dagon comments

Well, that won’t happen, even as bad as the Dems are, THEY definitely won’t let that happen. Just ask Debbie Wassermann-Schultz

That, unfortunately could be true and proves my initial point that he is the foremost enemy of the corporacratic swamp on both sides of the aisle.

No one cares about Bernie. 

Mathematically, factually incorrect, like almost all of your posts.

I care about Bernie, and think we need a hundred of him in Washington and that he would live forever.

https://www.axios.com/2019/10/28/millennials-vote-socialism-capitalism-decline

I think my adoration of this individual is based on logical evaluation of his character and policies, unlike your adoration for a wholly different political creature.

Around 80 percent of Japanese companies and entities involved in the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka indicated concerns over a lack of public enthusiasm for the event, with about a year to go until its opening, a Kyodo News survey showed Sunday.

And you know what the solution for that is!

Having more crony contracts for Dentsu et al to drum up public interest, more deals with corrupt "talent" agencies for promotion and more money for promotional pieces in the media.

It is truly sad since if you look at the news there are groundbreaking innovations happening on an almost daily basis, we are on the cusp of a Singularity. The World Expo used to be about introducing such innovation.

If you build it, they will come.

A man was charged Sunday with setting a fire outside the Vermont office of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, federal prosecutors said.

You know you are over the target when you are catching flak.

And Bernie is the foremost enemy of the corporacratic duopoly in Washington.

Stay safe Bernie.

Nissan was founded in 1933, way before all the Nissan haters here were born

And are in no part a beneficiary of their profits unless you are some foreign shareholder. Which their actual workers should be more a part of in full.

There's the pity

But prosecutors are said to exercise caution in its use due to criticism it could lead to false statements.

Disingenuous since coercion to produce confessions is the go to method with the usual suspects.

Looks like they have worried worried in the past about false statements when trying to secure convictions.

"We don't like the idea of judging people based on immutable characteristics, whether it be gender or race or height or whatever," he said, calling the United States a "hyper-meritocratic society."

Disproven by any by any random glance at the list of billionaires.

Case in point

Republican White House candidate Donald Trump has called for making reforms on a federal level.

The evidence points to kakistocracy.

https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/the-myth-of-meritocracy-runs-deep-in-american-history/

The government has removed Nissan Motor Co from its list of companies eligible for a tax break to promote wage increases, after the antitrust watchdog issued a warning to the automaker for illegally reducing payments to dozens of subcontractors, a source familiar with the matter said Saturday.

Company sitting on profit hoards, keeping wages stagnant for decades. Engaging in multiple incidents of corporate shenanigans, back-dealings, fraudulent accounting.

Illegally reducing payments to dozens of subcontractors.

Punishment from the LDP: We are not going to gift you with these tax breaks coming from the public treasury to boost those "higher wages" that are supposed to be coming from this victory by New capitalism over deflation.

Punishing labor for a matter that should have been addressed by the company's capital hoards long ago as they receive the fruits of their labour.

Pure neo-feudalistic late stage capitalism.

The Washington Post revealed that Musk attended a breakfast for billionaires in Florida last month where the former president pitched a group of donors.

That provoked swift speculation -- but Musk said "it was just breakfast," and that nothing more came out of it.

Sounds like American Democracy in action, just a bunch of good old boy billionaires meeting for breakfast to decide the fate of a nation.

Also an additional reason while billionaires must be taxed at a highly progressive tax rate like during the Eisenhower admin.

Musk professes to have been inspired by Iain Banks, and absorbed his ideas, but none of his creativity and sense of right and wrong.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/does-elon-musk-really-understand-books-claims-inspired/

It is pretty clear how Musk and Trump are rolling around in the same sty.

Money aside, Musk's political inclinations give Trump a clear boost.

His presence on social media is often rife with unfounded conspiracy theories, disinformation and right-wing talking points that align with Trump, especially on immigration.

Kishida said he has questioned former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori over the phone but was not able to confirm his involvement.

"Moshi-moshi, Mori-senpai it's Kishida. Seems a lot of evidence has turned up in these investigations about bribery and tax evasion during your time as Prime Minister. And while involved with the LDP party machinery. "

"And as president of the Olympic Committee for that matter. "

"Could you confirm your involvement?"

"No."

"That settles it then. Have a great rest of the day. ".

Imagine if all criminal investigations were conducted with "urges" and polite phone calls from chums.

Total kleptocracy.

In 2017, he posted on his personal Twitter account that Iwase was "mercilessly" murdered by a "man who has the propensity to be sexually aroused by watching a woman being strangled and agonized."

His expression of outrage was inappropriate? How about the sentence?

In a damages suit brought by the victim's family, the Tokyo High Court in January ordered Okaguchi to pay 440,000 yen in damages for part of his social media posts, upholding a lower court decision.

If it was meant to be a punishment and check on further inappropriate actions it seems quite insufficient given his status.

marking the first time a judge has been dismissed over the expression of views.

Considering all the suspended sentences and blatant displays of a two-tier justice system that benefits those of a higher socioeconomic level that is curious.

With no option to appeal, the ruling means that Okaguchi will lose his legal qualifications for at least five years.

The 58-year-old

The article does not say it but will probably still get his pension and an early retirement. Such is "justice".

It's commendable for her, but there ought to be a limit on individual wealth, perhaps around $50 million.The notion of one person possessing more wealth than entire nations is absurd and unsustainable.

Actually as a hardcore socialist I disagree.

Not a fan of Swift or her music, but in general and in this present music market where most of the revenue comes from performing they are making mad money by the sweat of their brow.

On the other hand the financiers, trust funders, banker bailout receivers, people who make money moving around funds are parasites on society.

https://www.bu.edu/eci/2022/08/02/mad-money-the-financialization-and-rising-inequality-of-the-us-economy/

Kishida has said that he would not be subject to penalties given that his faction, unlike the Abe and Nikai groups, failed to properly report part of party revenue but did not pass back money to its members.

" We are not guilty since the money was hoarded internally and not distributed to members".

Despite violating tax laws that would get the ordinary citizen's assets seized or them jailed.

Kishida basically summed up the LDP/japan Inc. combine modus operandi.

Sad that this will basically just be glossed over by the J. public.

This week, talking with some of the younger members of my American family, those in their 20s cannot understand or relate to Trump and Biden. A couple of old men. Including those in Congress where the median age of voting House lawmakers is 57.9 years.

All well and good but weird that a candidate very popular amongst the young and much older was shut out by both party machinations in the duopoly.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2020/02/05/the-reasons-why-young-voters-are-embracing-bernie-sanders-and-socialism/?sh=6207fb3d2f17

Things that make you go "hmmm.."

Inequality in health care is an existential crisis for many Americans.

Thats not even in the top categories of immediate concern for Americans.

If you think so I doubt you are American.

Or one so out of touch like Trump you have no comprehension of what working Americans face.

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2023/dec/11/medical-debt-healthcare-affordability-inflation

https://www.sanders.senate.gov/op-eds/congress-must-address-americas-health-care-crisis/

Trump will focus on the issues that the majority of Americans are deeply concerned about.

The daily dose of MAGA comedy.

Trump can rant about a woke virus and Marxist far left Dem deep state but most Americans realize it does not exist.

Inequality in health care is an existential crisis for many Americans.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/10/states-wealth-inequality-taxes

Kawakatsu had said during the address that "everyone here is a brainy and intelligent person, unlike those who sell vegetables, take care of cows or create things."

He also told the incoming civil servants to remain honest, watch their language, and that it was "important to be compassionate and stick to your beliefs."

So according to the immense intellect of Kawakatsu; those who create are inferior to the administrators of a kleptocratic bureaucratic regime.

No wonder the LDP/Japan Inc. combine is moribund and just an acquisitive drain on the population.

Oh dear, I hope you're not under the impression that the imperial family determine how tax money is spent, and still felt qualified to comment on this issue...

Good luck finding a "democratic" mechanism that could remove the privilege of even a constitutional monarchy. Especially in the case of Japan's "democracy".

Can't even get the LDP out, and they don't have a thousand year lineage.

Become a politician and push your agenda. If it's popular, others will join you.

Such is democracy.

Beg to differ sir.

Japan's Imperial family

Japan is already facing a shortage of drivers due to an aging workforce, poor wages in the industry and difficult working hours, while demand for package delivery is increasing.

I'll say it again, businesses that cannot pay living wages, require excessive amounts of overtime from understaffing and cutting corners by management, are failing at business and either be taken over by business that can be run properly and use its assets better.

Or be nationalized and assets forfeited . The latter might be better for key logistical infrastructure.

Under the law on workstyle reform, implemented in 2019, overtime for doctors and drivers will be capped at 960 hours per year, while emergency medical workers can do up to 1,860 overtime hours per year.

Instead there will be some regs whitewashing unpaid overtime, which should be utterly illegal, some subsidies to business that will never be seen by workers and maybe getting more cheap foreign labor.

Some or all of the four members of the Abe faction may face the punishment of being advised to leave the party -- the second-severest in its eight levels of penalties following expulsion.

And please take one of these richly compensated positions in one of our private industry crony businesses or bureaucratic departments and consider yourself well-chastised for your crimes against the trust of the Japanese people.

Twice-divorced, found liable for sexual abuse and facing four criminal cases, Trump makes for an unusual Christian standard bearer. Yet there's no doubting his sway among the politically important white evangelical voter block.

The illogical nature of demagoguery resembles religious faith and makes it all the more dangerous. It resists all evidence to the contrary.

The Christian Nationalists and faith-based corporatists have a contract on America and it ain't pretty.

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/20/donald-trump-allies-christian-nationalism-00142086

The tankan, carried out every three months, surveys about 9,000 Japanese companies and measures corporate sentiment by subtracting the number of companies saying business conditions are negative from those saying they are positive.

Basically the obverse of the sentiment from the working public. Who would have thought it?

The Bank of Japan raised its benchmark interest rate last month for the first time in 17 years, ending a longstanding policy of negative rates meant to boost the assets of the wealthy.

Fixed. The trickle down fiction of Abenomics will not be true no matter how many times propaganda outlets repeat it.

https://www.cnbc.com/id/49031991

Hagiwara has only taken out a big loan once, about a decade ago, for around 100 million yen to buy the building for the company headquarters.

But word of the loan soon got out and associates and competitors assumed the company was in trouble. Hagiwara then decided to pay it back in full, which he did within half a year of borrowing the money.

So now Hagiwara-shacho is in possession of a company headquarters, valuable assets and property due to BOJ easy money negative interest rates thanks to the Japanese treasury powered by real Japanese labour and not a QE asset bubble.

Sounds like a basic income for the rich.

Imagine if the average worker could have such easy money with negative interest rates to leverage or invest in speculation.

>

My friend with the transport company pays above-average wages and during the pandemic didn't lay off a single worker.

Then undoubtedly a black swan, a dodo just about unheard of in the Japanese corporate landscape.

Not casting doubt on your anecdote and such a saintly corporate exec may exist.

Just very very rare and not in the experience of 99% of workers in corporate Japan.

I have a friend who is 85 and runs a major transport company that employs more than 20 families. He won't stop for their sake.

I don't know the details of this random anecdote but that seems to be the general narrative that the article is trying to push, and that fits with the policy of monetary easing supposedly having a trickle effect to help wages.

If you believe in the munificence of these corporate execs and a trickle down effect good on you.

More likely and that is largely seen is the profit hoarding of Japanese capital hoarders as the share going to labour is pared to the bare minimum with non-living wages.

https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN1Q709W/

These firms are the massive beneficiaries of LDP/BOJ macroeconomic policies and acquisitive hoarders of the benefits.

But how sincere do you think the act of bowing is in such circumstances?

Sincerely expressing the gratification of executives to be able to evade legal sanctions for corporate crime that are always much less than the profits driven this making corporate crime an eminently profitable and logical proposition.

https://www.citizen.org/article/white-collar-crime-pays/

Neo-lib corporate controlled .gov in G-20 countries have implemented this regime and profit handsomely.

Now, millions of Japanese, from small business owners like Kanoh to first-time homebuyers, are sizing up how to adapt to higher borrowing costs after the long, lean years of deflation, when prices, wages and the cost of money changed little.

Nice try at obfuscation by the corporate mouthpiece Reuters but one thing that has benefited in the 'fight against deflation' are the value of large asset holders.

https://jacobin.com/2017/01/rich-universal-basic-income-piketty-passive-income-capital-income/

QE policies were a massive gift to them as the overall economy was moribund and the majority saw a decline in living standards.

Record 63% of Japanese in financial stress, poll shows

LDP/Japan Inc combine;

But the Nikkei is at an all time high due to Quantitative easing policies inflating investments!!

Defaltion is defeated and commodity prices are rising!

A few exporters boosted by a weak yen and record profits have slightly raised wages for full time staff!

Tourists are flooding in!!

Are you not satisfied???

The disconnect tbetween the LDP mandarins and working populace is stark