

JP Morgan Chase. Has not disclosed exactly how much they have paid in bonuses (at least $2.26 BILLION in bonuses for 2008)

• gave 1,626 of it’s employees bonuses of at least $1 million
• gave at least 200 employees bonuses of at least $3 million
• gave out more in bonuses than they made in 2008
  
• received $25 billion in TARP funds
• has paid the TARP funds back

Goldman Sachs. has not disclosed exactly how much they have paid in bonuses (at least $1.6 BILLION in bonuses for 2008)

• gave 953 of it’s employees bonuses of at least $1 million
• gave at least 200 employees bonuses of at least $3 million
• gave out more in bonuses than they made in profits for 2008
  
• received $10 billion in TARP funds
• has paid the TARP funds back [source]

Pretty unbelievable if you really look at it and that's just one example of the high level theft.

We could go on all day describing the techniques of the breakers and enterers but most folks seem to be resigned to accepting the thievery, lies and war. It's all so abstract that it's hard for the masses to grasp. We hope that it really can't be happening.

Thievery without the broken glass at your doorstep doesn't piss us off very much. The slow burn of the theft of our future that requires our labor and our lives in incremental doses should be getting us plenty mad but it's not.

Without anger or some kind of emotional attachment to what is being stolen, we just sort of lie in bed with the covers over our heads and hope that the thieves don't hurt us too bad.

And that's just the way the current crop of criminals want it.