Robbing the Poor
TimeWatch Editorial
July 14, 2016
On Thursday, September 11, 2014, Michael Nevradakis published an article on the Truth Out websiteentitled: “An Economic Hit Man Speaks Out: John Perkins onHow Greece Has Fallen Victim to Economic Hit Men." When he published the article, Michael Nevradakis was a Ph.D. candidate in media studies at the University of Texas at Austin and a US Fulbright Scholar based in Athens, Greece. The article was in fact a transcript of an interview with John Perkins, author of the book “Confessions of an Economic Hitman.” Almost at the very beginning of the article, as an introduction to the conversation, Michael Nevradakis says this:
“John Perkins is no stranger to making confessions. His well-known book, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, revealed how international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, while publicly professing to "save" suffering countries and economies, instead pull a bait-and-switch on their governments: promising startling growth, gleaming new infrastructure projects and a future of economic prosperity - all of which would occur if those countries borrow huge loans from those organizations. Far from achieving runaway economic growth and success, however, these countries instead fall victim to a crippling and unsustainable debt burden.” Michael Nevradakis, “An Economic Hit Man Speaks Out: John Perkins onHow Greece Has Fallen Victim to Economic Hit Men."Truth Out Website, September 11, 2014
Since we have already covered the work done by the Economic Hit Men, as it relates to the many countries of the world, the interview would not have caught my attention, except for one element described by Mr. Perkins. Since his involvement is economic matters tended to be national and international, it was surprising to hear him say the following.
“In the United States, we never believed that a banker would tell us to buy a $500,000 house if in fact we could really only afford a $300,000 house. We thought it was in the bank's interest not to foreclose. But that changed a few years ago, and bankers told people who they knew could only afford a $300,000 house to buy a $500,000 house. "Tighten your belt, in a few years that house will be worth a million dollars; you'll make a lot of money" . . . in fact, the value of the house went down; the market dropped out; the banks foreclosed on these houses, repackaged them, and sold them again; Double whammy. The people were told, "You were stupid; you were greedy; why did you buy such an expensive house?" But in actuality, the bankers told them to do this, and we've grown up to believe that we can trust our bankers. Something very similar on a larger scale happened in so many countries around the world, including Greece.”Michael Nevradakis, “An Economic Hit Man Speaks Out: John Perkins onHow Greece Has Fallen Victim to Economic Hit Men."Truth Out Website, September 11, 2014
So the seduction aimed only at the nations that might have been targeted, but sections of the population were also vulnerable to the abuse and misuse. Constantine von Hoffman, writing for MoneyWatch on June 26, 2014, proclaims the following headline: “Millions of U.S. families can't afford their homes”
“More than 40 million American families can't afford their homes, new data shows. Typically, housing is considered unaffordable when the mortgage or rent consumes at least 30 percent of a household's income. And by the end of 2012, that applied to 35.3 percent families around the U.S., according to a report from The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University. Although that figure is down slightly from 2010, it represents a jump of 9 million households from 2002 who are spending a large share of their income on housing. Of those families, meanwhile, nearly 6 million are severely burdened, devoting more than 50 percent of their income to keeping a roof over their head.” Constantine von Hoffman, “Millions of U.S. families can't afford their homes,” MoneyWatch on June 26, 2014.
When one considers the difficulty described above, especially in light of the fact that in so many cases, simple savings are forfeited, one begins to see the true condition of society today. The disappearance of the middle class, the expanding wealth of the already wealthy, the increased cost of food and services, and the uncertainty of employment is certainly not an accidental situation. If it were, then all levels of society would suffer equally. But what is crystal clear is the fact that the resources are being drained from the poorest among us and accumulated by the richest. This is definitely no accident. The Book of James speaks to that class who robs the poor.
James 5:4 - Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.
James 5:5 - Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
James 5:6 - Ye have condemned [and] killed the just; [and] he doth not resist you.
The punishment to come is clearly articulated, for the prayers of those who suffer have indeed reached heaven.
James 5:1 - Go to now, [ye] rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
James 5:2 - Your riches are corrupted and your garments are moth-eaten.
James 5:3 - Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
Cameron A. Bowen
