A Destructive Crossroads

Dylan Ratigan

January 8, 2011 06:54 PM
Huffington Post

We find ourselves at a violent crossroads. Whether you are a national voice or an individual without a voice -- there are simple questions we all must ask ourselves today. As individuals wrestle with either a modest or an extreme sense of unfairness in the American political system, the question we have to ask ourselves is "What are we going to do with that energy?

Whatever is to be said about the state of the gunman today, whether he had psychological issues or not, he was angry. Across America today, people are angry. They may choose to channel that anger in a number of either self-destructive or destructive ways. But whatever any of our feelings are, our challenge and our obligation is to channel that energy into a path based on resolution. For a path based on destruction is just that, destruction.

There are two categories of people. The first category is those in the powerful elite -- whether you are an active serving political leader in the legislature, a former political leader, governor or president, a leader of a non-profit group, or the leader of a political organization ranging from the NRA, MoveOn.org and the Sierra Club, or whether you are a national or local broadcaster focusing on political issues or some form of political strategist or advisor. This is the power class: The group that has a clear avenue of expression and power inside the political process, inside the political media, and inside politically organized institutions.

Or you may find yourself as the vast majority of Americans do, as a passive observer with little sense beyond your ability to vote -- without having an avenue to express your beliefs and ideas when it comes to the national conversation.

Both the power class and the passive class are experiencing this sense of frustration and unfairness to one degree or another. As the internalization of that energy is self-destructive, it begs the question... How do we as a nation, both as the power class and the passive class, express and ultimately resolve the ongoing unfairness that exists in this country to this day? Though we may not like to believe it, grave unfairness has existed since this country's founding. Yet, the beauty of the idea that is America is the principle of a government beholden to all of its citizens. As frustrating as the unfairness may appear to be, it is imperative we understand the context that this country has always represented: the ideals of quality and freedom. But our country has always fallen short -- it has always been an ongoing process of trying to close the gap between that unfairness and our ideals.

Today, we find ourselves at a violent crossroads in American history as a result of our inability, or unwillingness to find a healthy outlet to resolve these problems. We now have two options. Internalize the energy into a sea of bile and resentment that will cause you to become less effective, productive and beneficial to those in your life. Internalizing this energy without finding a positive recourse is a recipe for personal disaster. I speak from experience. Internalizing that energy of unfairness, that frustration and that anger is a recipe for self-destruction from a personal to a national level. We now find ourselves with a desperate need for an outlet for that energy, a need for an outlet that solves our problems rather than destroying ourselves or those around us. So I pose two questions: For the power class, how are you using the energy of frustration and anger that revolves around the unfairness of this country? Are you using it as a tool to manipulate your environment in order to accumulate power, wealth, fame, or some other self-serving manifestation?

For the passive class, have you chosen to deal with your knowledge of this unfairness either through denial of its existence, or through a logical apathy founded upon the belief that nothing you do will matter?

It goes without saying that the events of today are a wake-up call for every American, regardless of their position in this society. And as we stand as a group at this violent fork in the road, will those within the power class take this wakeup call to acknowledge the responsibility they have to utilize their influence to serve the interests of increased fairness in America -- even if that requires the suffering of personal losses or losses among your powerbase ?

Understand that whether we like it or not, the personal indulgence of this exploitation by some in order to accumulate wealth and power is done so at a mortal danger to all Americans -- each likely as concerned for the wellbeing of this country as you, the passive class, may believe yourself to be.

America is in a desperate need of engagement by all of its citizens, and we all must understand that the luxury of denial and logical apathy among the passive can no longer be afforded. What we witnessed today is the worst expression of human nature. The unresolved frustration that led to today's events not only took the lives of at least five people, but also destroyed the life of the shooter himself in the ultimate act of self-destruction. Shockwaves will be sent through the legislative body of America for months to come.

The path of destruction of ourselves, or of others, is an easy path. The path of resolution, shared sacrifice, and the brutal honesty necessary for those who are benefitting the most from the culture of unfairness that plagues this country today must be addressed.

It is easy for someone like myself or anybody else to get up on a soapbox and point fingers as to who may be given bad guy, or where a given failure, may exist. But, setting a path to resolve the unfairness that plagues this country will originate not by looking outward at those whom we believe are perpetrating a given unfairness, but through a period of brutally honest inward reflection into the values that each of us apply to the ways we make the decisions in our days, from one minute to the next.

It is through investment in internal reflection that we can open the door to the knowledge that only our own happiness and fulfillment can manifest a peaceful path to resolving the problems that we face as a nation.

Through that reflection, those in power can ask themselves whether they can muster the necessary courage to reject the forces of their own ego and their own paycheck to make what they know is the right decision.

Through that reflection, the passive class can muster the strength to shed the protections of denial and apathy.

While your voice may feel hollow by itself, the possibility of becoming part of a national chorus of awakened can serve as a deeper foundation for the compassion and wisdom to accept our own shortfalls and those of our leadership as we continue the national trip toward a more fair and free America We find ourselves at a violent crossroads. Whether you are a national voice or an individual without a voice -- there are simple questions we all must ask ourselves today. As individuals wrestle with either a modest or an extreme sense of unfairness in the American political system, the question we have to ask ourselves is "What are we going to do with that energy?

Whatever is to be said about the state of the gunman today, whether he had psychological issues or not, he was angry. Across America today, people are angry. They may choose to channel that anger in a number of either self-destructive or destructive ways. But whatever any of our feelings are, our challenge and our obligation is to channel that energy into a path based on resolution. For a path based on destruction is just that, destruction.

There are two categories of people. The first category is those in the powerful elite -- whether you are an active serving political leader in the legislature, a former political leader, governor or president, a leader of a non-profit group, or the leader of a political organization ranging from the NRA, MoveOn.org and the Sierra Club, or whether you are a national or local broadcaster focusing on political issues or some form of political strategist or advisor. This is the power class: The group that has a clear avenue of expression and power inside the political process, inside the political media, and inside politically organized institutions.

Or you may find yourself as the vast majority of Americans do, as a passive observer with little sense beyond your ability to vote -- without having an avenue to express your beliefs and ideas when it comes to the national conversation.

Both the power class and the passive class are experiencing this sense of frustration and unfairness to one degree or another. As the internalization of that energy is self-destructive, it begs the question... How do we as a nation, both as the power class and the passive class, express and ultimately resolve the ongoing unfairness that exists in this country to this day? Though we may not like to believe it, grave unfairness has existed since this country's founding. Yet, the beauty of the idea that is America is the principle of a government beholden to all of its citizens. As frustrating as the unfairness may appear to be, it is imperative we understand the context that this country has always represented: the ideals of quality and freedom. But our country has always fallen short -- it has always been an ongoing process of trying to close the gap between that unfairness and our ideals.

Today, we find ourselves at a violent crossroads in American history as a result of our inability, or unwillingness to find a healthy outlet to resolve these problems. we now have two options. Internalize the energy into a sea of bile and resentment that will cause you to become less effective, productive and beneficial to those in your life. Internalizing this energy without finding a positive recourse is a recipe for personal disaster. I speak from experience. Internalizing that energy of unfairness, that frustration and that anger is a recipe for self-destruction from a personal to a national level. We now find ourselves with a desperate need for an outlet for that energy, a need for an outlet that solves our problems rather than destroying ourselves or those around us. So I pose two questions: For the power class, how are you using the energy of frustration and anger that revolves around the unfairness of this country? Are you using it as a tool to manipulate your environment in order to accumulate power, wealth, fame, or some other self-serving manifestation?

For the passive class, have you chosen to deal with your knowledge of this unfairness either through denial of its existence, or through a logical apathy founded upon the belief that nothing you do will matter?

It goes without saying that the events of today are a wake-up call for every American, regardless of their position in this society. And as we stand as a group at this violent fork in the road, will those within the power class take this wakeup call to acknowledge the responsibility they have to utilize their influence to serve the interests of increased fairness in America -- even if that requires the suffering of personal losses or losses among your powerbase ?

Understand that whether we like it or not, the personal indulgence of this exploitation by some in order to accumulate wealth and power is done so at a mortal danger to all Americans -- each likely as concerned for the wellbeing of this country as you, the passive class, may believe yourself to be.

America is in a desperate need of engagement by all of its citizens, and we all must understand that the luxury of denial and logical apathy among the passive can no longer be afforded. What we witnessed today is the worst expression of human nature. The unresolved frustration that led to today's events not only took the lives of at least five people, but also destroyed the life of the shooter himself in the ultimate act of self-destruction. Shockwaves will be sent through the legislative body of America for months to come.

The path of destruction of ourselves, or of others, is an easy path. The path of resolution, shared sacrifice, and the brutal honesty necessary for those who are benefitting the most from the culture of unfairness that plagues this country today must be addressed.

It is easy for someone like myself or anybody else to get up on a soapbox and point fingers as to who may be given bad guy, or where a given failure, may exist. But, setting a path to resolve the unfairness that plagues this country will originate not by looking outward at those whom we believe are perpetrating a given unfairness, but through a period of brutally honest inward reflection into the values that each of us apply to the ways we make the decisions in our days, from one minute to the next.

It is through investment in internal reflection that we can open the door to the knowledge that only our own happiness and fulfillment can manifest a peaceful path to resolving the problems that we face as a nation.

Through that reflection, those in power can ask themselves whether they can muster the necessary courage to reject the forces of their own ego and their own paycheck to make what they know is the right decision.

Through that reflection, the passive class can muster the strength to shed the protections of denial and apathy.

While your voice may feel hollow by itself, the possibility of becoming part of a national chorus of awakened can serve as a deeper foundation for the compassion and wisdom to accept our own shortfalls and those of our leadership as we continue the national trip toward a more fair and free America

Dylan Ratigan: "The Financial Industry is Stealing America's Money"

Dylan Ratigan Rips GOP Congressman Kevin Brady Over Wall Street Greed

First Posted: 07-13-10 08:02 PM | Updated: 07-13-10 08:03 PM
Huffington Post

Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) looked uncomfortable when MSNBC host Dylan Ratigan introduced him Tuesday afternoon to talk about unemployment benefits and Wall Street greed. Brady's discomfort proved well-founded.

Ratigan tore into the Texas Republican, who voted against the extension of unemployment benefits but for the Wall Street bailout known as the Troubled Asset Relief Program. Brady repeatedly attempted to deflect Ratigan's harsh line of questioning on the nature of Wall Street by arguing that potential -- not actual -- tax increases are stifling capital investment and thus job creation, but the MSNBC host didn't let up.

"I know you have an issue with the government, but I've got an issue with a private industry that's using the government to rape my country of its money, and I'd like to try to put a stop to that," Ratigan said.

"We are facing higher taxes in energy and income and capital and dividends," Brady argued, not for the last time. "All those tax proposals are what's keeping our recovery from gaining steam--"

"That's a lie. That's a lie," Ratigan shot back. "What's keeping our recovery from gaining steam is the fact that the financial industry is stealing America's money, depriving this country of any investment whatsoever, and that is the entire basis of our system, and the government has converted it from an investment vehicle into a vehicle for it to steal money for its rich friends."

The MSNBC host ended the segment on a frustrated note, complaining that Brady simply retreated to his talking points. "I'm done with you," Ratigan said, after he challenged Brady to answer his questions and his guest resumed talking about possible future taxes.

WATCH:

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The Dylan Ratigan Show: A Truth-Teller in a Sea of Corporate Mendacity

Dylan Ratigan on Financial Reform Legislation:

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Ratigan: Break up big banks, now
MSNBC host critiques President Barack Obama's speech to Wall Street

Msnbc's Dylan Ratigan offers his analysis of President Barack Obama's speech to Wall Street about financial reform.

The Good: The president had strong language for backing real derivative reforms.

The Bad: Vague language about the “Volcker Rule” will not stop too big to fail; but a plan like this for breaking up the current mega-banks and limiting their liabilities will.

The Missing: None of this matters while our cops still work for the crooks.

To wit: Our main form of protection against these kinds of financial criminals, the SEC, remains woefully underfunded. The revolving door between government regulators and the high-paying banks they supposedly regulate remains as fluid as ever. Does it get any scarier than White House counsel jumping from President Obama’s side one day to Lloyd Blankfein’s the next? Actually, I guess it does when institutions that should fear the government instead now just declare all out war.

Meanwhile, the complicit ratings agencies remain a government-sponsored cartel paid by the banks for their favorable grades.

But what is the final backstop that is supposed to protect us next time around under this new plan? Well, Secretary Timothy Geithner explained today on "Morning Joe" that they would be able to stop the next bailout if only they had the authority to do so. Then finally, they could do things like wipe out equity holders, replace management; you know, kind of like the same steps that they were somehow magically able to do with GM.

But we all know the truth – no one will do that to the banks until they are no longer "too big to fail." As William Black so eloquently told Congress this week, Mr. Geithner and Chairman Bernanke already had that chance to do this to the big banks last time around and they chickened out.

The only way to keep this from happening again is to break up these big banks now and it is up to us to find people with the guts to do so. Hopefully, one of them will be our current President.