8 ms·

Here's an amusing exercise: count up how many top FBI executives over the neoliberal period (roughly beginning in the mid-1970s under Ford/Carter) have gone to

Here's an amusing exercise: count up how many top FBI executives over the neoliberal period (roughly beginning in the mid-1970s under Ford/Carter) have gone to work for various Wall Street-linked investment banks, hedge funds, law firms, etc. after 'retirement' (the number is comparable to that of generals and admirals who migrated to the corporate boards of defense contractors post-'retirement'). This reality supports the notion that the FBI's central role is to serve as the enforcement arm of the organized white-collar crime cartel known as 'Wall Street'. A competing monetary system relative to the Federal Reserve isn't something these interests are all that thrilled about. Hence, regardless of the soundness or unsoundness of various cryptocurrency approaches, ex-FBI officials should hardly be viewed as independent credible third-party voices on the issue.

imtringued 4y ago
>A competing monetary system relative to the Federal Reserve isn't something these interests are all that thrilled about That is true but honestly cryptocurrency isn't a threat to the Fed at all.
LastTrain 4y ago
I stopped at "neoliberal"
- photochemsyn 4y ago
  Well, that's the point at which the USA really began migrating from a fundamentally industrial-centric economy to a fundamentally financial-centric economy, in terms of where the profits and power accumulated.
shadowgovt 4y ago
That's a lot of words to levy a simple ad hominem. Regardless of the truth or falsehood of your observation, publicly-verified blockchain-backed currencies are easily traced (especially now that they've become valuable enough for companies with money to invest in solving the problem). The possibility that the messenger has a vested interest in amplifying this message is orthogonal to the truth of it.
- photochemsyn 4y ago
  I'd also note that the qualifier easier to trace than paper money is a kind of misdirection tactic. Is crypto also easier to trace than electronic $US funds hidden behind a web of shell companies and offshore accounts, and with ownership further obfuscated by various cut-out strategies? For example: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/07/treasury-wants-to-crack-down-on-shell-companies-corruption-with-new-rule.html https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/07/treasury-wants-to-crack-down...

imtringued 4y ago

>A competing monetary system relative to the Federal Reserve isn't something these interests are all that thrilled about That is true but honestly cryptocurrency isn't a threat to the Fed at all.

LastTrain 4y ago

I stopped at "neoliberal"

photochemsyn 4y ago
Well, that's the point at which the USA really began migrating from a fundamentally industrial-centric economy to a fundamentally financial-centric economy, in terms of where the profits and power accumulated.

shadowgovt 4y ago

That's a lot of words to levy a simple ad hominem. Regardless of the truth or falsehood of your observation, publicly-verified blockchain-backed currencies are easily traced (especially now that they've become valuable enough for companies with money to invest in solving the problem). The possibility that the messenger has a vested interest in amplifying this message is orthogonal to the truth of it.

photochemsyn 4y ago
I'd also note that the qualifier easier to trace than paper money is a kind of misdirection tactic. Is crypto also easier to trace than electronic $US funds hidden behind a web of shell companies and offshore accounts, and with ownership further obfuscated by various cut-out strategies? For example: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/07/treasury-wants-to-crack-down-on-shell-companies-corruption-with-new-rule.html https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/07/treasury-wants-to-crack-down...