Conspiracy

I never used to believe in conspiracy theories as a way to explain our world: the Bilderbergs, or Illuminati, the Communists, or aliens, Satan or the Anti-Christ. When I muttered darkly about climate destruction, a health foods store proprietor told me about contrails: "They're destroying the atmosphere, so we'll all have to buy their food."

"Who?"

"The Government."

That was a new one. Or maybe not so new; I saw it mentioned online the next day, and remembered that the health store lady had whispered "contrails" years before.

But what is happening in Congress, in election campaigns, in dismissals of bank fraud charges, in watered down or canceled regulations, in timorous actions by Obama and his administration--and other governments even more so, well, it does look more and more like a grand, if informal, conspiracy by a small group of people to grasp firm control. Rising inequality, the international power of corporations and Billionaires International--the richest man in the world is Mexican, though more billionaires hail from the US than anywhere else--does begin to look like a kind of conspiracy.

It's backed by billions of dollars (to protect trillions); it's international in scope: the US, Canada, most European nations excepting Greece, seem to have been taken over by this global elite, as have the white nations down-under. Russia, China, Korea, Japan, India and maybe Brazil are joining up, as well.

But it isn't a tight conspiracy, maintained by communication and central control; that's why it's so successful. This amorphous elite has socked away anywhere from $30 to $60 plus trillions, according to estimates by various sources, hidden in ways that are difficult for governments to trace--or certainly to tax. That's at least several times the GDP of the largest economy in the world: the United States.

Where is this money?

It's parked in low-wage countries outside of US, or other nations' control, largely in banking havens, where no one asks questions. Mitt's overseas accounts are emblematic.

Mitt isn't anywhere near the wealthiest, nor most powerful of this elite, but he represents their most overt attempt at gaining control. It isn't as if Obama has stood resolutely in the way: he's not one of them, but people around him, like Tim Geithner, probably are.

It's possible that many of this elite would rather the GOP and Romney didn't make their project quite so obvious, but Citizens United has so stacked the deck in their favor that it's difficult to stop.

Think of all the services, education, training, infrastructure and jobs that could be bought by the US portion of that $60+ trillion--without raising taxes on anyone else! Occupy made a valid point.

Even if Romney loses, we are on the cusp of the takeover by a global elite even more dominant than Roman Senators in Fifth Century Rome. Who knows how long it could last--until a popular explosion/revolution, or a global environmental disaster.