Discussion:
Another Example of Power & Corruption
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Her Lao
2015-12-09 23:39:10 UTC
Permalink
http://news.yahoo.com/clinton-intervened-firm-request-son-230152981.html

POWER will ALWAYS corrupt. The more power a person has, relative to others, the more he or she WILL corrupt.

Of course, if you're the one with THE POWER, what you do is NEVER deem by yourself to be corruption; you simply say you're just doing "good things for people."

I WILL DO THE SAME THING, if I had power.

YOU TOO WILL DO THE SAME THING, if you had power.... and I mean the KIND OF POWER wielded by people in POSITION of influence and authority in companies and government...

This is why NO ONE SHOULD BELIEVE some politician, some ideology, or government when they say YOU SHOULD ALLOW THEM AND THEM ALONE TO DECIDE on everyone's behalf, because they are the best, the most moral, the only incorruptible, the most ethical, the fairest, the most righteous, the most correct, etc.

NEVER believe individuals or groups or politicians who tell you, "Trust me, I will only work FOR YOU and THE PEOPLE and the Country."

If you keep up with the reading, Chelsea, the daughter of the Clintons... who's in her late 20s or early 30s... and having done ABSOLUTELY NOTHING THAT HAS CONTRIBUTED MORE TO HUMANKIND THAN you or me... except her short stings at the various TV shows, corporations, etc.... but this young woman EARNS fees up to $60,000 a speech!

THAT may be just lucrative business earning to you, if you're making it. But IT IS THE BEST FORM OF POWER AND CORRUPTION in human affairs and conducts.

Believe me, SUCH corruption --- the use of power or connection to make big incomes when you haven't really "earned it" --- happens in America; it happens in Laos; it happens in China; it happens in Russia; it happens in Zimbabwe; it happens in Switzerland; it happens in France; it happens in Australia; it happens in Japan...................

It happens EVERYWHERE where humans live in large group, where some are MUCH MORE POWERFUL, MUCH MORE WELL CONNECTED TO POWER, than others/the masses....
Her Lao
2015-12-10 08:17:13 UTC
Permalink
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-malaysia-politics-idUSKBN0TT0DW20151210

Notice how WE NEVER think our actions are bad or corrupt?

When we are in power and others say we are corrupt, we either kill them, make them disappear, or say they're just fabricating nonsense because they are jealous or evil! But we are always honest and moral; etc... and if people'd stop fabricating false stories about our corruption and shut up and just say NICE and TRUE things about HOW GREAT WE ARE, how smart we are, etc, that eeryone and the country would be better off, etc., etc...

You notice that it was during Bush's reign that America was attacked, 9/11, but the Bush people and GOP said IT'S BECAUSE OF BUSH that we'd as safe as we were; and it's OBAMA, instead, who has made us totally unsafe, made us being attacked all the time, made us weak... made us lose all the jobs we did... so on and so forth....

Notice how people ALWAYS make excuses for their failing but point fingers at others all the time?


Notice that Orangutan Man, aka Donald Trump, my hero, has been a BRIBER of politicians all his life..... to get the "deals" that made him a billionaire in estate and gambling; but he thinks IT'S ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN BRIBED who are bad, but that HE HIMSELF, AS THE BRIBER, is highly moral, ethical, and honest? And a whole bunch us hero-worshiping high school drop-out blue collar White Cons are giddy in our excitement for this GREAT LEADER of ours?, who would get rid of all bad, corrupted, and easily bribed politicians?....
Her Lao
2015-12-11 03:52:00 UTC
Permalink
California --- a sick Libral state with VERY EVIL pollution policy hell bent on punishing car companies --- is to blame for Germany's Volkswagen cheating on pollution gases like Nitrogen Oxide by coming up with an engineering software package that fools testers when they try to test VW's cars in the USA, but otherwise switch to polluting after the testers are done and your VW's back to "normal driving."

If it's up to environmentally friendly states like Texas and other business states, where smart people don't believe in these pollution nonsense Liberals been screaming about, the Germans would NOT have tried to cheat, because their cars would have easily pass environmentally friendly test like everywhere else....

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/12/10/vw-staff-began-working-on-emissions-cheat-in-2005.html

A small group of Volkswagen engineers began developing emissions-cheating software as early as 2005, after they were unable to find a technical solution to U.S. pollution-control rules, Volkswagen executives said Thursday.

Volkswagen in September admitted to having cheated on U.S. diesel emissions tests through software it installed in engines. The software was built into 11 million cars globally, about 500,000 of them in the U.S., from 2009 to 2015.

But the automaker has so far only confirmed cheating on U.S. emissions tests, which are more rigorous than European screening for the polluting-emission nitrogen oxide.

In an update on the company's investigation in the case, Chairman Hans Dieter Poetsch said engineers in 2005 were unable to find a technical solution to U.S. nitrogen oxide emissions within their "timeframe and budget" and came up with the software that manipulated results when lab testing was done.
Her Lao
2015-12-11 22:50:42 UTC
Permalink
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/12/nyregion/dean-skelos-adam-skelos-guilty-corruption-trial.html?_r=0


Again, remember that THIS happens in EVERY COUNTRY.

It happens in Laos;
It happens in China;
It happens in America;
It happens in France;
It happens in New Zealand;
It happens in Norway;
It happens in Sweden;
It happens in Russia;
It happens in Thailand;
It happens in Saudi Arabia;
It happens in Brazil;
It happens in Canada;

Etc.

Except in SOME countries ---- especially those with COMPETING GROUPS, even if none of them could ever be immune to corruption and briber and extortion --- at least THOSE COMPETING GROUPS and IDEAS and PARTIES are working, in some way, to "check" the others...

But if you gave power to ONLY ONE RULING FAMILY, ONE POLITICAL IDEOLOGY, ONE POLITICAL PARTY, etc. ---- or, worse, if ONE family, one ideology, one group GAVE THEMSELVES POWER, saying ---- as THE ONLY ONE who can't be corrupted.... THAT'S A VERY HARD PROBLEM TO SOLVE.

Because in such a situation, you're basically on your knees both PRAYING and PRAISING that one person, one family, and/or one ruling political party as "the only correct and best" and CAN'T SAY any thing else....

No progressive, sound governance system can OR should be run like that.... where only those in power, with ONE PARTICULAR BENT, are the only ones who have the power to check themselves...
Her Lao
2015-12-15 13:56:37 UTC
Permalink
Post by Her Lao
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/12/nyregion/dean-skelos-adam-skelos-guilty-corruption-trial.html?_r=0
Again, remember that THIS happens in EVERY COUNTRY.
It happens in Laos;
It happens in China;
It happens in America;
It happens in France;
It happens in New Zealand;
It happens in Norway;
It happens in Sweden;
It happens in Russia;
It happens in Thailand;
It happens in Saudi Arabia;
It happens in Brazil;
It happens in Canada;
Here, an example of Brazil's case:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/15/brazilian-police-raid-homes-of-senior-politicians-as-corruption-inquiry-widens

And it's only after those in power could NO LONGER contain the sludge that's been slowly leaking and leaking and seeping and oozing and staining through... no matter how much they tried to contain such toxicity from leaking out and seeping through and staining every thing on its path...
Her Lao
2015-12-15 15:39:20 UTC
Permalink
Post by Her Lao
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/12/nyregion/dean-skelos-adam-skelos-guilty-corruption-trial.html?_r=0
Again, remember that THIS happens in EVERY COUNTRY.
It happens in Laos;
It happens in China;
It happens in America;
It happens in France;
It happens in New Zealand;
It happens in Norway;
It happens in Sweden;
It happens in Russia;
It happens in Thailand;
It happens in Saudi Arabia;
It happens in Brazil;
It happens in Canada;
Here's some facets of Thailand's corruption:

when you allow one man, one family, or one "correct leadership" to run the society for too many years, they fantasize themselves being irreplaceable. Ditto for their dogs and cats and fish pets.

Even if they picked their noses, in front of you in public, and lick their fingers, you could only say, "Yes, sir, that's a very polite, righteous act! May I lick you finger and snot, too?" You can't question their acts, big or small, corrupt or not... it no longer is part of the give-and-take between educated, civilized grown-ups...

In totalitarian & backward & primitive & religious societies, SOME PEOPLE know all the rules, the bad and good one, and you simply bow to their wishes and whims and barking... prostrate yourself in front of them and tell them how great they are to you and the rest of society.

And primitive, totalitarian, and religious societies raise and feed armies of stupid robotic-like followers to carry out & to defend those rules and laws and codes of conducts and codes of "righteous and correct thoughts"... from the mindless knuckleheads heads in these cyberspace crevices to the highest of offices in such lands... with the ONLY & FAVORITE thing coming out of their mouths being:

you stupid, you just kneel and say yes, when the benevolent and righteous Lord rulers and their highly educated counselors and police and judges tell you to. keep your mouth shut --- especially if all you have in that stupid head of yours are nasty, untrue, counter-arguments to the correct leaders righteous and correct thinking --- and you live longer and prosper, if you was smart.

http://time.com/4148911/thailand-bhumibol-tongdaeng-lese-majeste/

I wonder how many months or years you get, if you insulted ONLY THE DOG'S TICKS OR FLEAS... the Great King of Thailand's majestic dog's fleas and ticks, that is? Assuming fleas and ticks exist on those dogs, of course... because in reality, they probably don't... but if THEY DID exist...
Her Lao
2015-12-16 02:17:43 UTC
Permalink
How to bring peace, prosperity, and harmony to society:

find and jail all the stupid people who have big, ugly mouths who spew falsehood at the good, wise, educated, and correct leaders all the time!

https://cpj.org/reports/2015/12/china-egypt-imprison-record-numbers-of-journalists-jail.php
Her Lao
2015-12-21 00:07:00 UTC
Permalink
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jul/01/hillary-clintons-emails-reveal-cherie-blairs-keen-lobbying-for-qatars-mozah

Why do you think Cherie Blair --- former PM of Britain's wife --- was wining and dining Hillary Clinton, whispering sweet nothingness in Clinton's ears, on the various occasions?

Obviously, she just LOVED everyone, exception the Qatari highly inbred ruling families and their business associates.... and NOT BECAUSE THEY AND THE BLAIR FOLKS ARE IN SOME SORT OF VERY PROFITABLE BUSINESS DEALS and other "pursuits to help the world."

This is why 26 or 28 year-old Chelsea Clinton, who has NEVER DONE ANY THING FOR HUMANITY except for her bank account, is charging as much as $60,000 per speech to these rulers of foreign countries and their businesses, both foreign and Americans:

ACCESS to the well connected and power, and how they operate, is worth quite a bit, isn't it?

Again, if you don't think these CORRUPTION goes on in all countries, including countries ran by singularly, exclusive "correct leadership" like Laos, China, etc. --- countries whose average per capita incomes are in the $1,500 to $3,500 range but whose LEADERS are worth millions to billions, living the high life that are exactly like the very rich and powerful families of the West whose average per capita incomes are 10 to 20 times as much --- then only two explanations fit your personality: unbelievably, incredibly naive OR snake oil sales people...
Her Lao
2015-12-31 23:24:27 UTC
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http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/31/china-telecom-boss-chang-xiaobing-quits-amid-corruption-crackdown

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Xi became Communist party chief in November 2012 and immediately announced plans for a relentless assault on corruption.

"A mass of facts tells us that if corruption becomes increasingly serious, it will inevitably doom the party and the state," he told the politburo, a group China's 25 most senior leaders, during one of its first meetings. "We must be vigilant."

Xi has since masterminded a once-unthinkable attack on some of the party's most feared and powerful figures. In June, Zhou Yongkang, the former security tsar who once controlled China's vast domestic security apparatus, was sentenced to life in prison for allegedly taking 129m yuan (£13.4m) in bribes.

The following month Ling Jihua, the former chief of staff to President Hu Jintao, was arrested and expelled from the party.

Senior military figures, including Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou, were also toppled as Xi attempted to rein in corruption - and political rivals - within the People's Liberation Army.

Yet Xi's corruption campaign is no longer limited to those in government or the army. In February last year, Liu Han, a Ferrari-obsessed mining tycoon who had once been worth more than £4bn, was executed for alleged involvement in organised crime.

Since China's stock market meltdown in July, dozens of top business figures have found themselves in Xi's crosshairs, with many missing after questioning.

The brief and as yet unexplained detention of Guo Guangchang, a billionaire tycoon some call China's Warren Buffett, this month has sent shockwaves through the international business community.

As Xi Jinping enters his fourth year in power there is little sign of his anti-corruption drive slowing. Some speculate whether Xi has Communist party titans such as former president Jiang Zemin or former prime minister Wen Jiabao in his sights.

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And why not? If Jiang Zemin, Wen Jiabao, Hu, or any other top communist leaders are living the high life, EXACTLY LIKE VERY RICH WESTERNERS DO, but the per capita income for the COMMON CHINESE PEOPLE are only a small fraction of the per capita income of most Western societies, then OBVIOUSLY SUCH FORMER LEADERS WEALTH MUST COME FROM CORRUPTION...

After all, only Laos leaders could work 2-3 FULL TIME JOBS simultenously, while serving as humble servants to Laos poor citizens...

It shouldn't take Xi or any other top leaders to figure it out that if you're working FULL TIME FOR THE COMMUNITY PARTY, whose SOLE PURPOSE is to develope the country and its people ---- NOT to put riches in your pockets as top dogs who are allowed to have power beyond the peasant workers --- AND YOU HAVE VACATION HOMES ALL OVER CHINA AND THE WORLD, then such wealth MUST have come from somewhere, someone.... not from your STATE PAID SALARY...

And, of course, in 6-7 years time, when Xi is gone, after a 10-year reign, then THE NEW LEADER could look into Xi's own finances and family businesses, and book him in the local or state prison, too, if they THINK XI too had been pocketing change during his reign, even as he went after OTHER corruptors from top posts of the "correct" Communist Party...

Old axiom should never be neglected:

Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

That is why the most enduring and most successful societies build INSTITUTIONAL CHECKS AND BALANCES --- which are NEVER very efficient or fast but are more enduring and more difficult to get-rid off overnight .... 'Tis so that institutional mechanism can be brought to bear, if constructed logically and prudently on the CONSENSUS of many parties, people and ideologies.... even if, inevitably, INDIVIDUALS in charge (of those institutions) are frail and easily corrupted, due to power and temptations...
Her Lao
2016-01-03 20:31:36 UTC
Permalink
http://america.aljazeera.com/multimedia/2016/1/as-belarus-economy-falters-lukashenko-looks-west.html

Remember the axiom of power corrupting and absolute power corrupting absolutely.

This, by the way === for those into Buddha's philosophy and Buddhism === is why the Buddha LEFT POWER and LUXURY to wander around the country and to experience life and to hope to understand the live of real people, suffering, and what's like to live without the ability to command people at the snap of the fingers, LIKE HE WAS USED TO in his previous life at the Palace...

Buddha KNEW, and everyone of us should also know, IF YOU ARE FIGHT YOUR WAY TO THE TOP, INSTALL YOURSELF AS THE CORRECT OR BEST RULER, and rule for endless years and install others who think like you do... and say such is the only "correct" way to rule, to think, and to do business.... if that happens, it is called CORRUPTION...

Passing laws saying YOUR CORRUPTION IS NOT CORRUPTION but "the correct way to think and to rule," does not matter... You can't wish away corruption and the usurpation of power by merely declaring they don't exist... and by merely rounding up citizens and peasants who question you, and killing them or putting them in prison, and silencing them forever.

That is what corrupt rulers do throughout history.
Her Lao
2016-01-05 02:29:14 UTC
Permalink
http://time.com/4148911/thailand-bhumibol-tongdaeng-lese-majeste/

Another form of deep corruption, both morally and judicially.

This is what happens, when you allow one man, one ideology, one family, or one political party to rule too long.

They start to think they are put here on earth to rule over everyone in their little domain; so one word against them, their pet dog or cat, their stupid retarded kid who should never have been police chief or commander in the armed forces or teachers or professor or business CEO... ONE WORD against them and you pay dearly, via death, disappearance, or long prison terms...

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/04/nimrs-execution-may-compound-saudi-arabias-problems

Even with two or more POLITICAL PARTIES and ENDLESS political ideological BS, do you think if Bushes, the Clintons, the Obamas, the Reagans, the FDRs, the Carters, etc. ruled for 10, 15, or 20 years straight... that THEY AND THEIR PALS and BUSINESS ASSOCIATES can't organized deep corruption, ranging from local community organizers, to teachers and doctors and professor associations who like them and their programs, to judges and police chiefs and military commanders?

Of course, they do.

We ALL WILL CORRUPT --- once/if we rise to the top of the ruling structures, IN ANY AND IN ALL TYPES OF SOCIETIES --- if the masses either can't or don't kick our asses ALL THE TIME through the various means that's NOT ALWAYS UNDER OUR CONTROL...

Look at the endemic corruption, bribery, and abject mindless BS we hear from our politicians here in the Western world... politicians who will club each other over the heads, if allowed, as they fight to the top.... and these are people who grovel, or pretend to grovel, at the feet of the VARIOUS CITIZENRY GROUP every 2, 4, or 6 years... because they must beat other competitors to have a chance to be elected...

Anyone one who think there are some NATURALLY CORRECT OR WISE leadership, or politicians, in the world... and all you have to do is just RECOGNIZE THEM, when they tell you they are those "correct leadership," and NOT say any thing false or nasty about then... and everything would be okay... anyone who THINKS like that obviously doesn't have a fully functioning brain...
Her Lao
2016-01-26 18:31:19 UTC
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http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/26/malaysian-pm-najib-razak-cleared-corruption-gift-saudi-royals

The PM said, Oh, you know, those Muslim brothers from Saudi Arabia, who are mostly millionaires and billionaires... they just love me and my Islamic activities, as prime minster... and their wiring me close to a BILLION DOLLAR... it's just a nice GIFT... you little people shouldn't worry about it!

Not at all! LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
Her Lao
2016-01-27 20:11:25 UTC
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http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/01/27/464586586/what-were-the-least-and-most-corrupt-countries-in-2015

Only one Asian nation makes the top 10 of THE LEAST corrupt countries. Virtually all of the top ranked countries are NORTHWESTER EUROPEAN and/or SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRIES.

Here are 10 countries that the index found to be the least corrupt:

1. Denmark
2. Finland
3. Sweden
4. New Zealand
5. Netherlands
5. Norway
7. Switzerland
8. Singapore
9. Canada
10. Germany


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It's just beyond comprehension, therefore, for a nation like Malaysia to say some foreigner wiring close to a billion dollars to the private account of one man, who happens to be your prime minister, is perfectly a normal, good, positive "gift" and nobody should blink once about it!

It's sad... that people and nations don't understand that THOSE are the acts in human societies that are the ROOT of what we called CORRUPTION: money and power going together in the hands of a few...
Her Lao
2016-02-06 05:08:15 UTC
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Money and corruption in Politics.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/05/politics/hillary-clinton-bill-clinton-paid-speeches/index.html

And don't think corruption is ONLY or MOSTLY going on in the WEST, either! Corruption in second and third world countries are even more endemic.

If you live in small countries like Laos, Zimbawbe, Belarus, Haiti, Cambodia, Burma, Ethiopia, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. === countries where YOUR AVERAGE PEOPLE, in per capita income basis, is only $1,000 to $5,000 a year but your political and military and police officials AND THEIR FAMILIES AND COLLEAGUES drive BMWs, Mercedes Benz, Lexus, etc., and have their kids taught by WESTERNERS or western trained teachers, etc === no body has to tell you HOW corrupt, OR NOT CORRUPT, your leaders are, compared to those in the West...

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2014/12/02/367815515/which-countries-are-the-most-corrupt

The colors above here:

YELLOW to LIGHT YELLOW represent less corrupt to least corrupt, respectively...

and

RED to DARK RED represent corrupt to highly corrupt, respectively...

But, as HILLARY SAYS TO BERNIE SANDERS: there is NO WAY you could get the signed agreement between these corrupted parties, as to what they gonna do for each other, as money exchange hands between the BRIBED and the BRIBERS...

Note that Hillary Clinton challenged Bernie Sanders, the socialist, to produce the paper saying she's been bought. "Put up or shut up," she and her team went on the offense, trying to shut him up!

NATURALLY, neither Hillary Clinton NOR Deutsche Bank nor Citi Bank nor Goldman Sach's people are dumb! So, of course, we're NOT gonna see the STRINGS that are attached to those big checks or dollar bills they gave to Hillary!
Her Lao
2016-02-07 21:43:40 UTC
Permalink
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2016/02/07/3746990/texas-officials-indictment/


If you don't think THESE THINGS are also happening in YOUR country, your face would likely be put on Mt. Rushmore soon!

Or Santa Claus could drop by any time, soon, through your chimney and give your a BMW or Lexus or Mercedes Benz, out of his should sack.
Her Lao
2016-02-11 03:42:10 UTC
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http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2016/02/09/ex-treasury-secretary-geithner-cashing-wall-street/80057762/#

How much of "the little people" interest or need do you think YOU or I would take seriously or as a true priority, when or if we, as powerful government figures like Obama's former Tim Geithner, TREASURY SECRETARY, knew that if we "play our cards right" where WALL STREET is concerned, that when we finish "servant the people," we could get very lucrative positions at those powerful Wall Street companies?

Not very much... most of us WILL DENY it, saying, as we see here and in the real world ALL THE TIME... about HOW good, how moral, how ethical, and how charitable and smart we all are... and we could and would never corrupt OR BE CORRUPTED, etc., etc.

But as I keep saying: at least in MORE OPEN societies, we little people would bitch about our politicians corruption... in most countries from around the world, especially the most corrupt and LEAST developed, one word against THE LEADERS and you are looking at years to decades of hard times in prison... of torture, rape, isolation, and/or starvation...

Remember, INSULTING THE KING OF THAILAND'S STUPID DOG got a blogger some 37 years imprisonment!

http://time.com/4148911/thailand-bhumibol-tongdaeng-lese-majeste/

What kind of Stone, Iron, and Bronze age mentality that'd run societies in the 21st century THAT WAY, with nothing but absolute intimidation and fear?

And that's NOT remotely in the realm of Edward Snowden LEAKING US government's classified and/or potentially compromising as well as embarrassing COMMUNICATION (about spying on EVERY LEADER on earth and know all of their stupid little and dangerous secrets), etc.

This was about SAYING ONE OR A FEW "bad words" are a fuckin' dog!... and getting almost 40 years over it? This is as primitive as you could get.... in human behavior, especially the behaviors of the "leaders."
Her Lao
2016-02-27 14:08:13 UTC
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http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/26/argentina-former-president-cristina-fernandez-peso-inflation-scheme

Corruption of this type of sophistication, where the very ruling people are accused of doing, of course, are so complex, unless people are engage in such activities or do trading in the stock markets and have a good understanding of complex financial scheming tactics and strategies (hedging, derivatives, futures, etc), they will simply have no tools to understanding them... so, to them, such corruption mighty as well NOT be real....

But for ruling folks, here in America and all other countries, they have very clever banking, financing, and economic schemers --- along with the law makers they have bribed to pass friendly laws on such activities --- who WILL ALWAYS use such tools and schemes to squeeze out of MILLIONS and tens of millions of "little people" tens to hundreds of billions worth of WEALTH...
Her Lao
2016-02-29 18:39:53 UTC
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http://www.businessinsider.com/iran-executed-entire-male-population-of-village-2016-2?r=UK&IR=T

Every society, from those considered freest and most developed to those considered least developed and most corrupt, has problems of ALL types.

But only societies ruled by ONE ideology, OR ONE SET of ideologies === revolving around one man or one theocracy or one correct/exclusive political ideology === only such societies could do THIS SORT OF THING: killing everyone the TOP OR CORRECT LEADERS considered to be bad, evil, corrupted, or counter-revolutionary.
Her Lao
2016-03-03 02:43:44 UTC
Permalink
http://time.com/4244312/malaysia-prime-minister-najib-razak-corruption-graft-1mdb/


Here's the picture of a tale of two cities:

Here in the West, if "very successful" people like Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Hillary Clinton, et al. go make speeches to Citi Bank, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Halliburton, Shell, Exxon Mobil, Trump Wall Foundation, etc., and make HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS in "speaking fees," we DON'T HAVE TO SAY ANY THING OUT LOUD but in the back of our minds... we KNOW this is how CORRUPTION works, among the powerful and well connected.

In Asia and for Asians --- regardless what political system they believe in or live under ... from North Korea, to South Korea, to China, to Laos, to Burma, to Thailand, to Vietnam, to Japan, to the Philippines, to Cambodia, to Malaysia, to Indonesia, etc ---- you could trace TENS to HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS going from somewhere, sometimes from SAUDI ARABIA or Qatar or the AUE or Russia, etc.... going into the PERSONAL/PRIVATE ACCOUNTS of one or some of the very top ruling elites...

But, in Asia and for Asians --- especially for the leaders who receive such giant cash "infusion" into their accounts --- THEY PRETEND THAT'S JUST HARD WORK!

In addition, IF YOU SAY SOMETHING ABOUT IT, it's YOU who will get your head chopped off!

In MOST but not all Asian societies, in fact, such corruption problems are "solved" by passing laws, BY THOSE VERY POWERFUL CORRUPTED politicians themselves, that says it is NOT LEGAL to report on such things, with penalties being, again, the death penalty to life time in prison... since those reports, the leaders say, would "damage the prestige" of the country & of the "correct' and "wise" leaders!

LOL

The Asian mentality.... it's out of this world!

From one country to the next, from the very richest and most developed to the very poorest and least develped, from one generation to the next, from one ruling political ideology to the next.... NOTHING substantially ever changes in the Asian mentality...
Her Lao
2016-03-08 22:04:31 UTC
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http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-03-08/iran-says-billionaire-can-evade-death-sentence-by-returning-cash?cmpid=yhoo.headline

There are three parties to this corruption, and the party we know to be LEAST guilty are the people.

Both this former billionaire oil smuggler and the Iranian oil company, run by the state, that gave oil to this guy to sell === to circumvent trade embargoes by much of the world, due to the coercion from the West, which controls much of the financial banks and other electronic transferring infrastructure needed by state actors to use to transfer large sums of money in transactions === both are corrupted and guilty.

Unfortunately, it's the Ayatollah rulers of Persia=== people who say they talk to the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE named Allah === who make get to say who's bad and good under their 7th century Sharia Law, so this guy is scapegoated, to serve as an example: even if you work for the State to get around global sanctions, if you cut too much of the pie, you can end up being put to death!
Her Lao
2016-03-11 02:49:12 UTC
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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-chicago-schools-sues-former-superintendent-0311-20160310-story.html

Remember, this goes on ALL THE TIME and goes on EVERYWHERE in every country... rich and poor, totalitarian and democratic...

If you don't believe these things go on in YOUR city, state, province or country, you just don't know much. Or just don't care.

Or perhaps you are PREVENTED from knowing by ruling decrees, by the "correct" leaders and rulers, who say they are innately wise, good, moral, ethical, and incorruptible... and even you KNOW that is NOT possible!
Her Lao
2016-03-14 04:48:59 UTC
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http://in.reuters.com/article/malaysia-politics-australia-idINL3N16M087

Some oil rich monarch from the Middle East wired into YOUR PRIVATE ACCOUNT, as the leader/PM of a country, in Asia, some $680M, and you put "bad people" and "evil journalists" in jail, when they question you?

Step back just one step and assess this situation very carefully: there is something NOT right in this picture.

And it has NOTHING to do with the journalists or people in Malaysia or over the world, asking WHY something that strange would happen... that a total foreigner would wire close to $1B into another leader, of another country's private account... with both the SENDER and RECEIVER of such money say, THERE IS NOTHING BAD, ILLEGAL, CORRUPTING, INAPPROPRIATE, or slightly amiss about it!
Her Lao
2016-03-17 11:10:46 UTC
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http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-03-17/rousseff-phone-tap-renews-doubt-over-brazil-government-s-future
Her Lao
2016-03-20 08:20:34 UTC
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http://in.reuters.com/article/brazil-politics-poll-idINKCN0WM03A

Luckily, some countries --- especially those with good, honest, wise, and incorruptible leadership --- DO NOT ALLOW these kinds of trouble-making statistical surveys, by so-called journalists, academics, and trouble-makers whose aims are only to fool THE PEOPLE to see how they "feel" about their leaders!
Her Lao
2016-03-26 04:49:15 UTC
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http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35903039

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/2nd-navy-captain-pleads-guilty-in-bribery-scheme/ar-AA8bwz6

This guy, somehow, was able to evade the various "vetting" processes on his way up through the ranks. As a captain in the US Navy, he's just one step away from a one-star general/rear admiral...

You gonna spend most of your adult life working your way up the ranks of the armed forces, and then piss it away by accepting a few thousands dollars worth of bribe from a foreign government... in hotel accommodation, prostitutes, etc?, and THINK no one, least of all, your government, your nation, and your immediate superiors... no one is gonna be the wiser?

What the hell is wrong with people?
Her Lao
2016-03-26 11:54:52 UTC
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http://www.marketwatch.com/story/for-profit-college-ordered-to-pay-over-1-billion-for-misleading-students-2016-03-24?siteid=yhoof2

Whether it's "Trump University" --- just mindless seminars on how to flip real estates (basically snake oil sales activities) --- or this "Corinthian Colleges" or these "religious" and "home schools" and "charter schools" or these other hundreds of FOR PROFIT "on-line" universities.... it's more or less the same thing... the objective is to get money from either your pockets directly into theirs... or to get the money we paid into the state and federal treasuries into their pockets....
Her Lao
2016-03-28 11:35:08 UTC
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This is what you have to put up with, when you live in "peace loving,"
"harmonious," and "law and order" societies where ONE MAN, ONE POLITICAL PARTY, ONE IDEOLOGY, or ONE FAMILY gets to decide HOW people think, WHAT they are allowed to think, WHERE they are allowed to think what they are allowed to think, etc.

http://time.com/4273295/xi-jinping-wujie-media-letter/

At least 14 people have disappeared in a matter of weeks

Authorities in China are attempting to track down the author of a controversial open letter calling for President Xi Jinping's resignation, published earlier this month on a Chinese news website.

The Wall Street Journal reports that at least 14 have disappeared in the wake of the letter's publication -- four from Wujie Media, the outlet that published the letter, and 10 others from a connected technical firm. Meanwhile, the company's website and social-media accounts have been quiet since mid-March.

One journalist, a Beijing-based freelancer named Jia Jia, was arrested at the capital city's airport on March 15 as he attempted to board a flight to Hong Kong, though Jia's confidants say that he was not connected to the letter's publication.

The letter, putatively written by "loyal Communist Party members," is the latest token of political dissatisfaction in mainland China; the subsequent disappearances are the latest suggestion that Xi's administration has little tolerance for those who speak out against it.
Her Lao
2016-03-30 00:27:48 UTC
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http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/29/brazil-president-dilma-rousseff-closer-impeachment-coalition-partner-quits

This is INEVITABLY the result, when one party, one man, one woman, one ideology, one belief system, one "correct leadership," etc. RULES for too many years.

You put me in charge of such a government, I too will corrupt. When I amass too much power, connection, and privilege, I will INEVITABLY think it is MY SUPERIOR what-ever the fuck it is, that is getting me all these goodies; and IN ORDER TO CONTINUE with the SYSTEM that has brought me so much wealth, power, and connection, I TOO WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES to stay in office... or will ensure MY POINT MAN or WOMAN gets to continue my benevolence, which, again, has brought me and MY PARTY and IDEOLOGY so much wealth, privilege, and connection.

In such a world, my nuclear family, extended families, friends and associates, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO KOWTOW to me saying how nice, how noble, how good, how wise I am === and saying other such bullshit === would get good jobs, good connection from my big, exclusive Rolodex, etc.

In addition, the military and congressional people, as well as the business men and women who want to be rich, well connected, and privileged... they all would sing my praises... about what a marvelous ruler I am, etc.

THAT IS HOW humans are corrupt.

But do you think I WOULD ACKNOWLEDGE my corruption? Of course not! I would just babble that any one who would say such a thing was just jealous of my goodness, wisdom, intelligence, hard working self... and THEREFORE, such fools and trouble makers should either shut their big stupid mouths or be made disappeared.

POWER AND MONEY will always corrupt; the more power you have and the more money you have, the more corrupt YOU HAVE TO BE in order to keep those things going your way...
Her Lao
2016-04-01 03:07:06 UTC
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http://time.com/4277324/1mdb-najib-razak-spending-corruption/

The scandal intensifies around Malaysia's embattled leader

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has bought millions of dollars worth of luxury items using funds that investigators believe were siphoned from a struggling state development fund, according to a Wall Street Journal report published Thursday morning local time.

It is the latest development in a scandal that has embroiled Najib and led many Malaysians -- including former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, once Najib's political mentor -- to demand his resignation.

Last July, the Journal and the London-based investigative news website Sarawak Report reported that Najib's personal accounts held nearly $700 million in funds that had been traced to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a debt-saddled investment fund launched by Najib during his first months in office in 2009. (Last month, the Journal reported that the sum was larger than originally believed -- upwards of $1 billion.)
Her Lao
2016-04-04 20:25:10 UTC
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https://www.yahoo.com/news/panama-papers-family-chinas-president-xi-implicated-075633225.html

http://www.theguardian.com/news/live/2016/apr/04/panama-papers-global-reaction-to-huge-leak-of-offshore-tax-files-live

Remember this simple dictum: POWER CORRUPTS; ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY.

You will corrupt; I will corrupt; and everyone else will corrupt. Whoever who says he or she is beyond corruption IS LIKELY THE MOST CORRUPT of all.

The LEAST corrupt and LEAST corruptible are the poorest and those who are able or willing to WALK AWAY from power and wealth. That's it. EVERYONE ELSE will corrupt, IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER, when they are in position to do so.

Not surprisingly, the most corrupted are those who boast of HOW GOOD, MORAL, FAIR, WISE, etc. they are and if everyone would just bow to them and their wisdom and good and correct leadership, that earth would be a shiny city on a hill.... whoever who says things like that are basically broadcasting their corruption in the open....
Her Lao
2016-04-06 08:21:41 UTC
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https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/leaked-documents-show-mexican-president-201645610.html

BTW, Bernie Sanders, the Evil Socialist spoke ABOUT this problem back in 2011, when the so-called PANAMA FREE TRADE AGREEMENT was being discussed in CONGRESS... speaking about WHAT the agreement really was about, and it ain't about free trade or jobs for American workers...

The legislation was really lobbied for by powerful and connected and rich people, so they could HIDE MONEY MADE FROM AMERICANS... AND DO IT IN THE OPEN, IN TOTAL LEGAL framework...

And, no, contrary to BILLIONIARE MAN AND KGB Putin, the PAPANAMA PAPERS scandal is NOT about him... he just happens to be one of the USERS of that SHELL COMPANY TACTIC to hide wealth taken out of Russia... hide it for him and his close business pals....

Note that China's Xi BANNED this issue from being discussed, because HE TOO has family members hiding tens to hundreds of millions, shipped away from China to hide around the world, in the various complicated ways, so no tracing could be done NORMALLY?

This is how CORRUPTION and POWER and EXCESSIVE WEALTH go together...
Her Lao
2016-04-06 21:53:53 UTC
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http://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/apr/06/panama-papers-reveal-offshore-secrets-china-red-nobility-big-business


Think: rulers and their families in 2nd and 3rd world countries having and hiding tens to hundreds of millions of dollars, in foreign shores, is comparable to rulers and their families in very rich countries like the USA, Britain, France, etc., stashing away TENS to HUNDREDS of BILLIONS of dollars away in those same foreign shore accounts.

No doubt, American politicians and their business associates hide hundreds of billions... but at least the wealth here in the West are in the TENS OF TRILLIONS... that's number 1; number 2, the Bushes, Clintons, Obamas do have tens of millions... but, again, in an economy that is close to $20T a year, if politicians in the west and their families were equally corrupt, we SHOULD BE SEEING them hiding away TENS to HUNDREDS of BILLIONS in these foreign shore accounts....

But we don't see that.

Why?

Because these folks here in the West, in the largest economies and richest nations... they CAN'T and DON'T rule for decades and decades, sometimes exclusively, saying they and their ideologies were the only allowed ones, the only correct ones, etc.

When YOU ALLOW people to think THEY and THEIR IDEOLOGIES are the only correct, the only allowed, ones... CORRUPTION HAPPENS AT THE HIGHEST RATES.. and that happens in 2nd and 3rd world nations, from Russia and China on down...
Her Lao
2016-04-07 23:24:27 UTC
Permalink
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-35992167

You see the easy difference between the more sophisticated, more mature leaders of the West, as compared to 2nd and 3rd world leaders like those in Russia, China, Ukraine, etc.

Cameron of Britain got caught, by having a share in his late father's scheme, but he, Cameron, sold his shares, he said, AND PAID THE REQUIRED TAXES for profit from such schemes.

Contrast THAT approach to Putin of Russia and Xi of China: these two guys, on the other hand, they think THE WHOLE SCAM THAT'S NOW EXPOSED was just dug up by stupid journalists ONLY TO GIVE THEM, Putin and Xi, bad names... so, their tactics: close all media outlets which report such scams, and punish those who spread the ACTUAL corruption... and such actions, these neanderthal leaders believe, WOULD JUST MAKE THINGS GO AWAY... since ordinary citizens would never dare to say any thing in public, since they would never risk their lives over exposing corruption of the elites...

Very different approaches to life and living.... the primitive and simple-minded neanderthal who rule by force and the more modern (and almost equally corrupted) leaders who rule by OPENLY arguing with the citizens that they make commit some errors but that they are sorry (even if that's not true) and/or that they've paid taxes on their ill-gotten gains from schemes from overseas, etc.
Her Lao
2016-04-08 11:24:56 UTC
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http://www.theguardian.com/news/commentisfree/2016/apr/08/panama-papers-offshore-tax-haven-reform-carl-levin

Bipartisan legislation pending in the US Congress requiring the collection of beneficial ownership information for US corporations has languished despite law enforcement pleas for action. The biggest impediment is opposition from the secretaries of state of our 50 states, who financially benefit from forming new corporations and don't want to ask questions that might jeopardize their revenue. Our states need to wake up to the damage they are doing and stop forming corporations with hidden owners.

+++++++++++++++++

Imagine that, folks: if in societies where politicians, both appointed and elected, are supposedly afraid OF THE PEOPLE, the LITTLE PEOPLE, who are supposed to be the MASTERS.... because if you're politicians, you get to BEG the voters, once a couple years, for their votes... AND YOU DO THESE THINGS...

Imagine what politicians and leaders do in countries where ONE MAN, or ONE FAMILY, or ONE IDEOLOGICAL GROUP getting to dictate to everyone saying ONLY THEY, this person or small group or one ideology, IS THE ONLY ONE ALLOWED... imagine what the systemic corruption is like... among this one person or one small group of rulers and their small circles of friends and business associates....
Her Lao
2016-04-08 11:34:58 UTC
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http://time.com/4286316/panama-papers-david-cameron/

Think of the differences among first world, on the one hand, and second and third world, on the other....

In the supposedly highly corrupt West, a few thousands or a few hundred thousands === please note that the PM of Iceland is already out of a job

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/06/world/europe/panama-papers-iceland.html?_r=0

... even if you say, like PM David Cameron of Britain, "bought into" a scheme for a couple thousand and sold it some years later for only $31,000.... THAT still got him questioned BY THE LITTLE PEOPLE of Britain....

Look at the case of MALYSIA's current PM.... some guy from OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTRY, the dictator of Saudi Arabia, wired you close to $700M freakin' dollars, into your PRIVATE ACCOUNT... and Asian leaders (in Cambodia, in Japan, in Laos, in China, in Thailand, in Japan, in South Korea, in Indonesia, in the Philippines, in Indonesia, in Burma, etc.) SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT!
Her Lao
2016-04-09 15:27:33 UTC
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http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-36002759
Her Lao
2016-04-10 19:44:39 UTC
Permalink
Post by Her Lao
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-36002759
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-panama-tax-britain-idUSKCN0X60WL

These are some of the steps more mature, more civilized leaders do, in industrialized nations....

Okay, I really fucked up... and I am willing to do whatever I think necessary to satisfy the people's demands to know more about the situation... either by resigning, AS IN ICELAND, or in publishing, voluntarily, tax records... to assure the "little people" have don't have any else to hide...

What do leaders in countries like Laos, China, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, etc., do?

You fuckers better shut up, right now, and stop searching the internet, which we have already deleted most things which say any thing about us, the good, correct, wise and incorruptible leaders..... and if you persist in asking about me, us, the wise and correct rulers, then you WILL PAY with your life, by going to hard labor prison, for decades... or be made to puff-disappear!

Quite a difference, isn't it, in how MORE democratic and MORE totalitarian societies LEADERS behave and conduct their lives?
Her Lao
2016-04-10 21:08:20 UTC
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2016/04/10/navy-officer-faces-charges-of-espionage-and-prostitution-in-highly-secretive-case/

Corruption and bribery come in different forms, flavors, and means...

But when you are an Asian American, naturalized, and you do this to your new country, a country you promised to protect and build upon, and you go on to steal secrets from, AFTER YOU'VE BEEN PROMOTED TO HIGH POSITIONS IN THE GOVERNMENT THAT ALLOWED YOU TO SUPERVISE ITS MANY SECRETS, you will be treated as a dog by BOTH the USA and the country you stole for, China...

You think China's gonna care about you, now?

Further, you cast suspicions on other Americans of Asian descent, natural born or naturalized...
Her Lao
2016-04-10 22:15:59 UTC
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http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-hartung-pentagon-waste-20160410-story.html


This is what happens, when you have close to $1 TRILLION to spend, on weapons systems.

From you family businesses, business associates which employ people you know and family members, and pals you went to school with who are now in the "private businesses" of making weapons parts and you are in the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT in high positions to dole out dollars from tens of millions of "little people" whose taxes amount to TRILLIONS and TRILLIONS over a few years of expenditure you're in charge of spending...

Corruption and bribery and other fleecing of people and society come in different forms, means, and methods...
Her Lao
2016-04-10 22:36:46 UTC
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http://www.theguardian.com/news/commentisfree/2016/apr/10/money-offshore-corrupt-democracy-political-influence


And for those who wonder why there hasn't been too many prominent American millionaires and billionaires names being on the PANAMA PAPERS cheating scam... well, Americans don't need to use these scams in small, third world countries... because we have perfectly DOMESTIC SCAMS and SCHEMES to hide and they are even better, in some states, and they are safer, too!

In the tamest and best known form, it's called TRUSTS and BLIND TRUSTS... "blind" is to mean YOU the owner don't get to say how it is "invested" ... only the fund managers and financial institutions managing your wealth get to do that.

That's a big fat lie that NO BODY === us little people OR the rich who engage in such things === believe in.

Of course, the more insidious scams and schemes, are those neither government nor any other people know any thing about BECAUSE THE LAW IN THE CONCERNED STATES allow total anonymous account schemes...ranging from the "LLC" schemes to more "exotic" ones you have to have tens or millions to billions, to have enough money to pay the fees for such set-ups...
Her Lao
2016-04-13 05:53:49 UTC
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http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/12/business/dealbook/goldman-sachs-to-pay-5-1-billion-in-mortgage-settlement.html?_r=0


If you're not guilty, would you pay BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FINE? Of course not.

But notice that virtually all of the USA biggest banks --- which have sold investors "exotic instruments" (packages of complex and bad investment deals) --- have paid multi-billion to the US government over the last a couple years?

These, remember, are run by "the best and brightest"... who believe, TOTALLY, they say, in THE MARKET ECONOMY, with little to no government intervention... who command TENS to HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of dollars per year in compensation... and these also are the institutions that WE THE LITTLE PEOPLE have bailed out, when their paper chasing, deal-flipping resulted in the greatest recession since the late 1920s...
Her Lao
2016-04-14 08:18:02 UTC
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http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/14/us-corporations-14-trillion-hidden-tax-havens-oxfam
Her Lao
2016-04-18 22:11:20 UTC
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http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/18/putins-spokesman-earned-four-time-more-than-his-boss-in-2015

Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, earned four times more income last year than his boss, according to declarations released by the Kremlin.

Peskov said on Monday that the discrepancy was because he had received an inheritance payment after his father died. He declared an income of 37.6m roubles (£388,000) in 2015, up from 9.2m roubles in 2014. The Russian president's declared income for 2015 was 8.9m roubles.

Peskov told journalists on Monday that the money was "salary, and sadly I got an inheritance when my father died".

He also owns three apartments and a Toyota Land Cruiser, according to the declaration, while Putin declared ownership of three Russian-made cars, a trailer, a plot of land and a small apartment.

Critics have said the income declarations, which are obligatory for all high-ranking officials, are meaningless given the numerous ways that exist for getting around them.

Revelations from the Panama Papers, published in the Guardian, linked Sergei Roldugin, a cellist and old friend of Putin, to a number of offshore companies with cash flows of up to $2bn (£1.4bn). Many of Putin's other friends from the 1970s and 1980s have gone on to become billionaires.
Her Lao
2016-05-22 22:42:33 UTC
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http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/23/world/asia/vietnam-obama-china.html?_r=0

While Vietnam has grown robustly — the transformation of this city’s airport and skyline over the past two decades is astonishing — the country remains saddled with a bloated state sector that dominates telecommunications and other crucial parts of the economy, and reliance on low-wage manufacturing that will be increasingly difficult to sustain as the country prospers.

Widespread corruption undermines economic growth; government officials with modest salaries can be seen touring the countryside in expensive European automobiles.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Even when you have competing ideas, political parties, political leaders, etc. you have immense corruption. Look at the US, England, France, etc.

But when you have ONE exclusive ruling ideology that controls one and only one political party that is forced down everyone throats as THE ONLY CORRECT and WISEST and MOST INCORRUPTIBLE ideology and party, you will have politicians, from the local to the federal, having millions to hundreds of millions in offshore accounts and drive top American and Japanese and European imported cars.... even if they only earn a couple hundreds to a couple thousand a year as salaries....

They, as we have seen touted here in SCL, tout their having luxury cars, homes, large offshore accounts, being able to send their kids and grand kids to Western countries for education, or being able to afford expensive private tutors.... as MERELY WORKING 2, 3, OR 4 full time jobs AS THEY PATRIOTICALLY CARRY OUT THEIR small-salaried jobs FULL TIME, too!

That is what we here in the West call CORRUPTION and BRIBERY... we see that in our leaders and their kids... like the Clintons, Bushes, Obamas, etc.

But in Laos, Cuba, China, Vietnam, etc. YOU, THE CITIZENS, can't say that since it is ILLEGAL to say that about your own ruling elites... since whatever they do, they demand you respect them, since they're making your rich, educated, wealthy and healthy... even as you struggle along for years and decades as before but your ruling elites like EXACTLY like Westerners and their equally corrupted leaders...
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