Financial Crimes

Mark Noonan15 Comments

The Game Stop scandal once and for all exposed just how corrupt the financial system is. The bottom line is that regular folks simply outwitted the Experts and the Experts, rather than take the loss and learn the lesson, called on the power of major corporations and government regulators to squash the regular folks. They do want us to take our savings and dump it in the market, but they don’t want a million of us, each using our $1,000.00, to do what they do all the time – manipulate stock prices for personal benefit.

This was also a rare moment of unity where everyone from Commies to MAGA were united in their outrage. Naturally, most solutions proposed for this are ineffective. I’m still in favor of breaking up all large corporations and confiscating all personal wealth above $5 billion (the proceeds to be distributed by lottery to American citizens in $100,000.00 lots). But even the Commies aren’t in favor of that. So, as we won’t actually solve the problem, a few other proposals.

  1. You can’t sell stock you don’t own (they really do this).
  2. The additional capital gains tax on a stock held less than 24 hours is 90%. Less than a week, 50%. Less than a month, 40%. Thirty one days or longer, no additional penalty. The idea here is to get people to be investors, rather than gamblers.
  3. Corporate boards are responsible, civil and criminal, if financially critical corporate information leaks before public announcement (this to hamper insider trading; don’t go after the guy who acts on a tip – go after the tipster).
  4. Shares of corporations bidding for government contracts in excess of $10 billion cannot be traded until after the contract is released. Once you start the bid process, no one can buy or sell your stock (this to prevent government people from insider trading).
  5. No bail out, ever, for any financial corporation. Sink or swim.
  6. No corporate executive can become a government employee until five years after leaving corporate employment. No government employee can become a corporate executive or board member until ten years after leaving government.
  7. Corporations with a market cap in excess of $1 billion cannot donate to political parties; pay speaking fees; employ spouses, siblings; children, grandchildren, parents, first cousins or in-laws of government officials

I know we’ve all defended free markets – and, in fact, we still do. But the reality is that we don’t have free markets. We have a quasi-feudal, bastard child of Capitalism and Socialism. The economy isn’t for GDP. It isn’t to get rich. It isn’t to provide a tax base. It is to allow one person, working hard and living frugally, to support a family and leave a legacy for children. Anything that is not geared towards that is bad and must go. Until we wake up to the fact that the system, itself, has to go, we really won’t get anywhere.

Open Thread

Mark Noonan31 Comments

The Democrats sent over their farce impeachment to the Senate this evening. What really astonishes me is the mental back flips that the anti-Trump people are doing in order to justify this. One guy – he’s actually a bit famous – tried to bring up ancient English law which allowed for the impeachment of former office holders. I pointed out that ancient English law also allowed for bills of attainder – something we don’t do, because we didn’t merely copy England when we wrote our Constitution. One of the key aspects of our Constitution is that is pretty much precludes (as long as it is obeyed) political vengeance. The Founders knew this was important because one of the main factors in the downfall of both the Athenian Democracy and the Roman Republic was the pursuit of quasi-legal revenge. In our system, the defeated are supposed to go home in safety and the victors are supposed to let them go.

Of course, mercilessness is one of the main marks of our political opponents – both traditional left and Never Trump “right”. Lacking any conception of God – and those who make the most pious statements are usually the ones you find the most alienated from any sense of mercy – these people want to punish us. Not just for winning in 2016, but for so much as trying to win. This post-facto impeachment is a means of punishing not Trump, but you and I.

Meanwhile, the Democrats are rapidly discovering that holding 50 Senate seats and 221 House seats is…well…it isn’t much. Especially when your leader is 78 and a bit gaga. Senators Sinema (D-AZ) and Manchin (D-WV) have both come out strong against messing with the filibuster. I don’t put too much stock in them: they are Democrats, after all. They may merely want a price for it. But, in practical terms, busting the filibuster does nothing for either of them – especially for Manchin, set to become Energy Committee chair. Once the filibuster is broken, the Democrats need pay no attention to semi-moderate people like Manchin and Sinema. They’d feel they could peel off a couple GOPers at need (likely true, given Mitt and Murkowski). As long as the filibuster is in place, the Democrats must come hat in hand to Manchin and Sinema on every major issue – meaning they can pretty much get everything they want for their own States. Of course, this leaves out the fact that if Nancy loses 4 House Democrats, there won’t even be anything to send to the Senate to bust the filibuster over. A wise person I know on line pointed out that the filibuster might be moot if Nancy is continually stuck at 210 votes and can’t get the rest because either the Squad or the few remaining moderates won’t budge. A vigorous President could easily get around this by simply hitting the road and arguing for important and popular proposals…but other than their plan to raise the minimum wage (perennially popular even if economically dumb), they got nothing. “Call your Congressperson and demand she vote amnesty for illegals!” is not a great look. But in addition to advocating for very unpopular things, the Democrats have Joe Biden…who often seems to be unaware of where he is or what he’s supposed to do.

I’ve been calling it the 1/20 Miracle – the way cities and States are suddenly opening back up. Nothing changed. In fact, some of the places opening back up have higher cases and deaths than before. I mean, nothing changed other than who was in the White House. It was an op: a very bad flu blown out of proportion to harm Trump. The op is over, and so it is being wound down.

Budweiser, Coca-Cola and Pepsi aren’t doing Super Bowl ads this year. That has got to be devastating to the NFL. Get woke, go broke. The only football I’ve watched so far this year was part of a game on Thanksgiving (had some family over who felt they had to watch) and a bit of the end of yesterday’s Packers game where I was comforting a Cheesehead friend. I suppose I might go back to watching – but the bottom line is that the thrill is largely gone. I really didn’t miss it this year. I spent my Sunday football time writing on my books. It will never again be a “thing” where I rigorously follow and I’ve cut the emotional ties to the team I used to root for. Maybe some day some team out there will capture my imagination and I’ll become a fan again…but, I figure that is unlikely. And I assume there are likely millions like me…because Coke, Pepsi and Bud aren’t spending millions advertising. Meanwhile, Hockey went only mildly woke and it seems to have pretty much dropped it…so, I’ve got my Knights and I’ll watch them win the Cup this year.

Over at Ace – what if the Deplorables start deplatforming the Left? Sure, they can kick us off their Twitter and Facebook…but Joe Average in Dayton can kick them off heater repairs while Fred Normal in Richmond can skip towing your car with the “Coexist” bumper sticker.

Speaking of cancel culture, Miley Cyrus has got herself into SJW hot water. I’d say what it was about, but I’m going to make you click the link. You really won’t believe it.

Is it Time to Alter or to Abolish?

Mark Noonan50 Comments

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

So says our sublime Declaration. It is, presumably, the founding principle of an American. The trouble is, that for a very large portion of the population of the United States, it isn’t. And this portion may, indeed, constitute a majority. Perhaps even a large majority. It might be time to find out.

There is a very strong division in this nation and in spite of calls for unity and peace, what we have seen this past couple weeks is that our opponents do not think it good enough that we accept the results of the 2020 election. No; to them, that is not near enough. We need to be de-programmed; harassed; hounded out of public life. They don’t merely want power – they want power over us. We are unacceptable as we are. Until we are changed into them, they believe there cannot be peace.

On our side, it is very different. At least, for now. For the moment, you and I are perfectly content that our opponents live as they want to live. In their communities, we don’t care what they do. In fact, we find it even a little interesting and entertaining. We visit New York City or San Francisco and we find it all amusing. We are very happy to return home, of course, because we would never want to actually live like that…but going out to see how other people live and organize their lives is fun. Not so our opponents: on those rare occasions when they do visit our areas, they are horrified and simply more determined to change us. The trouble is that as they become ever more insistent that we change to suit them, I perceive a growing willingness on our side to pay them back in their own coin. This is not an optimal development. It is the stuff with which civil wars are made. Remember, our civil war (and another good example is the Spanish civil war) came about because each side became fearful that the other side was going to force it to conform.

Fortunately, we do have a way out. Built into our Constitution is the means to do so: we can call a Constitutional Convention and recraft our means of government.

Now, this is fraught with perils of it’s own. Things like this can spin out of control. But they can also hammer out compromises between very disparate interests. And, if it does prove impossible to hammer out a new Constitution which the overwhelming majority of Americans can subscribe to via ratification, then I think it would be clear that separation is best for everyone.

Do understand that if we call a Convention, we on our side might find that large majorities are in favor of calling health care a right – and a host of other things which we don’t think are. But even if we did find that, then at least we’d find where we are in the system. If the American people, in Congress Assembled, crafted a governing instrument which we truly found abhorrent, then our choices would be to knuckle under, or leave. But I don’t think it would be like that. I think we’d either be able to build something acceptable to 70%+, or we would find the task impossible and it would then become an effort at separating the nation peacefully.

I’m sure we can all find scores of things we’d like to have in such a new document – and if the spirit of compromise is really there (if, that is, we really are all Americans and thus willing to give to get), then we might find the ability to do things like really securing freedom of conscience in return for our concession on health care being defined as a right. We might find ourselves in a very different sort of America than we imagined – it might have many elements that we consider outright Socialist. But if it also has elements which the Socialists consider reactionary…that would mean that we met in good will and crafted a document we can all live with.

What we can’t do, in my view, is continue to drag on with the Constitution of 1787. It is amazing that it has lasted as long as it did, but it is clearly unsuited to current pressures. It is, in many aspects, a dead letter. And perhaps rightly so: it was written by people who lived centuries ago and times have changed and, just perhaps, if we all have a hand in crafting a new governing document, we’ll all respect it and live in peace under it. We can certainly hope so. I fear that if we try to sustain that which has already died, we’ll just stagger from one power grab to another leading to civil war and Caesarism.

The Start of a New Error

Mark Noonan57 Comments

So, the senile, old crook gets installed tomorrow. Big deal. He won’t be in charge. Also: saw a photo of him atop an MSM article lauding him to the skies. So, this was the best they could find…he looked very old. Not to put too fine a point on it, he looks like my Dad did a few months before he went. I don’t give Joe much time.

Its going to be a miserable four years in politics because, really, no one is going to be minding the store. Even if Kamala gets in, she’ll be entirely out of her depth and ruled by the last advisor she speaks to. We’ll drift along from crisis to crisis while the MSM pretends all is well as it continues to stir up the pot against “right wing extremists”. I just hope we don’t get into a war. No chance we’ll actually win any war that this bunch gets us into.

The GOP should easily take Congress in 2022 but there’s a huge question mark out there: lots of people are furious at the GOP for not standing firmly behind Trump. Even in defeat, he’s leaving the GOP stronger than it was in 1977, 1993 and 2009. And not just a little – by quite a lot. Lost in all the hustle is that the Democrats only barely “won” 2020. And at the State level, they were crushed. A bit of wisdom and courage and the GOP would easily pick up 50+ House seats next year. But wisdom and courage are lacking. OTOH, Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley and a few others are standing tall. We’ll see how it comes out.

Do be careful what you say – the Deep State will be looking for people to make an example of. I’ve warned people of this on line. Don’t go shooting your mouth off. Not worth the trouble it would bring. Just work to get people who are really with us into office and pressure GOP officeholders for election reform. That is the way to win.

I’ve been writing at a blinding pace. Now more than 10,000 words into my sixth novel. Four and Five will come out at intervals this year. Six probably a year from now. I expect I’ll have Seven ready later this year and then I’ll start Eight. I think it wise that if you have something you love doing, go and do it. Sort of tune out the day to day in national affairs. It won’t do you any good to pay too close attention to the particular horrors the Biden crew will inflict on us. Pick your battles and place pressure as necessary on our guys when something really crucial comes up (gun control, illegal immigration, that sort of thing).

Keep the faith. Say your prayers. Work for victory.

Open Thread

Mark Noonan61 Comments

Battles is now out! Get your copy, today!

I’ve got the first draft of the second series already done. Two books: Shadow Army and Kings and Queen. Same characters, set six years after Battles. Probably get them released mid-year.

Just noticed that a quorum for the Senate to do business is 51. Kamala doesn’t count towards it. The GOP, if really pressed on things like abolishing the filibuster and packing the court, can halt all proceedings simply by not being there. It won’t be something which can be done all the time, but on the crucial things which would emasculate even the GOPe’s ability to get things done, Mitch might pull this out of his pocket.

I’ve been watching the erecting of barricades and barbed wire along with the absurd deployment of 26,000 Guardsmen to DC and I’ve taking two things away from it:

  1. I’m rather disgusted to be an American at the moment. This is simply shameful.
  2. The government is scared out of its wits.

They know full well that the number who would actually do something for them is tiny. Congress’ approval is at 15%. Joe Biden, even if we want to call him the legit winner (he ain’t) only barely scraped by in the Electoral College by 46,000 votes. The Democrats have bare power to govern, no mandate, and they are held in contempt by half the population.

The China Flu Op is complete and now the Blue State governors and mayors are starting to re-open their States. I thought it would be sooner, but I guess with all the disputes, they waited until after Joe was certified by the Electoral College.

Donald Trump got 75 million votes, 12 million more than in 2016, after a four year campaign of relentless slander with the final year being hit by the ‘Rona and impeachment. Had Trump been treated merely fair by the Ruling Class, he would have got 90 million votes, in my view. I know people who were moving towards Trump but ended up going Joe in the end simply because they felt that doing so would end the insanity (spoiler: it didn’t).

Morocco is awarding Trump their highest award for helping bring about peace in the Middle East. As we all know, the Trump years were most important because they clarified everything. We now know who America’s real allies in the world are.

Biden wants to make the national minimum wage $15. This will be vigorously opposed by the GOP. And I know that 99% of my fellow GOPers are opposed. I am opposed, too. But this is only because Biden is doing it. If we were doing it, I’d be ok with it. The thing about the minimum wage is that it is economic insanity but it is popular. People love it. Whenever it comes up for a vote, the people back it by huge majorities. As Lincoln once said, a commonly held opinion, whether well- or ill-founded cannot lightly be set aside. As we are going to get the higher minimum wage, we should have led the charge on it and used it to get other things we wanted. We have to start thinking like this: we need more votes. Lots more. And this means we need to convince people that if we’re in power, we’ll give them what they want.

Open Thread

Mark Noonan61 Comments

The Kraut’s are offering to help us protect Democracy. What could go wrong?

Team Biden will release all available vaccine doses right away. This is a change from Trump which is holding some back to ensure people get their second shot. The possible benefit: more people gain immunity faster. Possible downfall: not enough people go for the second dose and thus immunity only lasts a short time. Personally, it is probably six of one, half dozen of the other. My guess is that the change is so that they can merely do something different from Trump.

Biden will go after guns, on that we can rely. What form the action takes remains to be seen, but the Democrats are salivating at the thought of going after those backwards yokels in Flyover America. Now, to be sure, this is one issue which can unite the various elements of the GOP and lead to severe punishment of the Democrats in 2022. But I don’t think they can help themselves.

The Lincoln Project: yeah, they’re pretty much what you expected them to be.

Richard Dawkins is also pretty much what you expect. That’s the thing about these “free thinkers”…they are actually slaves to fashion.

Pompeo is one of the few standing firmly by Trump right now. That means he’s going to give it a shot in 2024.

Purge, or Liberation?

Mark Noonan24 Comments

As the social media purge of all dissent continues, I posted on Twitter the Rules for On Line Life. They are proving popular. Most are just common sense: the crucial thing is to move to new media and don’t say or do stupid things.

I’ll be terminating my Twitter and Facebook accounts as soon at the other social media platforms have got themselves back up and running smoothly (for Parler, that might be a couple weeks as Amazon axed their servers because Parler refused to censor). If you do social media, you’ll be able to find me at Gab (@ Mark_N_Author) Parler (@ MarkENoonan) and CloutHub (@ Mark_Author). I’m also on this thing called Rumble (MarkNoonanAuthor) which I guess is a sort of replacement You Tube. I’m not quite sure the Purge is working out as planned – what is happening is that the Right is now dispersing to smaller, harder to track platforms which are going to be increasingly out of the reach of the Tech Giants. This is good for us, bad for them.

As for me, I’m glad to be saying goodbye to the Tech Giants. I’ll probably have more time for writing and other things that I actually enjoy. Most importantly, I won’t be on their platforms making them money while also essentially having a permanent spy trying to find something to destroy me over.

Out and About

Mark Noonan30 Comments

Trump won’t be charged for inciting a riot. These people are simply ridiculous.

Google suspended Parler from its app store. They really are going full blast into censorship.

Nikki Haley took a look at her political career and decided to burn it down. She said she wanted to deliver some “hard truths” in her speech to the RNC. What she delivered was idiocy. Look, I can understand if you don’t like Trump but right now, at this moment, if you are a GOPer, you don’t say anything bad about him. Keep your trap shut, ya dig? She opened hers – and she’ll still be hated on the Left, and now is forever mistrusted on the right. She’ll be the Jeb! of 2024.

New York City continues to be destroyed by the Democrats. Freed at last from any loyalty to the old, Corporate GOP, we should have a stunning opportunity here to start pulling Blue city voters over to our side.

How much ammo should you carry? Short answer: how much can you carry?

Murkowski is probably not going to run for re-election in 2022.

Georgia promises election reforms. Right now, we control the whole Georgia government. Put in a few Florida-style reforms, and Georgia might remain competitive for a few cycles (we are losing it: it is getting to be another Virginia…OTOH, North Carolina is becoming another Florida).

Senator Manchin said he wouldn’t go for $2,000.00 in Biden Bucks for ‘Rona relief – but, now maybe he will.

Joe Biden’s paymasters in China are claiming the concentration camps liberate women. Expect more of this as the next four years unfold.

The Purge

Mark Noonan3 Comments

Twitter banned Donald Trump today – and, apparently, massive numbers of other accounts. I’m down about 250 followers, and I’m a nobody. So, I’ll be abandoning Twitter and Facebook soon. I’m over on Parler (@MarkENoonan) and Clouthub (@Mark_Author). The Tech giants are censoring – because they are terrified. This is a gigantic mistake on their part – they are simply driving dissent underground and you never know what will pop up when you do that.

Given that Twitter is about to go expect me to post more often here – gotta get my words out, ya know!