Theory VI: US Secret Expenditures and Revenues

Just a theory; just a theory!

Many years ago, I heard one of my high school teachers tell how he was in Military Intelligence in WWII.  He said his job was cataloging paintings from the Nazi booty that presumably were to be shipped to the US as part of its share.  I doubt the list he created was widely distributed.

Then, at the last discussion meeting of current events at the Lifelong Learning Center, the presenter of the group I was in mentioned that President George Bush, the 43rd, would really run up a deficit of over a trillion dollars in a period of time, but would make it seem it was only $ 300 billion.  The gimmick was, he kept some items--possibly, the two war costs and the tax cuts for the rich, even items of Medicare Part D--off the books."  So, there's an apparent way to keep some federal expenditures "secret."

MSNBC on Friday was explaining where some of the Clinton surplus came from.  Apparently, there were revenues brought about by the US' initializing NAFTA, possibly involving a corporate windfall, which also added to the federal government coffers.  The report I heard further appeared to claim that it was this pool of federal infusion that Bush felt would pay for the wars and the tax cut for the rich (which was to last the decade), etc.  If so, other secrets, only on the revenue accounting side of the ledger.

Then too, I wonder whether the US bases, over 714 worldwide, in some 170 countries, are not really profit centers.  The countries where US bases are located obviously benefit from the modicum of stability the presence of US troops brings about.  Perhaps, the US might be receiving monies from grateful governments.  Another secret?

Or how about Iraq?  Might the US financially benefit from its 2 victories there--either in direct payment or from the oil companies who are developing Iraq's wells?  After all, the saying goes, "To the victors go the spoils!"  If so, more secrets.

I met some tourists from England on a bus recently; and we got talking about the golden days of the English Empire--which prompted me to ask, "Okay, where has England stashed its wealth from those glory days?"  Their reply: "Our government isn't blabbing!"

It just stands to reason that a major power won't show openly its real accounting books, simply because there are many enemy nations who would love to peruse them.              

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

--I've been incapcitated with a broken ankle for the past 3 months.  Getting back to the blogs now.  Sorry for the temporal hiatus.

--Note that in my blogs "Moslem"="Muslim"--no connceptual difference between these words.