Guest Post: Bad Moon Rising

Submitted by Jim Quinn of The Burning Platform

Bad Moon Rising

I see the bad moon arising.
I see trouble on the way.
I see earthquakes and lightnin’.
I see bad times today.

Creedence Clearwater Revival – Bad Moon Rising

 

“Human history seems logical in afterthought but a mystery in forethought.” – The Fourth Turning – Strauss & Howe

The above statement by historians William Strauss and Neil Howe is
very significant as we try to make sense of the events unfolding before
our very eyes in today’s world. On September 17, a mere six weeks ago, a
few hundred young people showed up in Zuccatti Park in Lower Manhattan
to protest our corrupt, broken and Wall Street manipulated economic and
political system. That first night, approximately 100 protestors
occupied the park and were outnumbered by the NYPD in full riot gear.
The idea to Occupy Wall Street began circulating on the internet in late
August. The Millenial Generation used their social networks and put
their tech savvy talents to work. Before long, thousands of protestors
showed up in cities across the U.S. The model for this movement was the
successful demonstrations in Egypt and Tunisia, earlier in the year.

 

The initial reaction among mainstream media and politicians across
the land was bemusement. A bunch of young hippy throwbacks were going to
make a meaningless statement and then fade away. The attention span of
Americans is as long as the commercial break between contestants on
Dancing With the Stars. Everyone knows the Millenials aren’t to be taken
seriously. They are a bunch of spoiled, coddled, lazy college kids who
need to get a job. But a funny thing happened during the commercial
break. The kids held their ground. They didn’t leave. More young people
arrived. More young people began protesting in cities across the
country. Middle aged people began to get involved. Even some older
people joined the cause. Before long there were thousands of people
getting involved. It spread to Europe, with young people occupying
London and Rome. Donations and supplies began to pour in from around the
world. There’s something happening here, but what it is ain’t exactly
clear.

The six weeks since September 17 have been chaotic, venomous,
confusing, and verging on deadly. Wall Street gyrated wildly with stocks
falling 8% by October 3 and rebounding by 15% by October 28 and
plunging again this week. The Economic Cycle Research Institute (ECRI)
declared the country was headed back into recession on September 30:

“It’s important to understand that
recession doesn’t mean a bad economy – we’ve had that for years now. It
means an economy that keeps worsening, because it’s locked into a
vicious cycle. It means that the jobless rate, already above 9%, will go
much higher, and the federal budget deficit, already above a trillion
dollars, will soar. Here’s what ECRI’s recession call really says: if
you think this is a bad economy, you haven’t seen anything yet. And that
has profound implications for both Main Street and Wall Street.”

The ECRI has called the last three recessions with no instances of
false alarms. Last week, the Conference Board announced the Consumer
Confidence Index plummeted to two and a half year low of 39.8, last seen
in March of 2009. The Dow Jones was trading at 6,500 in March 2009,
some 47% below today’s level. It is an interesting dichotomy between how
the average American feels about the world and how the Wall Street
elite feel about their Ben Bernanke sheltered world. The Consumer
Confidence Index was 110 in 2007 and 140 in early 2001. We’ve come a
long way baby.

During these past six weeks the European Union has teetered on the
verge of disintegration. Non-stop negotiations, agreements, plans,
declarations, special purpose vehicles, bailout funds, and lies have
poured forth on a daily basis. Greece still lives – on a ventilator – as
it has been brain dead for months. The sole purpose of all the public
relations efforts, press conferences, summit meetings and lies has been
to keep European banks, their stockholders and bondholders from
accepting the consequences of their irresponsible lending to the PIIGS.
Essentially, the German people have been put on the hook for losses that
should have been born by the stockholders and bondholders of the
biggest French, German, Belgian and English banks. The EU has put a
tourniquet over a cancerous tumor. The entire world is awash in bad debt
and until this debt is liquidated, we will stagger from crisis to
crisis like a drunken sailor. John Hussman describes the master plan:

In effect, European leaders have
announced “We have agreed to solve our debt problem, leveraging money we
do not have, to create a fund, which will then borrow several times
that amount, in order to buy enormous amounts of new debt that we will
need to issue.”

As politicians and central bankers around the world desperately try
to keep their debt drenched ponzi scheme going for awhile longer, the
mood darkens among the populations of developed countries around the
world. I came across a quote from, of all people, Vladimir Lenin that
describes how the last six weeks seemed to me: 

“There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.”

It seems like history is accelerating. Momentous events have been
occurring regularly since 2007. Our political and financial leaders are
blindsided on a daily basis by each new crisis. The majority of the
American public continues to be apathetic, willfully ignorant, and
constantly absorbed by their array of electronic gadgets and mindless
drivel spewed at them by media conglomerates. Rather than think
critically, most Americans allow left wing and right wing mainstream
media to formulate their opinions for them through their propaganda and
misinformation operations. Linear thinkers, who make up the majority of
the political, social, media and financial elite in this country,
believe the world progresses and moves ever forward. In reality, the
world operates in a cyclical fashion, with generations throughout
history reacting to events in a predictable manner based upon their
stage in life. The reason the world has turned so chaotic, angry and
fraught with danger since 2007 is because we have entered another Fourth
Turning. Strauss & Howe have been able to document a fourfold cycle
of generational types and recurring mood eras in American history back
500 years. They have also documented the same phenomenon in other
countries.

The housing collapse, near meltdown of our financial system,
revolutions in the Middle East, economic turmoil in Europe, poisoned
political atmosphere in Washington DC, and most recently the Occupy Wall
Street movement are part of a larger cycle. The four living generations
have each entered the phases of their lives that will lead to a
convulsive upheaval and destruction of the existing social order. We’ve
entered a twenty year period of Crisis as described by Strauss &
Howe:

“A CRISIS arises in response to
sudden threats that previously would have been ignored or deferred, but
which are now perceived as dire. Great worldly perils boil off the
clutter and complexity of life, leaving behind one simple imperative:
The society must prevail. This requires a solid public consensus,
aggressive institutions, and personal sacrifice. People support new
efforts to wield public authority, whose perceived successes soon
justify more of the same. Government governs, community obstacles are
removed, and laws and customs that resisted change for decades are
swiftly shunted aside. A grim preoccupation with civic peril causes
spiritual curiosity to decline. Public order tightens, private
risk-taking abates, and crime and substance abuse decline. Families
strengthen, gender distinctions widen, and child-rearing reaches a
smothering degree of protection and structure. The young focus their
energy on worldly achievements, leaving values in the hands of the old.
Wars are fought with fury and for maximum result.” - Strauss & Howe

History is Cyclical, not Linear

“There is a mysterious cycle in human events. To some generations
much is given. Of other generations much is expected. This generation
of Americans has a rendezvous with destiny.” – Franklin Delano Roosevelt  

  

I’ve been trying to decipher which direction this Fourth Turning will
lead, and the last six weeks has started to crystallize my thinking.
I’ve been fascinated by the intense reactions, opinions and arguments
that have taken place across the airwaves and internet regarding the
true nature of the Occupy movement. Some of the reaction is based upon
pure ideological grounds, with media outlets like Fox News, the Wall
Street Journal, NY Post and CNBC, disparaging, ridiculing and demeaning
the movement. The anti-rich tone of the protests may not sit well with
the multi-billionaire owners (Rupert Murdoch, Mort Zuckerman, Roberts
Family) of these mega-media corporations. The liberal media such as
MSNBC, Huffington Post, and CNN have sometimes been fawning over the
movement in an effort to co-opt it into liberal Tea Party for the
benefit of Obama and the Democratic Party. The propaganda and
misinformation coming from both these ideological camps is easy to
discern for a critical thinking person. Sadly, the nation is filled with
people that don’t want to think. Therefore, they let their opinions be
formed by talking heads on a TV screen.

These reactions were predictable. What caught my attention was the
generational reaction to Occupy Wall Street. I know all the rugged
individualists out there chafe at being lumped into a generational
cohort, but the fact remains that groups of people born during the same
time frame encounter key historical events and social trends while
occupying the same phase of life. Because members of a generation are
molded in lasting ways by the eras they encounter as children and young
adults, they also tend to share certain common beliefs and behaviors.
Aware of the experiences and traits that they share with their peers,
members of a generation also tend to share a sense of common perceived
membership in that generation. To deny the reality that large clusters
of human beings tend to act with a herd mentality is contrary to all
visible evidence. The herd mentality can be observed in the Dot-com
bubble, Americans unquestioningly allowing passage of the Patriot Act,
the housing bubble, the mass hysteria over the latest iSomething, Black
Friday riots at retail stores to obtain the “hottest” toy or gadget, and
the slaves to the latest fashions and trends as directed by the
corporate media machine. The masses don’t realize they are being
manipulated by the few who understand the power of propaganda:

“The conscious and intelligent
manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an
important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this
unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is
the true ruling power of our country. …We are governed, our minds are
molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have
never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our
democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must
cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly
functioning society. In almost every act of our daily lives, whether in
the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical
thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of
persons…who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the
masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind.” – Edward Bernays – Propaganda – 1928

The Occupy movement is being driven by the Millenial Generation. They
have used their superior technological and social networking skills to
organize, educate, and inspire people to their cause while befuddling
and confusing the authorities. They continue to rally more young people
to their fight against Wall Street and K Street tyranny. The
generational lines of battle are being drawn. The Baby Boom Generation,
who is at the point of maximum power in society, fears this movement.
They control Wall Street, corporate America, Congress, the courts,
academia and the media. They have reached their peak of influence and
power, which will rapidly wane over the next fifteen years. They see the
Occupy movement as a threat to their supremacy and control of the
system. The cynical, alienated, pragmatic Generation X is caught between
the Boomers and the Millenials in this escalating conflict. It is
likely the majority of this generation will side with the Millenials,
realizing the future of the country depends on them and not the elderly
Boomers. To clarify, not every Boomer, Gen Xer, or Millenial will act in
concert with their generational cohort. But it doesn’t matter if a few
cattle stray from the herd, when the herd is stampeding in one
direction. 

The chart below details the Strauss & Howe configuration of
generations and turnings for the last two Saeculums in American history.
They describe their generational theory in the following terms:

“Turnings last about 20 years and
always arrive in the same order. Four of them make up the cycle of
history, which is about the length of a long human life. The first
turning is a High, a period of confident expansion as a new order
becomes established after the old has been dismantled. Next comes an
Awakening, a time of rebellion against the now-established order, when
spiritual exploration becomes the norm. Then comes an Unraveling, an
increasingly troubled era of strong individualism that surmounts
increasingly fragmented institutions. Last comes the Fourth Turning, an
era of upheaval, a Crisis in which society redefines its very nature and
purpose.” – Strauss & Howe

Each new generation is born approximately three years prior to the
next turning. This results in Strauss & Howe having a slightly
different generational grouping than government demographers.

Great Power Saeculum (82)
Missionary Generation	Prophet (Idealist)	1860–1882 (22)	High: Reconstruction/Gilded Age
Lost Generation	Nomad (Reactive)	1883–1900 (17)	Awakening: Missionary Awakening
G.I. Generation	Hero (Civic)	1901–1924 (23)	Unraveling: World War I/Prohibition
Silent Generation	Artist (Adaptive)	1925–1942 (17)	Crisis: Great Depression/World War II
Millennial Saeculum (67+)
(Baby) Boom Generation	Prophet (Idealist)	1943–1960 (17)	High: Superpower America
13th Generation	Nomad (Reactive)	1961–1981 (20)	Awakening: Consciousness Revolution
(a.k.a Generation X)
Millennial Generation(Generation Y)	Hero (Civic)	1982–2004 (22)	Unraveling: Culture Wars, Postmodernism, Digital Technology
New Silent Generation (Generation Z)	Artist (Adaptive)	2004–present (6+)	Crisis: Great Recession, War on Terror, Declining Superpower, and Globalization

There is nothing mystical about their theory. Strauss & Howe are
historians who have created a framework for understanding why people act
a certain way to events differently, depending on which stage of life
they occupy. The theory is so logical because it is based upon the
average 80 year life cycle of a human being. A human being goes through
four stages during their life: childhood, young adulthood, midlife, and
elderhood. During each of these stages, you will react to the same event
in a very different manner. During an 80 year cycle, there will be four
generations at different stages of their life. The interaction between
the generations at each 20 year turning determines how history is
steered through the events of that cycle. The life cycle stages can be
seen in this chart:

	Prophet	Nomad	Hero	Artist
High	Childhood	Elderhood	Midlife	Young Adult
Awakening	Young Adult	Childhood	Elderhood	Midlife
Unraveling	Midlife	Young Adult	Childhood	Elderhood
Crisis	Elderhood	Midlife	Young Adult	Childhood

Strauss and Howe compare the saecular rhythm to the seasons of the
year, which inevitably occur in the same order, but with slightly
varying timing. Just as winter may come sooner or later, and be more or
less severe in any given year, the same is true of a Fourth Turning in
any given Saeculum. The theory does not predict the events which drive
history, but it does predict the generational reaction to events
depending upon their age. We entered the Fourth Turning Crisis in 2007
with the housing collapse and the implosion of our financial system. The
configuration of elder self righteous Boomers at 60 years old, midlife
pessimistic Gen Xers at 40 years old, and coming of age Millenials at 20
years old is an explosive mixture that will provide the impetus and
fury to this period of catharsis and pain. Winter has arrived. There is
no way to avoid it. The bitter winds have begun to blow. The first harsh
front arrived in 2008 with the near meltdown of the worldwide economic
system. There has been a lull in the biting gale force winds of this
Crisis through the shoveling of massive amounts of newly created debt
into a system already drowning in debt. The Occupy movement and the
impending collapse of the European Union charade will usher in the next
blizzard of pain and suffering. We hurdle towards are rendezvous with
destiny.   

“The ‘spirit of America’ comes once a
saeculum, only through what the ancients called ekpyrosis, nature’s
fiery moment of death and discontinuity.  History’s periodic eras of
Crisis combust the old social order and give birth to a new. A Fourth
Turning is a solstice era of maximum darkness, in which the supply of
social order is still falling—but the demand for order is now rising. 
It is the saeculum’s hibernal, its time of trial. Nature exacts its
fatal payment and pitilessly sorts out the survivors and the doomed. 
Pleasures recede, tempests hurt, pretense is exposed, and toughness
rewarded—all in a season.” – Strauss & Howe

Millenials Rising

Over the last six weeks I’ve watched as the young protestors around
the country have been called: filthy hippies, losers, lazy, coddled,
socialists, communists, spoiled college kids, parasites, useful idiots,
and tools of the left. Most of the wrath being heaped upon these young
people for exercising their Constitutional right to free speech and
freedom of assembly has been from the Baby Boom Generation, who are at
the peak of their power in our society. Sixty percent of the Senate is
made up of Baby Boomers, with the next closest generation being the
Silent Generation with twenty five percent. Over 58% of the House of
Representatives is made up of Baby Boomers, with the next closest
generation being Gen Xers at 27%. They occupy the executive suites of
the Wall Street banks (Blankfein, Dimon, Pandit, Moniyan) and the
Federal Reserve (Bernanke). They make up the majority of judges, local
politicians and school boards. They run the Federal government agencies.
And they dominate the airwaves as the high priced mouthpieces for their
corporate bosses. This Prophet generation will lead the country through
the trials and tribulations of this Fourth Turning.

The disdain and contempt for these Millenial protestors flies in the
face of the facts about this generation. They use drugs at a lower rate
than their parents did at the same age. Teen crime rates and teen
pregnancies have declined. They will have the highest level of college
education in U.S. history. They were protected during their youth as
organized sports taught them teamwork. They are the most technologically
savvy generation in history. They volunteer at higher level than
previous generations. They have been more upbeat and engaged than their
predecessors (Gen X). And they are much closer to their parents than
Boomers were at the same age. They reject the negativism and cynicism of
their parents and believe positive change is possible in our society.
They have shown respect for authority up until the last six weeks. They
were primed to be led by Boomers that could articulate a positive vision
of the future based on reality and a better tomorrow. They were ready
to make sacrifices in order to create a brighter future. But a funny
thing happened. The Boomer generation failed to deliver on their part of
the bargain.

Prior Hero Generation Americans had braved the winter at Valley Forge
and stormed the beaches of Normandy as Prophet leaders like Ben
Franklin and Franklin Roosevelt provided inspirational guidance and the
vision of a better tomorrow. Strauss & Howe accurately assessed the
Millenial Generation in their book Millenials Rising: The Next Great Generation, published in 2000 when the 1^st Millenials were graduating high school:

“As a group, Millenials are unlike
any other youth generation in living memory. They are more numerous,
more affluent, better educated, and more ethnically diverse. More
important, they are beginning to manifest a wide array of positive
social habits that older Americans no longer associate with youth,
including a new focus on teamwork, achievement, modesty and good
conduct. Only a few years from now, this can-do youth revolution will
overwhelm the cynics and pessimists … will entirely recast the image of
youth from downbeat and alienated to upbeat and engaged — with
potentially seismic consequences for America.” - Strauss & Howe

The youth of America listened to their parents and stayed in school.
They’ve racked up over $1 trillion in student loan debt getting college
educations. Meanwhile, our Baby Boomer leadership had an opportunity to
address the country’s unsustainable fiscal path by accepting the
consequences of a thirty year debt binge and liquidating the banks that
took extreme risks with extreme leverage. An orderly liquidation (aka
Washington Mutual) would have punished the stockholders, bondholders and
management of the Wall Street banks, while leaving the depositors whole
and purging the system of debt that can never be paid off. Our
politicians could have ended our wars of choice in the Middle East and
cut our war spending by hundreds of billions without sacrificing one
iota of safety for the American people. The political leadership could
have put the country on a deficit reduction path that would have insured
the long-term viability of our republic.

Instead of doing the right thing, our Baby Boomer leaders did the
exact opposite of the right thing. They held the American taxpayer
hostage and absconded with trillions of their tax dollars and handed it
over to the same Wall Street banks that had run the largest fraud scheme
in world history and blew up the worldwide financial system. The Boomer
Chairman of the Federal Reserve decided to not only save the Wall
Street banks but to purposefully try to pump up the stock market, while
destroying the lives of savers and senior citizens with his zero
interest rate policy. His policies have led to a surge in energy and
food prices and contributed to revolutions in the Middle East. The Wall
Street banks have used the accounting gimmick of relieving loan loss
reserves to create fake profits over the last two years. Wall Street
celebrated by paying themselves $60 billion in bonuses between 2008 and
2010. The poster boys for the .1% Jamie Dimon and Lloyd Blankfein
“earned” $23 million and $19 million respectively in 2010.

The politicians borrowed trillions from future unborn generations to
inflict a Keynesian nightmare of solutions on the American economy that
included: an $800 billion porkulus program, $22 billion pissed down the
toilet on a homebuyer tax credit as home prices are now lower, $3
billion for Cash for Clunkers that cost $24,000 per car sold, loan
modification schemes, tax credits for windows, doors and appliances, and
payroll tax cuts. The result of all the Federal Reserve and politician
“solutions” has been to increase the National Debt by $5.3 trillion in
three years, a 55% increase. It took the country over 200 years to
accumulate the first $5.3 trillion in debt. Everything done thus far has
benefitted only the top 1%. The real unemployment rate is 23%. The real
inflation rate is between 5% and 10%. The economy is headed back into
recession. But at least the top 1% are doing well, as the stock market
has risen 84% from its 2009 lows. Somehow, the oligarchy that runs this
country is taken aback by the protests growing increasingly contentious
across the country. It is not a surprise to those who understand the
cyclical nature of history and the darkening mood in this country, which
has been deepening since the Tea Party protests of 2009.

Hope You Are Quite Prepared To Die

Hope you got your things together.
Hope you are quite prepared to die.
Looks like we’re in for nasty weather.
One eye is taken for an eye.

Creedence Clearwater Revival – Bad Moon Rising

  

It seems the young people in this country have realized they have no
future when the system is run for the benefit of an oligarchy consisting
of Wall Street banks, mega-corporations, media conglomerates, and
puppet politicians in Washington D.C. These people will stop at nothing
to retain their wealth and power. Not only do they want to retain it,
they are actively trying to increase it. They have achieved their goal
beyond all expectations, and are still able to convince a large portion
of the population through their propaganda machine they deserve every
penny. The chasm between the “Haves” and “Have Nots” has never been
greater in U.S. history. The truth is that Americans have always admired
entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates who created businesses,
created jobs, and ended up with vast wealth. But, that is not the wealth
protestors on Wall Street and across the country are angry about. They
are angry at the hyper-concentration of wealth in the hands of men that
have rigged the system in their favor through bribery (lobbying &
contributions), fraud (no-doc loans & AAA rated toxic derivatives),
accounting schemes (special purpose vehicles & suspending mark to
market) and holding the American middle class hostage (TARP & zero
interest rates). When the 400 wealthiest Americans own more than the
“lower” 150 million Americans put together, you have a system that is
badly broken.

Do the Millenials have a right to be angry? The table below shows how
the economic solutions of the oligarchy have worked out for the youth
of our country. There are 19 million young people between the ages of 18
and 29 that are not working. Some are still in college, but most are
not. That is a lot of potential Occupiers.  

Age Group	%  not employed
18 to 19	65%
20 to 24	40%
25 to 29	27%

After observing the reactions to the OWS movement over the last few
weeks, I’m more convinced than ever that different generations view the
same event through the prism of their own life experiences, beliefs,
prejudices, and biases. I’ve found the Baby Boomers have generally been
doubtful of the protestors’ motives, condescending towards their
intelligence, scornful about their appearance, and derogatory regarding
their flaunting of authority. This is fascinating considering that
Boomers love to reminisce about their glory days protesting the Vietnam
War. The Boomer generation was at this same age configuration in 1970.
Their GI Generation parents probably had the same opinions about the
long haired, drug using, sex crazed youthful Boomers in 1970. Now the
Boomers are the establishment and they don’t like seeing their authority
challenged by these naïve troublemakers. Strauss & Howe saw the
likelihood of this conflict back in 1997 when the oldest Millenials were
only 15 years old:

“When young adults encounter leaders
who cling to the old regime (and who keep propping up senior benefit
programs that will by then be busting the budget), they will not tune
out, 13er-style. Instead they will get busy working to defeat or
overcome their adversaries. Their success will lead some older critics
to perceive real danger in a rising generation perceived as capable but
naïve.” –  Strauss & Howe

The Millenials spearheading these protests are most certainly
capable. In a matter of six weeks they have created a worldwide movement
occupying every major city in the world. The biggest complaints coming
from the Boomers is they are naïve, misguided, immature, and don’t
understand the real problem. The bitter condemnation of the protestors
for breaking a myriad of minor administrative laws, regulations,
ordinances, and curfews is beyond laughable. Fox News, CNBC, the Wall
Street Journal, NY Post and the other mouthpieces of the ruling
oligarchy are apoplectic about the young protestors camping out in
public parks, but they were not too concerned by the Wall Street banks
systematically defrauding millions of people by creating mortgage
products designed to deceive.

They weren’t irate when Wall Street held Congress hostage for a $700
billion ransom. They weren’t enraged when Ben Bernanke bought a trillion
dollars of toxic mortgage debt from the Wall Street banks at 100 cents
on the dollar. They weren’t furious when the government officials forced
the FASB to abandon mark to market rules, allowing the Wall Street
banks to falsely report their financial statements. But, they are
outraged by young people exercising their right to free speech and right
to assembly. When their paid armies of thugs attack the protestors with
tear gas and billy clubs, they declare the protestors had it coming. It
seems the 150 year old American tradition of civil disobedience to
protest unjust laws, defined by Henry David Thoreau, is not too popular
among Boomers or the corporate mainstream media.

“Unjust laws exist: shall we be
content to obey them, or shall we endeavor to amend them, and obey them
until we have succeeded, or shall we transgress them at once?” –  Henry David Thoreau 

Many of the protestors are naïve, misinformed about the true causes
of the financial crisis, impulsive, and seeking solutions that would
result in more government control. Their critics say they should be in
Washington DC, not on Wall Street. The Boomers don’t like their
flaunting of rules and regulations imposed by local authorities. Again,
the older generations have conveniently forgotten how naïve, impulsive
and rebellious they were at the age of 20. The amazing thing to me is
this generation never showed this side during their younger years. Their
slogans like “Tax the Rich” are misguided. They need assistance from
older generations, but instead they are getting beaten and arrested by
the older generation. Some Boomers, like William Black, have opened a
dialogue with the protestors, but the majority of Boomers are resistant
to the movement. In prior Fourth Turnings, the Hero archetype followed
the orders of the Prophet archetype. I fear the Boomer Generation,
through their intransigence and refusal to proactively address our
structural problems, have set in motion a revolutionary chain of events
that will lead to class warfare and possibly civil war in this country.
The real danger, as experienced in other countries (France, Russia,
China), is that a demagogue could gain control. Strauss & Howe
envisioned that possibility in 1997:

“This youthful hunger for social
discipline and centralized authority could lead Millenial youth brigades
to lend mass to dangerous demagogues. The risk of class warfare will be
especially grave if the 20% of Millenials who were poor as children
(50% in the inner cities) come of age seeing their peer-bonded paths to
generational progress blocked by elder inertia. Unraveling era adults
who are today chilled by school uniforms will be truly frightened by the
Millenials’ Crisis-era collectivism.” –  Strauss & Howe

The most outrageous accusation made against the protestors is they
are somehow responsible for their current plight. The Boomers declare
they are spoiled kids who need to get a job. A critical thinking
analysis of the Millenial Generation demographics reveals how ridiculous
it is for Boomers to blame Millenials in any way for our current
economic debacle. There are 97 million Millenials and 54 million of them
are under the age of 20. Another 21 million are between the ages of 20
and 24, barely getting started in the real world. Only 39 million of
them were eligible to even vote in the last Presidential election. It
should be clear to even the most dense CNBC anchor that the young people
protesting in the streets are not to blame for the raping and pillaging
of the U.S. economic system by the barbarians on Wall Street over the
last thirty years, with the consent and encouragement of the bought off
politicians in Washington D.C.

Generation	Age	Total Pop.(mil)
G.I.	86–109	6
Silent	69–85	22
Boomer	51–68	73
Gen-X	30–50	83
Millennial	7–29	97
Homeland	– 6	29

After placing the living generations in their assigned age buckets, I
was shocked to see the Millenials being, by far, the largest
generation. I had assumed it was the Baby Boom Generation. At their peak
in 1970 they totaled 76 million and made up 37% of the U.S. population.
But, time has not treated them well. Approximately 3 million have left
this earth and they only make up 24% of the population. Both Gen X and
the Millenials now outnumber the Baby Boomers. They will continue to see
their power wane as the years roll by. The Millenial power will grow as
the Fourth Turning progresses, since they make up 31% of the population
today and will see that ratio grow as the G.I. and Silent generations
die off. There are very few people remaining that lived through the last
Fourth Turning. The initial phase of this Crisis has revolved around
the Wall Street induced housing collapse with the consequences of not
enforcing the rule of law by liquidating insolvent banks and prosecuting
the white collar criminals that reaped ungodly profits by committing
fraud on an epic scale. This has left the country with an unsustainable
level of debt, a hollowed out economy, and unemployment at Great
Depression era levels, while Wall Street bankers, media titans, and
career politicians reap compensation packages fit for kings. Jesse from Jesse’s Café Americain describes our political system perfectly: 

Kleptocracy:“rule by thieves”
is a form of political and government corruption where the government
exists to increase the personal wealth and political power of its
officials and the ruling class at the expense of the wider population,
often without pretense of honest service.No outside oversight is
possible, due to the ability of the kleptocrats to personally control
both the supply of public funds and the means of determining their
disbursal. 

The Millenials were raised by parents who believed government could
solve all our problems. The welfare-warfare state became monolithic
during the Boomer reign of error. Therefore, it is understandable these
young naïve revolutionaries still cling to the belief the government can
solve our problems through more taxes or new programs. The point being
missed by all the doubters and detractors of the OWS movement is these
young people have zeroed in on the right culprits. They are not stupid.
They understand these basic facts:

• The $15 trillion National Debt, headed to $20 trillion by 2015, is the gift we are leaving to the Millenials.
• The $100 trillion of unfunded entitlement liabilities will never be honored by the time the Millenials retire.
• The Millenials know the $1 trillion per year spent maintaining our
  military empire is more than the next 18 countries’ spending combined,
  and it benefits only the corporations peddling armaments, while making
  us less safe.
• The soldiers getting killed and wounded in our wars of choice in the Middle East are predominantly Millenials.
• There are 14,000 professional lobbyists in Washington D.C.
  representing mega-corporations, unions, trade groups and other special
  interests, which have doled out $30 billion over the last decade
  influencing (bribing) politicians to write the laws in their favor, and
  not one lobbyist was working for the Millenials.
• Millenials know Wall Street has spent $154 million on political
  contributions and $383 million on lobbying in the last decade. The
  buying of political influence by our bastions of crony capitalism was as
  follows: Goldman Sachs – $46 million; Merrill Lynch – $68 million;
  Citigroup – $108 million; J.P. Morgan Chase – $65 million; Bank of
  America – $39 million.
• The Millenials know the 71,000 page Federal tax code and 140,000
  pages of Federal regulations are written to protect the interests of the
  few, not the many.
• Millenials know the financial industry consciously created products
  designed to induce mortgage fraud, knowingly packaged toxic mortgages
  into derivatives, bribed the rating agencies to rate them AAA, sold
  these worthless instruments to their customers, shorted these same
  derivatives, and pocketed billions in fees and ill gotten gains. After
  blowing up the financial system and costing taxpayers trillions, not one
  person has gone to jail.
• Millenials know how to read a chart:

 

• Millenials know that Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are the same face
  of a never changing oligarchy. Change brought about through opposing
  political parties and elections has been rendered obsolete as the
  oligarchy chooses the candidates, uses their wealth to create policies
  and programs, and is able to control the masses with their propaganda
  message machines.

So here we stand, about five years into this Fourth Turning, with
protests in the U.S. growing increasingly violent and intense. The calls
for civility after the Gabrielle Giffords assassination attempt in
January of this year went unheeded as the political vitriol has grown
increasingly nasty. January seems like a lifetime ago. Revolutions have
overthrown rulers in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya. Unrest and bloodshed
continues in Syria, Gaza, Yemen, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. The European
Union is disintegrating before our very eyes and violent protests
against austerity measures flare up on a daily basis in Greece, Italy
and Spain. There is no doubt we have entered the 2^nd stage of
this Crisis – the more violent and dangerous stage. I can sense fear
and uneasiness among the more connected members of society. The drones,
which constitute a large portion of America, are highly focused on Kim
Kardashian’s divorce after 72 days and a $10 million wedding. The
Millenials leading the protest movement are connected. They understand
what is at stake. Strauss and Howe had it figured out 14 years ago:

“Of all today’s generations, the
Millenials probably have the most at stake in the coming Crisis. If it
ends badly, they would bear the full burden of its consequences
throughout their adult lives. Yet if the Crisis ends well, Millenials
will gain a triumphant reputation for virtue, valor and competence.” – Strauss & Howe

So what happens next? The truth is that no one knows what will happen
next. We can only try to connect the dots and peer into a foggy future.
We know that our leaders have not solved any of the financial
imbalances that existed in 2007. They have made them worse, as have
leaders across the world from China to Japan to Europe. We await the
next Lehman moment, except this time it will be a sovereign nation and
the contagion will be ten times greater than the 2008 meltdown. Our
already fragile economy will be brought to its knees in a replay of the
1930s. As nations plunge into economic chaos, civil strife will likely
lead to authoritarian figures rising from the ashes of the turmoil.
Could Russia and China take advantage of this turmoil to acquire new
resources through military means? Possibly. When the American middle
class sees their remaining wealth dwindle to nothing, will they take to
the streets? Revolution seems too remote to fathom, but it seemed remote
in 1764 and 1855 too. When people have nothing left to lose, anything
is possible. The collapse of our economic system is baked in the cake.
Our current fiscal path is destined to end in fatality. Strauss &
Howe knew the outcome of this Fourth Turning would depend upon the
wisdom, strength and fortitude of the American people:    

 “The risk of catastrophe will be
very high. The nation could erupt into insurrection or civil violence,
crack up geographically, or succumb to authoritarian rule. Thus might
the next Fourth Turning end in apocalypse – or glory. The nation could
be ruined, its democracy destroyed, and millions of people scattered or
killed. Or America could enter a new golden age, triumphantly applying
shared values to improve the human condition. The rhythms of history do
not reveal the outcome of the coming Crisis; all they suggest is the
timing and dimension.” – Strauss & Howe

Winter has arrived. There will be difficult hurdles with many trials
and tribulations in front of us. You may have to choose sides in a
generational war. No one wants to face bitter choices. No one wants
bloodshed and war. But it really doesn’t matter what we want. There is
no real justice in a country that attacks and incarcerates young people
for exercising their right to free speech and dissent, while allowing a
psychopathic Wall Street banking cartel to wreak havoc upon our nation.
The generational alignment is such the existing social order will be
swept away in a violent manner. What replaces the existing order will be
up to the American people. You may lose your wealth, security, freedom,
or life during the coming struggle. The years ahead will require steely
determination and courage like our forefathers exhibited on the frigid
barren fields at Valley Forge, the undulating wheat fields at
Gettysburg, and the bloody beaches of Normandy. I have three teenage
sons at home. My choices will be dictated by what I feel will be best
for their futures. I will do WHATEVER it takes to
secure a better tomorrow for my boys. If that means standing beside them
in battle, so be it. Lines are being drawn. You will not be able to
avoid choosing sides, just as you cannot avoid Winter if you ever want
to see the dawn of another Spring.

 

“History offers no guarantees. We
should not assume that Providence will always exempt our nation from the
irreversible tragedies that have overtaken so many others: not just
temporary hardship, but debasement and total ruin. Since Vietnam, many
Americans suppose they know what it means to lose a war. Losing in the
next Fourth Turning, however, could mean something incomparably worse.
It could mean a lasting defeat from which our national innocence –
perhaps even our nation – might never recover.” – Strauss & Howe

Comments

[LawsofPhysics]

Fox news argueing that the tide is floating all boats while ignoring that the rise in income for over 80% of the population is not keeping up with inflation or the real cost of survival.  Fair and balanced indeed.

[devo]

Fox should be taken off the air.

[Gene Parmesan]

By whom, comrade?

[devo]

Well, that's why they're not. Doesn't mean they shouldn't be.

Bloomberg is the best financial channel on TV. At least they try to be objective. Fox is non-stop, blatant propaganda. Only Jim Cramer is more of a disservice to sheeple.

[Syrin]

I bet you love MSNBC, don't you?

[devo]

No, I love Ron Paul and voted for Obama this past election. Not that I wanted to, but the idea of Sarah Palin becoming President was too terrifying. I believe MSNBC is garbage while Fox News is a toilet bowl after a long night of drinking vodka and eating oatmeal.

Let me guess: you're a jerk on the internet trying to stereotype, and I just blew your mind?

[JW n FL]

Corporate Owned News is a control.. used to sway the ignorant masses that have been trained to only pay attention to things that are in heavy rotation from multiple corporate owned news sources.

FOX is no worse than CNBC is no worse than CNN.. they are ALL tools used against the Sheepish Masses, they feed off of each other.

Republicans.. Red Team.. FOX.. Tea Party..

Libertarians (wanna be capitalists).. CNBC..

Democrats.. Blue Team.. CNN.. Occupy Wall Street..

and the divide and conquer.. provided by the Corporate News.. keeps the poor at odds with the other poor and then ALL! the poor suffer together in one big stew pot of ignorance.

I offer, for some lite reading.. for those that just can NOT! for the life of themselves grasp what is happening here.. in America.. today.

The Transnational Politics of Public Health and Population Control:

The Rockefeller Foundation’s Role in Japan, 1920s-1950s

By Aiko Takeuchi

Ph.D. Candidate, Department of American Civilization

Brown University

82 Waterman Street, Box 1892

Providence, Rhode Island 02912

http://www.rockarch.org/publications/resrep/takeuchi.pdf

 or..

http://josiah.brown.edu/search~S7?/Xpopulation+management&searchscope=7&SORT=D/Xpopulation+management&searchscope=7&SORT=D&searchscope=07&SUBKEY=population%20management/1%2C580%2C580%2CB/frameset&FF=Xpopulation+management&searchscope=7&SORT=D&4%2C4%2C

The John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, otherwise known as "the Rock", serves as the primary teaching and research library for the humanities, social sciences, and fine arts. With some exceptions, the Rock is usually the most appropriate library at Brown in which to begin research on a topic.

http://library.brown.edu/about/rock/

[Boba Fiat]

"No, I love Ron Paul and voted for Obama this past election"

LOL.  Confused much?  That's like saying I love the Apostle Paul but I voted for Simon LaVey.  Either you're a statist or you're not.

[devo]

I'm not confused at all. In 2008, I was presented with two choices, and one of them involved Sarah Palin. Hence, I had to choose the other by default.

In 2012, Ron Paul is an option, and therefore I'd like to see him get the GOP nomination so I can vote for him.

It confuses you that someone would not remain steadfast to any one party or idea? It confuses me that someone would given all the implications of doing so.

[XitSam]

Did you vote for Ron Paul in 2008 Republican primary?

[devo]

No, I didn't vote for anyone until the actual Presidential election. I wasn't very political back then--was busy with life issues and couldn't follow the primaries closely. I probably would have voted Ron Paul, though.

[mr_T]

Like I always said.. sheep grazing on the pasture of mass media.

I too had to vote for NoMoBAMA .. there was something familar about the campaign .. like a can of Pepsi..choice of a new generation...Next campaign should be where the beef Biachezz.

I like to listen to bill Oreally on Fox .. fair & balanced .. just the way I like it..

[chubbar]

I wrote in Ron Paul even though he wasn't on the ballot. I'll do it again regardless. I've decided I can't face myself or daughter if I do otherwise.

[d_senti]

You've entirely missed the point. You said Fox News should be taken off the air, thereby promoting the State's ability to infringe on free speech (even when it's as idiotic as MSM, it's still speech) and then promoted Ron Paul, the American Saint of anti-Statism. It sounds like you're new to the whole anto-Statist thing, so it'll take a while for your brain to stop thinking in "someone should do something about that" mode.

Vote Ron Paul.

[Bring the Gold]

Here is someone seeing the light and you mock them. Fuck you.

Also if the choiceis between Statism and Corporatism I choose NEITHER for they are one in the same but ideologues like you, who can't even recognize potential allies like mr. DEVO, can't do the critical thinking required to see that. 

Who controls the state? The money masters.

Who controls the corporate world? The money masters.

Therefore any solution that boosts one while attacking the other will not, and cannot succeed in addressing the problem. OWS often is attacking both the corrupted state and corporations. You would know that if you did your research.

I plan on voting for Paul even though I fear he will further entrench corporate rule at the cost of state regulations that actually protect our quality of life like the DEQ.

I know many moron ideologues think we would somehow be better off with zero regulations (oh for the glory days of the 1870's to 1900's and ZERO labor laws, militarized strike busting ending in massacres eg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludlow_Massacre).

If we could tomorrow erradicate the Federal government what would take its place? Unaccountable rule by corporate fiefdoms.

Zibigniew Brezinski predicted exactly that in his Magnum Opus "The Grand Chessboard: American Primacy and it's Geo-Strategic Imperatives".

If you think rule by corporations will have us better off, I have some credit default swaps to sell you.

[Putty]

I presume you meant Anton LaVey.  

[hawks5999]

Or Simon LeBon?

[Floordawg]

Palin or Obama as president, would it have really changed anything we as a group are concerned about here?

They're just two factions of the business party.

[I am more equal...]

Left - Right

Democrat - Republican

Antithesis - Thesis

Dumb - Smart

The infamous words of Rodney King 'can't we all just get along?'

[Thucydides]

Eloquently summed up.  This clip seems to support your summation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xvnsIodU34 

[gangland]

James Barber, presidential historian, came up with the following matrix of presidential character (I wonder how this fits with S&H pov):

http://academic.regis.edu/jriley/414%20presidential_character.htm

where would you put this guy? he looks frekin bored.

http://rense.com/common.html

James David Barber's

The Presidential Character: Predicting Performance in the White House. 

Affect 

 

Positive

Negative

 
 
 
 

Active
 
 
 
 

ADAPTIVE: self-confident; flexible; creates opportunities for action; enjoys the exercise of power, does not take himself too seriously; optimistic; emphasizes the "rational mastery" of his environment; power used as a means to achieve beneficial results.

Thomas Jefferson, 
F. D. Roosevelt, 
H. Truman, 
J. F. Kennedy, 
G. Ford, 
G. W. Bush(?)

COMPULSIVE: power as a means to self-realization; expends great energy on tasks but derives little joy; preoccupied with whether he is failing or succeeding; low self-esteem; inclined to rigidity and pessimism; highly driven; problem managing aggression.
 

John Adams, 
W. Wilson,
H. Hoover, 
A. Lincoln,
L. B. Johnson,
R. Nixon,

 
 

Passive

COMPLIANT: seek to be loved; easily manipulated; low self-esteem is overcome by ingratiating personality; reacts rather than initiates; superficially optimistic.

James Madison, 
W. H. Taft, 
W. Harding, 
R. Reagan,
Bill Clinton

WITHDRAWN: responds to a sense of duty; avoid power; low self-esteem compensated by service to others; responds rather than initiates; avoids conflict and uncertainty. emphasizes principles and procedures and an aversion to politicking.

George Washington, 
C. Coolidge, 
D. Eisenhower 

James David Barber James Barber differentiates between four types of presidential character: active-positive; active-negative; passive-positive; and passive-negative. Before voters cast their ballots for president, they should know how active the candidate is and whether or not he or she truly enjoys political life. This allows voters to predict presidential performance before the candidate takes office.

[Bring the Gold]

Uh, W. Bush was adaptive? You mean like how he adapted to living in one of the most egregious oligarch families in US history? Like how he adapted to never swaying from "his gut". Or how he adapted the truth to meet his objectives (note: the objectives of his Pappy and friends)? Or how he adapted our constitutional republic and turned it into an oligarchacal fascist nightmare?

I guess you are right he's pretty adaptive.

I suggest a third category "Momma's boy, blueblood, chickenhawk fuck". I would put Bush squarely in that camp.

Obama is clearly compliant and/or bought and sold to the highest bidder. He's also another pathetic tool of the oligarchs, but really you could put almost every president since the end of the Civil War under that description with about three exceptions.

[gangland]

"Momma's boy, blue blood, chicken hawk fuck" i luv that hey i never endorsed anything just putting it out there, and i thank u for your response,

thing is unfortunately; obama is the same cabal convergence of neoliberalism & neoconservativism read: Soft-Feudalism, post-modern soft fascism or media indoctrinated state-corporatism.

barry is bush cabal

see balck agenda report

elite theory

not sustainable

urruboros eCONonomy

FIRE

fcuking vampire squid relentlessly striking it's sucking blood funnel

[nabi]

Fox is an officially-sanctioned propaganda outlet, just like MSNBC, CNN, ABC, CBS, CNBC, etc.  It is designed to give conservatives the illusion that their voices are being heard and that their position is represented by many of their fellow citizens.  If all of these propaganda tools were recognized for what they truly are, no one would watch them.  Unfortunately, too many Americans have been deceived by the two-party, "us vs. them" paradigm for that to happen...

[2discern]

It's very liberating to NOT watch any propaganda outlet. Sports events (college football, yeah) and maybe weather are the least contaminated TV media to enjoy. Other than that ZH like reporting and exposure journalists Breibart, O'Keefe etc. the lame stream is, as implied, lame.

[surrational]

I think this is one of the points the author is trying to make. Due to new avenues of media such as social networks and the internet, new generations are benefiting from these outlets that aren’t entrenched in bipartisan politics. The propaganda machine is starting to be ignored and this in itself will create some major seismic shifts in the social landscape. 

Here's a video of Hilary Clinton also stating that the US is losing the media war with the younger generations.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybeCBuwTgcw

[Melin]

You're one of our author's "Millenials", aren't you?

[MassDecep]

I use to be an avid Fox news watcher. Now I am awake. CNN is the Communist News network and Fox is its affiliate. If you listen closely, they both are spewing the same message.

Wake up sheeple, the time for slaughter is drawing near. If you cannot discern the above stated facts, you are still sleeping.  

You still play the game of dems verses repubs, which has gotten us where? Both cut from the same cloth. Beware of who you listen to. Most are there and prospering for a reason.

[devo]

CNN isn't good, either. There's a reason we're all resorting to blogs...

[LFMayor]

+1

Spot on MassD.  If you're ignorant enough to eat the castor oil that is being spoon fed to you, then you deserve the case of the shits it will cause.

[Killer the Buzzard]

You are not a man.

[11b40]

...said the buzzard to the carcass?

Who are you talking to?

[DeltaDawn]

If you advocate censorship, it will come back to bite you. Are you ok if a conservative federal government knocks out the liberal sources while in power? The puppet masters control both medias and are planning on controlling the Internet as well. Your enemy is not Fox News, it is your limited perspective.

[devo]

Give me a break. I know all the airwaves are rigged. Fox is just the worst of the bunch because they are so blatant and in your face. Cutting off candidates they don't like, interrupting Bernanke's speech right at the point he talked about inflation, misleading the sheeple regarding (positive) headline numbers and ignoring negative indicators, saying that Herman Cain came in 3rd (and failing to mention Ron Paul came in 2nd) in the Iowa straw poll, spinning OWS as dirty unemployed people, etc etc. That is not news worth watching. If you choose to watch it, you're just hurting yourself. And obviously all news is skewed and I am critical of CNN, MSNBC et al. They're just not as blatant as Fox. Also, to say I favor censorship just because I don't believe Americans should be dumbed down by Fox is a leap. I AM READING ZERO HEDGE, you dolt.

[LFMayor]

twist away those gates of steel!

[Smiddywesson]

Well said, and exactly why my TV is off.

a)  It's a slow and inefficient medium to learn anything

b) It's all propaganda.  All of it.

[divide_by_zero]

There's no outlet more blatant than MSNBC, with mouth breathers like Ed Schultz and Chris Mathews pumping the progressive message(the whole crew does but these are the most extreme). MSNBC doesn't even bother cutting people/candidates off, they just don't cover the news period (Solyndra, Fast and Furious). 24/7 spew.

[devo]

Like I said, they're all bad. Luckily football season is almost over so I can cancel cable again.

[dolph9]

Yes, Fox is the worst apple in a sorry, rotten bunch.

Fox News sucks so hard it's maddening to think of why anyone would watch it.

[deepsouthdoug]

NO!  Just make Jon Stewart the Managing Editor of Faux News. 

[Clueless Economist]

This whole "Occupy Wall Street"tm crap is vastly overblown.  Have you ever actually gone to Zuccotti Park and seen the people hanging out there?

I have.  It is a mix of homless, drunks, druggies, and misfits from all walks of life.  They are holding up stupid signs that make no sense.

Victory to the Worldwide Socialist Movement - Long live Che.

Yes that is going to get these nitwits far.

[Bruin4]

Clueless Economist....operative word being clueless, come on down to Z park....you can buy me lunch.

[Clueless Economist]

Purchase lunch for you from some Capitalist scum vendor?  Try eating some of the dying flowers in the park, comrade

[LFMayor]

Now you shouldn't denigrate the milennials C.E.  They're going to marshall in a bright new future!
/sarc off.

These protests and protestors are just a bunch of tools, being used.   A fucking pressure relief valve, to vent excess steam before it wrecks the frankenstein economic engine that provides light and heat to TPTB.  The tea party is just another of these safety devices, protecting the status quo.  Your precious VOTE is yet another.  As futile and about as useful as a chickenwire rubber.

They're being used, just like those idiot, stinking dope addled boomers were used 40 odd years ago and just like then they're too fucking dense to see it.

Worldwide uprising?  My ass.  If you want to see rapes and killings, mix in your OWS with some of their "brother protestors" from the middle east.  Then you'll see just how much in common the two really have, aside from poor hygiene.  And if they become a real threat by accident or design then that's when the belt-feds will warm up.

Now junk on, you fucking socialist half wits.  PC and the effeminization in your upbringing has made you weak in body and mind.  If this collapse comes as you predict, and i damn sure hope it will, you'll simply serve some new masters.  The morlocks are going to be feeding on you.  The veneer of civilization was thin at the start and it's getting worn through in lots of new places now.

[JW n FL]

the divide and conquer seems to be working really well.. for the wanna be tea party participants in particular.

instead of joining any protest and helping to educate the other protesters.. it is better to sit you fat ass on the sofa and pretend that your contributions to the systemic Fraud for the last 30 - 40 years were justified based on your wants.

The Baby Boomers let the Country be robbed blind and gutted!

the only interest the baby boomers have  (broadly speaking) is to entertain themselves with their self righteous bullshit and be able to spend all those dollars socked away during their decades of participation in the ongoing fraud.

WE! DO NOT!! FORGET!!!

EXPECT US!! WE ARE COMING!!!

[RockyRacoon]

I'll not argue your point about the Boomers.  I'm a ripe 63 years old and my view of the OWS bunch differs widely from the author's quote:

The Baby Boom Generation,
who is at the point of maximum power in society, fears this movement.
They control Wall Street, corporate America, Congress, the courts,
academia and the media. They have reached their peak of influence and
power, which will rapidly wane over the next fifteen years. They see the
Occupy movement as a threat to their supremacy and control of the
system.

I don't fear the movement at all.  It's a wonderful part of a developing theme worldwide -- and it's about time.

They have my admiration and respect.   If I weren't so goddam lazy I'd be right there, and still might be before it's all over.   My memories of the protests of the 60s are fresh.

[Smiddywesson]

If this collapse comes as you predict, and i damn sure hope it will, you'll simply serve some new masters.  The morlocks are going to be feeding on you. 

Essentially, you can't be proven wrong, because peasants are always on the menu for their betters, but I disagree if you are saying times don't waver between being "good" for the people and "bad" for the people.  I think history supports the cycle, not the steady state of misery.

+1 for morlocks  :-)

[Bring the Gold]

Wow, you're saying that the protests of the 1950's and 1960's which brought about huge social changes were pointless and or tools of some mysterious Communism that STILL hasn't appeared 50 years later? Sounds like you are the one who is drug addled or just stupid and envious. I respect those young people risking beating and incarceration who are protesting the forces arrayed against this country alot better than some bitter old man posting anonymously on the internet. Your entire post reeks of cowardice. You wouldn't last 3 seconds after system collapse. If you would, why don't you start organizing a REAL protest made of MANLY MEN with huge hairy nutsacks to do something. Or do you have any fucking plan at all?

Yeah mock those "effeminized" combat vets who get shot in the head by cops for exercising their first amendment rights you pathetic coward. Cower in your well heated abode while REAL hero's stand up for what's right in the bitter cold. I used to think the Millenials were pathetic, but I've recently grown to respect them quite a bit. Alot more than bitter old men like you that's for sure, not that that is a high bar to step over. Any two year old female child has more bravery in her ovaries than you.

[11b40]

Really gave the article a serious read, didn't you, Mr. Mayor.

And who, exactly, was "using" those idiot, stiking, dope -dled boomers 40 years ago?  Those boomers whose protest forced an expansion of Civil Rights and brought the war machine to it's knees were all co-opted by what?  The status quo?

[Bruin4]

 Clueless Economist -You are so sweet, misguided and maybe a bit of a lost soul but I love you, I know there is hope for you...seriously come on down here I will even shower first in the bird bath on chambers and Greenwich,  Bring some  vodka and we can go snuggle on a bench by the statue of hypocrisy and bigotry in the new red square overlooking the Hudson river.

Seriously you cant be stupid enough to believe that WE the OWS crowd are anti capitalism... if you do then you are either Ann Coulter or Larry Summers. Stop reading the NY Post and watching Fox, and seriously by me lunch....please?

[devo]

The odds of you being in the 1% are less than .001%. I notice the most rude, militant, tongue-lashing citizens ten to be those in the upper middle class. My guess is that's where you are. These people seem to think they've made it in life and are actually in the 1% or close enough to taste it...to one day make it. What people don't realize is that the 1% have the .00001% chasing their tails. The 5% have the 6% right behind them. Unless you own a bank, you should be for the general message of OWS, even if said message is unrefinded at this point. Rational people want freedom and a return to Capitalism. Sounds like Fox really got to you.

[JLee2027]

The odds of you being in the 1% are less than .001%.

Are you related to Yogi Berra? Just asking.

 "Never answer an anonymous letter"

"I usually take a two hour nap from one to four"

[Floordawg]

A nickel ain't worth a dime anymore.

Investing in precious metals is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical.

[MassDecep]

Clueless, you are soooooo right

Check this out

http://youtu.be/UsxSDxlOp5A

[MassDecep]

Clueless, you are soooooo right

Check this out

http://youtu.be/P8xF59PR_lc

[Boba Fiat]

This whole "Occupy Wall Street"tm crap is vastly overblown.  Have you ever actually gone to Zuccotti Park and seen the people hanging out there?

Agreed.  A little unnerving that ZH has taken up the banner of the World Worker's Party, in effect, by promoting all things OWS.  As far as I can tell, the protesters' core belief is: "We want the gov't to occupy Wall Street EVEN FURTHER, and manipulate wealth EVEN FURTHER.  Oh, and while you're at it, give us more free stuff."  Not in any way related to Ron Paul's philosophy, for example.  It's just a front for the same kind of old-school communists who gave us Mao and Josef.  I really have not heard a logical or coherent thought come from the actual OWS protesters' in over a month now.....but they certainly are well-funded and well-publicized.

[Bring the Gold]

There is no question Soros is attempting to Co-opt the movement. That said, the Tea Party which was started by Ron Paul Libertarians was ALSO co-opted by a one-two punch. 

One, they sent in Sarah Palin and other Neo-Cons and used fox News to talk about how wonderful it was. Sent in funding and so forth through the usual right wing organizations and individuals (Koch Brothers).

Two, they had the left wing establishment media mock the shit out of them and make sure no lefty EVER examined the actual desires of the Teaparty.

Now just reverse the above and you see what is happening with OWS. The biggest difference is OWS has been beaten by cops far more, is poorer and younger on average and has been more resistant to Co-option. There is now a very real attempt to use Co-intel pro strategies to destroy it. See my post below.

Take the time to do some real research and you will see that OWS supports many of the things you want. The biggest thing you will disagree with is that they want to have a student loan jubilee, but really who owns that? The government, so why WOULDN'T you want to see that government debt operation to fail hmm? Especially since I hear no one calling for claw backs or RICO law confiscation from the TBTF due to egregious violations of law and the scam that was TARP etc.

[divide_by_zero]

Actually there's no need for Soros to co-opt OWS, he was involved from the beginning.

[Bring the Gold]

"I can haz co-optation of grassroots social movementz?"

Really George Soros is behind Anonymous? Wow, and to think we have George Soros to thank for the LOL Cats.

He might have rushed right in to co-opt it, but it was a grassroots pheonomena at the outset. No amount of making shit up will change that.

Anonymous is a rogue group of internet hackers, likely Millenials incidently. Soros, does not, and has not EVER controlled Anonymous.

[Bring the Gold]

You are a fucking idiot. You don't make any sense other than RAH RAH fascism. Your posts are complete crap that support the kleptocracy and your own greedy self-centered behavior. I've been to the OWS movement in my city and there are TONS of signs pointing right at the EXACT problem, End the FED and the banks influence over Washington D.C. and the media. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fV0YjQQzYk

Also NYPD is sending the homeless and criminals to OWS to implode it and to reinforce the exact stupid braindead opinion that right wing media formed for your empty skull. Wake up and smell the fascist splitting of regular folk against one another. Divide and conquer. Luckily for them idiots like you who do zero actual research are legion.

http://gawker.com/5854870/is-nypd-sending-drunk-homeless-people-to-occupy-wall-street

I support your right to spew your uniformed opinion due to the 1st amendment. The same article gives me the right to tell you to take your head out of your ass you clueless fuck.

As to the article it is dangerous to make this a generational conflict. It is the fiat money masters vs. everyone else.

[devo]

Given your Moniker, I assume you are an ironic gimmick. But if not, I look forward to the next Civil War, when I can shoot you in the face and not go to prison for it. Just saying...

[11b40]

Yes, I took time out from a business trip and cruised down to Zucotti Park last Tuesday night...and I am calling your post bullshit. 

If the signs I saw made no sense to you, then you truly are clueless, as your moniker suggests.

In every group, there are exceptions, but the vast majority of the people I encountered and engaged were informed, well mannered & well spoken, and no where did I encounter anyone advocating Socilaism, Marxism, Communism, or Fascism, for that matter.  The consensus seemed to believe that America is both broken and broke, and there MUST be major changes to put us back on track. 

They are largely not into the "party politics" of either side, recognizing far better than most of my peers how pathetic both major parties are.  They also are aware that Washington is the other side of the coin in all this, but the money that buys the politicians flows from Wall Street, and the benifits of the rigged systems flow to Wall St.

So, little miss Clueless, go ahead and call names, jump up & down, and vent all your anger toward this rising generation if it makes you feel good, but when you finish, maybe you could find time to go back and actually read this article.  Who knows....you might get a clue.

[Bring the Gold]

Cluelesseconomist is an unpaid (lord knows Langley should recall her ass if she IS paid) volunteer internetz brownshirt. She constantly supports fascism wherever she sees it.

I am willing to be civil with the reasonable folks in ZH, even the ones I disagree with. People like her deserve no civility because they are in fact the very bedrock of the neo-fascist movement whether their little tiny clusters of neurons that occupy their cranium's grok that or not.

[Bruin4]

COME ON! we all remember the "trickle down theory" don't we? Of course when the top 1% is doing better everyone benefits....no?

Bizzaro world economics.

[DosZap]

Fox news argueing that the tide is floating all boats while ignoring that the rise in income for over 80% of the population is not keeping up with inflation or the real cost of survival.  Fair and balanced indeed.

So, what's the difference in a NEWS outlet, adn the Gov't,reporting 4% inflation, when it's 10%.

SOS

[11b40]

A rising tide lifts all boats....if the tide is water.

If the tide is dollars, only the big boats get a lift.

[RafterManFMJ]

I only read the first 40K words; look, just tell me where and when to show up for the big end of days UFO and I'll be there.

[Mercury]

Model retro-fitting.

We're broke. The government we voted for brought us to this dance and de-leveraging is going to be painful.  It's that simple.

And how about (for a change) superimposing a growth of the welfare state line on one of those income growth charts?...maybe even a destitute peasants as a percentage of total immigrants line too.

[Caviar Emptor]

You mean the Corporate Welfare State. Growing and accelerating since the 1980s

[Mercury]

Yes but if the government were smaller, weaker and poorer there wouldn't be much to buy, corrupt or misallocate one way or the other.

[Doubleguns]

Assume the millenials will default on social security, medicare and medicaid, then you will be prepared. I have encouraged my children to shed that burden if it is left behind by my generation.

[RobotTrader]

Yep, Mastercard now printing world record highs.

Recession?  What recession?

[LawsofPhysics]

So what did you buy yesterday robo? Come on, put it out there, let's see how you did today.

[nope-1004]

There never is a recession when credit expands, robo you idiot.  The housing bubble proved that.  More money loaned means more spending.  Since the US is a consumer economy, increasing credit OBVIOUSLY increases retail numbers.

It only hits the fan when the lender wants it back.

[MillionDollarBonus_]

"It only hits the fan when the lender wants it back"

Inaccurate as usual. Increased aggregate demand leads to increased consumption-lead growth which increases tax revenues. The government can use the increased GDP as 'collateral' to borrow even more, boosting the living standards of all Americans. China will continue to buy our debt because they depend on our consumption of their goods. Without our consumption, China's export economy would totally collapse.

[Tsunami Wave]

Don't you ever get tired of sounding like an idiot?

You just talked about the exception that still proves the point.

What happens when the lender after all of this wants everything back??

[El Viejo]

And since when does the govt HAVE to borrow. They can simply PRINT and spend.

[catacl1sm]

That would seem to be a logical conclusion until you do the math, then it isn't.

[oddjob]

So you put your NFLX margin calls on your Mastercard. Big Deal.

[kito]

Robo on worldwide droughts and water shortages: "water covers 71 percent of the earths surface......droughts? What droughts?"1

[HelluvaEngineer]

OT: Sino Global Shipping halted.  Up 68%.

[El Viejo]

It started in the early 80's. CEOs looked and found a way around regulation and taxation. Reagan supported this effort with the Self Employment tax. Cheap labor was sought and found in China. All to support Wall St. and stockholders. A quick profit. All the while the private sector was forced into debt and boomer-demographic-less-spending all combined to form the perfect storm of: over production, high personal debt just to maintain status quo, high energy costs, governmental high salaries and benefits and reduced boomer spending as they approach retirement. And to whom does the stimulus go? Why the ones who do not need it. And low rates to further entice more into debt. Amazing! Like it or not Obama was right when he said we will all have to contribute. The Feds have frozen federal salaries for three years. But just try and refi your house. Oh no your not taking from our pension pot. And just try and reduce benies to state government leeches. Oh no your not reducing our salaries or benies. And just try and increase taxes for the rich who do not buy that much anyway and instead put unecessary money into the already overstuffed markets. So much for compassionate conservatism, trickle down economics and a kinder gentler America.

Bring production and consumption back into balance or prepare for this to be with us all for a long time. Empower consumers, the only group that can bring this back in line. Empower the middle class the largest group of consumers.

If you want facts and figures on the above read: "The Age of Greed"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wages of private sector workers compared to public sector:
http://www.intellectualtakeout.org/library/chart-graph/historical-comparison-public-and-private-sector-compensation-levels

Income disparity:
http://www.cbpp.org/files/10-21-10inc.pdf
http://traderscrucible.com/2011/09/06/2354/
http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2011/09/great-prosperity-1947-1977-vs-great-regression-1981-present/
http://forum2009.itcilo.org/en/thematical-papers/executive-compensation-and-the-economic-crisis

Tax Breaks:
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=106

90% Bracket:
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/90-marginal-tax-rate-explained

Corporate Taxes:
http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2011/04/corporate-tax-rates-then-and-now/

Banking:
http://mikenormaneconomics.blogspot.com/2011/10/this-is-powerful-great-video-with-some.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK1MOMKZ8BI&feature=player_embedded

OWS:
http://geraldcelente.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=2193
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QngE6kKk8Lg

[tarsubil]

"The Feds have frozen federal salaries for three years."

You mean they haven't, right?

[Clueless Economist]

Federal salaries alwyas go up...FACT

[El Viejo]

COLA true but salary increases no.

[11b40]

Anytime I see someone use words like "always", I immediately assume they are clueless.

[TrulyBelieving]

Do you "always" immediately assume they are clueless?

[11b40]

_{That's the first reaction, but then I can make a decision after consideration.  An open flame will "always" burn your skin if held close enough for long enough is pretty much a given.  Gravity "always" causes heavy objcets to fall if unsupported.  There may be some exceptions, but I am not aware of any.}

_{On the other hand, when there are people or other uncontrollable variables involved, predicting any particular outcome as "always" occurring, invites an immediate challenge, mostly.}

[El Viejo]

I work around federal civilian employees and they say that their salaries have been frozen.

[L G Butz PhD]

True, but most still have jobs. Not as true for the private sector.