The US lobbied Russia this year on behalf of Visa and MasterCard in an attempt to ensure the payment companies were not “adversely affected” by new legislation, according to American diplomats in Moscow.
A state department cable released this afternoon by WikiLeaks reveals that US diplomats intervened to try to amend a draft law going through Russia’s Duma. Their explicit aim was to ensure the new law did not “disadvantage” the two US firms, the cable states.
The revelation comes a day after Visa – apparently acting under intense pressure from Washington – announced it was suspending all payments to WikiLeaks, the whistle-blowing website. Visa was following MasterCard, PayPal and Amazon, all of which have severed ties with the site and its founder Julian Assange in the last few days.
This just gets better and better.
The link is short and worth the read. Judge Napolitano has been ranting for a few shows now about the government doing by way of coercion what it cannot do legally.
Yes, more interesting/disturbing all the time.
The “Business” of America IS business !!! Said along time ago !!! Corporate America OWNS THE GOVERNMENT – LOCK, STOCK, AND BARREL !!! So much for “Democracy” and the “Will of the People” !!! We want National Health Care and what did we get ? Not even a “Public Option” but MANDATORY PRIVATE – FOR PROFIT INSURANCE !!!
So the “Will of the People” doesn’t stand for spit !!!
The State department has also been known to threaten countries with trade sanctions if they try to pass anti-smoking laws. American cigarette sales are big business in south-east Asia. But when a country like Thailand tried to pass laws against cigarette advertising (exactly like the existing U.S. laws) or to have a public campaign to reduce smoking, the State department threatened to put tariffs on their exports.
So, is this why wikileaks “activists” hacked Mastercard?
They use mastercard but got mad at them afterwards.
All I see is a bunch of hypocrites in that wikileaks outfit.
I’ll be impressed when they leak from Iran or N. Korea.
I really have mixed feeling about the ‘leaks thing. I love how they leave the current admin as morons but see them for the sleazeballs they really are.
I think it’s fine the State Dept lobbies for American businesses.
I feel certain VISA and MC will thank us, the taxpayers who made it possible, by lowering our annual percentage rates to double digits.
REALITY!!
( Health Care Budget Deficit Calculator )
( Briefing: Dean Baker on Boosting the Economy by Saving Healthcare )
START NOW!
As you all know. Had congress passed a government-run robust Public Option CHOICE! available to everyone on day one, our economy and jobs would have taken off like a rocket. And still will.
The message from these midterm elections is clear. The American people want real healthcare reform. They want that individual mandate requiring them to buy private health insurance abolished. And they want a government-run robust public option CHOICE! available to everyone on day one. And they want it now.
They want Drug re-importation, and abolishment or strong restrictions on patents for biologic and prescription drugs. And government controlled and negotiated drug and medical cost. They want back control of their healthcare system from the Medical Industrial Complex. And they want it NOW!
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL NOT AND MUST NOT ALLOW AN INDIVIDUAL MANDATE TO STAND WITHOUT A STRONG GOVERNMENT-RUN PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE! AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE.
For profit health insurance is extremely unethical, and morally repugnant. It’s as morally repugnant as slavery was. And few if any decent Americans are going to allow them-self to be compelled to support such an unethical and immoral crime against humanity.
This is a matter of National and Global security. There can be NO MORE EXCUSES.
Further, we want that corrupt, undemocratic filibuster abolished. Whats the point of an election if one corrupt member of congress can block the will of the people, and any legislation the majority wants. And do it in secret. Give me a break people.
Also, unemployment healthcare benefits are critically needed. But they should be provided through the Medicare program at cost, less the 65% government premium subsidy provided now to private for profit health insurance.
Congress should stop wasting hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer money on private for profit health insurance subsidies. Subsidies that cost the taxpayer 10x as much or more than Medicare does. Private for profit health insurance plans cost more. But provide dangerous and poorer quality patient care.
Republicans: GET RID OF THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE.
Democrats: ADD A ROBUST GOVERNMENT-RUN PUBLIC OPTION TO HEALTHCARE REFORM.
This is what the American people are shouting at you. Both parties have just enough power now to do what the American people want. GET! IT! DONE! NOW!
If congress does not abolish the individual mandate. And establish a government-run public option CHOICE! before the end of 2011. EVERY! member of congress up for reelection in 2012 will face strong progressive pro public option, and anti-individual mandate replacement candidates.
Strong progressive pro “PUBLIC OPTION” CHOICE! and anti-individual mandate volunteer candidates should begin now. And start the process of replacing any and all members of congress that obstruct, or fail to add a government-run robust PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE! before the end of 2011.
We need two or three very strong progressive volunteer candidates for every member of congress that will be up for reelection in 2012. You should be fully prepared to politically EVISCERATE EVERY INCUMBENT that fails or obstructs “THE PUBLIC OPTION”. And you should be willing to step aside and support the strongest pro “PUBLIC OPTION” candidate if the need arises.
ASSUME CONGRESS WILL FAIL and SELLOUT again. So start preparing now to CUT THEIR POLITICAL THROATS. You can always step aside if they succeed. But only if they succeed. We didn’t have much time to prepare before these midterm elections. So the American people had to use a political shotgun approach. But by 2012 you will have a scalpel.
Congress you could pass a robust government-run public option now during your lame duck session. You know what the American people want. You already have several bills on record. And the house has already passed a public option. Departing members could leave with a truly great accomplishment. And the rest of you would solidify your job before the 2012 elections.
President Obama, you promised the American people a strong public option available to everyone. And the American people overwhelmingly supported you for it. Maybe it just wasn’t possible before. But it is now.
Knock heads. Threaten people. Or do whatever you have to. We will support you. But get us that robust public option CHOICE! available to everyone on day one before the end of 2011. Or We The People Of The United States will make this midterm election look like a cake walk in 2012. And it will include you.
We still have a healthcare crisis in America. With hundreds of thousands dieing needlessly every year in America. And a for profit medical industrial complex that threatens the security and health of the entire world. They have already attacked the world with H1N1 killing thousands, and injuring millions. And more attacks are planned for profit, and to feed their greed.
Spread the word people.
Progressives, prepare the American peoples scalpels. It’s time to remove some politically diseased tissues.
God Bless You my fellow human beings. I’m proud to be one of you. You did good.
See you on the battle field.
Sincerely
jacksmith – WorkingClass
And here I was gawking at the credit card.
If you want to gawk also, go here:
http://visainfinitecard.com/en/possibilities/main.jsp
Also, notice this card is available for residents of Zambia and Russia, but not the good ‘ol USA.
Pedro: explain yourself (big chance at that!)
Wikileads is a sleazeball because they truthfully report the pressure the US government uses to benefit criminal corporations? I thought you were against sheep like behavior? Wikileads should be your hero on that fact alone unless your use of “sheeple” is totally corrupt.
As to not posting Korea or whatever==they supposedly are not hackers, they only post what is sent to them. Before you can have computer leaks from a country, that country has to have computers.
Pedro, prove you are not a resting turd in the punchbowl of intelligent conversation: explain yourself. Animby: no helping.
One of the prime missions of the Department of State is to work with foreign governments on behalf of US companies.
Always has been.
The owner of wikileaks is ONLY wanted on 1 criminal charge in Sweden(?)…
There are NO CHARGES for leaking the information.
The Person Charged with leaking the information was JAILED in April, and has NOT be taken to court. They STILL can not figure out the charges, to bring.
Of course the option that immediately jumps to mind, is that all Wiki supporters simply stop using their V/MC cards for a month or two.
The card companies will soon get the idea.
#9 You can sleep sound tonight. I will never attempt to take the “resting turd” award from ya.
#10 Yup. But those like #9 and the ‘leakers seem to have been born yesterday
If fascism came to America, what would it look like?
If.
Most seriously.
What would fascism look like? Look around. It gets worse.
Government and big biz joined at the hip. Who would have thought.
Isn’t this the new American model (United Corporations above America)?
America is certainly not the that Pansy old country of values (Bill or rights, 1st Amendment rights, human rights, etc, etc…) but; instead become, a country of profit, loss and power (pure capitalism).
It’s greed and want for money, that only what conservatives and republicans will support. If it weren’t for their two faced hypocritical speeches, they wouldn’t be able to fool American’s who watch Fox News to vote for them!!!
#7
Hey Jack what do you think about health care?
Assange is an arrogant self-centered turd. He is loving every minute of this and the unicorn and flowers crowd is following him like lemmings. It’s like watching Jim Jones. It will all be truth and light with no corporations and no, UGH!, profit.
Dumbcraps never lack for fantasy.
# 19 Mextli
“Assange is an arrogant self-centered turd”
Even if Julian Assange is as you say (which he is not), who care? Why all this ad-hominem irrelevance? Classic ignorance of refutation, also very funny and humorous.
What delusions of grandeur are you referring to “unicorn and flowers crowd”?