Trumpism

Ignorance and irrational belief certainly create the atmosphere in which bad storms develop. Cult like adherence, while seemingly benign when describing the heyday of Amway, today is exhibited in the totally irrational world of Trumpism. Hopefully the storms that develop aren't those as horrendous as another world war? 

Success in a "scheme"

Was just now thinking that for some very few people, Amway is a good scheme. I've discussed Kingpins and want to be Kingpins. I am not really certain that I've left anything unsaid. I would like to reiterate that much of the criminal fraud that has been discovered involving the Amway/Quixtar business involved developing other avenues of lucrative frauds, investment schemes and frauds being the more common.

Amway, an over the counter drug, a gateway drug to other less legal drugs. People selling much more than a basket of cosmetics. Lone sharking has always been a sister business of MLM. Enthusiasm for a scheme can be lucrative for some.

I am not particularly impressed by claims made by some about Amway. I can see that it has its potential for getting some kind of leg up for any number of things, both legal and illegal.

Many that profess to be financially successful in the Amway business, giving hope to the believers, are many times essentially frauds, hiding the fact that their appearance of success comes from questionable side operations. Robbing gold eggs from the nests of new, but very gullible Amway believers is a con man's dream.

Is Market Saturation the End of Amway and it's Clones?

Recently Robert Fitzpatrick researched and wrote an article entitled Herbalife's And Other MLMs' 2015 Data Show Their Growth Era Has Ended.  As an observer  and a critic of the MLM phenomena, this is certainly good news.  I would like to hope that such statistics might signal the death knell of an industry founded upon a fraudulent business model, I remain skeptical of the market saturation argument being the panacea of MLM critics.

If the MLM market contracts somewhat, does that signal that the corrupt industry is doomed?  I seriously doubt it. All industry, questionable or legitimate is subject to contraction and expansion all the time.  Just one look at the automotive industry shows how a companies on the edge of extinction can rebound and expand. There will always be a market for cars, and there will most assuredly be a market for people willing to believe in the ideals of economic alchemists like Amway or Herbalife.

Faith in irrational belief systems is alive and well.  Prospects for schemes will never dry up completely.  There is always cheese to be found in the traps of MLM recruiters.  

The first people to go during contraction in any industry are people in the form of layoffs.  In MLM, layoffs occur when people do not realize their "pie in the sky" dreams, and discover recruiting their friends and family into the scheme is much more difficult than they first thought. Even when some success in recruitment is achieved, many discover that the building of a downline chain is fraught with the curse of broken links, making the dream an ever elusive and expensive nightmare. Some people persist, even when they see their recruiter quit.  It is just in the DNA of the MLM chain of misery.

MLM sponsors an irrational belief system. Rational arguments do not work very well against those who choose to believe in the irrational chemistry of an industry that requires recruits to disregard any rational argument against the "tried and true" MLM system. Disregarding "nay-sayers" is touted as the secret to success in MLM.  It is the MLM equivalent of fundamentalist religions teaching adherents to believe that man earth and the universe were created in six days.  As long as irrational belief systems are extent in the World, then there will be any number of the gullible willing to sign up to buy and recruit for Herbalife and Amway.

Does contraction in MLM occur? Yes.  Does that signal the death knell of MLM?  Probably not. Is MLM an inherently corrupt industry? Yes.  Do corrupt industry necessarily fail?  I would like to think so, but under the ideals of Capitalism, such industry seems alive, and many are very well.  I point to the arms industry that likewise thrives on the propagation of fear worldwide.  MLM survives on fear and economic uncertainty that promotes drowning people to grasp for straws that are held out to them as viable alternatives to traditional enterprise that MLM con men discount.

I do not totally discount MLM market saturation.  It does present a significant problem to people hoping to recruit others, but there will always be a pool of irrational people who can be persuaded to join pyramid schemes and eventually join the other people who have tried and failed at the revolving game of MLM greed.    

Clinton Cash and the Shameful American Way

 The 2016 U.S. Presidential election, although roughly 500 days away, is heating up. The list of declared and probable Republican candidates has already been described as a "clown car" referring the the circus clown act where, to the amazement of children, an unbelievable number of clowns jump into a colorful prop much too small to contain the large number of clowns vying to enter. Much to the amazement of the audience, they all miraculously fit.  Notable and not so well known Republican candidates include Marco Rubio, Scott Walker, Carly Fiorina, Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, Chris Christie, Rick Perry, Rick Santorum, Bobby Jindal, John Kasich, Ben Carson, Lindsey Graham, Rand Paul, Donald Trump, Mike Huckabee, Skip Andrews, Kerry Bowers, Dale Christensen, John Dummet, Jr., Mark Everson, Chris Hill, Michael Kinlaw, Dennis Michael Lynch, George Pataki, Michael Petyo, Brian Russell, Bob Ehrlich, Peter King, Rick Snyder, and assuredly many more.  Possibly, even Sarah Palin might be persuaded to enter the fray?  

A new book, Clinton Cash published and released on May 5, 2015, has become an overnight best seller. The local library acquired 100 copies, all of which have been loaned out.  Not wanting to actually buy the book, I have placed myself on a waiting list that is over 100 requests long, so it may be some time before I actually get a chance to read it. (It isn't my intention to write a review on the book, which questions the ethics of Bill and Hillary Clinton.)  

The timing of the Clinton Cash book is interesting as it has been published at the beginning of the Presidential horse race that will soon monopolize the news media for the too long extent of the campaign season. I tended to disregard the book and the ensuing onslaught of media attention that it has invoked as nothing more than election year rhetoric, launched to further the interests of those piling into the Republican clown car. Generally I find it easy to disregard such tomes which (obviously)  have ulterior motives for attacking the Clintons. 

As a moderate/independent, it is should be easy for me to conclude that corruption allegations against the Clintons by Republicans and the right wing media (like Fox News) has been manufactured to derail Hillary Clinton's Presidential campaign. I am not predisposed to jump onto the anti-Clinton bandwagon. I do not support the Republican agenda or the platform most of the Republican candidates will be running on. That being said, I do believe there may be fire beneath the smoke that this new book supposedly reveals.   



Clinton Cash: The Untold Story of How and Why Foreign Governments and Businesses Helped Make Bill and Hillary Rich is a 2015 book by Peter Schweizer, in which he investigates donations made to the Clinton Foundation by foreign entities.

Peter Schweizer, is alleging that 'questionable' money has been pouring into Clinton coffers, a percentage of which has come from speaking fees paid to Bill Clinton. Under the guise of supporting the Clinton Foundation, Bill and Hillary have accepted unusually enormous payments for speaking engagements totaling 130 million dollars. Generally, these speaking fees or contributions to the Clinton Foundation have not been publicly disclosed. These and contributions to the Clinton charity are the subject of Schweizer's book.  The acceptance of these enormous funds from foreign entities and businesses supposedly represent of "Quid Pro Quo" conflict of interest in light of Hillary Clinton's former office as Secretary of State. 

"The major areas of focus in Clinton Cash are the 2010 Haitian relief effort, Colombian oil and timber deals, nuclear politics in India, Russian acquisition of a uranium mining company, and the relationship between Bill Clinton's paid speeches and Hillary's work as Secretary of State." (Wikipedia)

I opened this blog post with a picture of one of Bill Clinton's speaking engagements. It was part of a headline act at an event in Osaka Japan.  Bill joined Jenifer Lopez and Doug Devos on stage at a Amway convention.

What strange bedfellows Doug Devos and Bill Clinton make on the same stage based on political ideologies. The Amway/Devos empire has supported pro-Republican/anti-Democrat rhetoric with millions upon millions of contributions.  Amway organizations have long promoted Republican ideals from their Amway podiums. In past times Bill Clinton himself has been villanized by Amway leaders and speakers. One of which has been Dexter Yager who is reported to have outed Hillary Clinton as a lesbian. (During the Clinton presidency, Congress granted Amway a hugh tax break which Bill Clinton signed into law in one of the more shameful acts of his presidency. )

After the Japanese Amway Rally appearance, it was rumored by Amway cult adherents in the U.S. and elsewhere that Bill Clinton had become a Amway 'business owner' himself. Although, not true, it wouldn't surprise me that this rumor has been used to help sell the Amway opportunity to prospective recruits. Laughably, the rumor has spawned comedic Amway/Quixtar business myths. 



I suppose that one might say that Bill Clinton wasn't actually advocating Amway to a large group of Japanese 'Ambots' but was touting support for his charitable organization while lining his own pocket with a notable speaking fee from Amway. How convenient that Bill Clinton can hide behind the pretense of his Clinton Foundation while effectively pandering the American based fraud which has been exported widely throughout Asia? At one time I held out hope that the Democrats under Barrack Obama would take action to crack down on Amway and MLM fraud, but under Obama, MLM has been 'business corruption' as usual.

Recently I came across this video below on YouTube. At center, Bill Clinton gives a video recorded speech advocating and praising the Direct Selling Industry.  The YouTube poster edited the speech (before and after) as a promotion for Network marketing. Network marketing or multi-level marketing is a highly controversial industry based on pyramid compensation plans where chance of success is less than 1 percent and business losses are certain.  Amway, the grandfather of Herbalife has operated a criminogenic pyramid scheme fraud, not a legitimate business opportunity. Bill and Hillary Clinton ought to hang their heads in shame. As sheltered a life as they live, surely they must be aware of Amway's seedy side.



After Hillary Clinton announced her 2015 Presidential candidacy, she has chosen her own 'clown van' to drive from campaign stop to campaign stop. She claims that she wants to hear the opinions of the common folk before she announces her platform. Since the allegations of Clinton Money, I am surprised that Hillary and Bill have not commandeered a armored clown car to gather and secure their cash? Hillary admits that she hasn't driven a car in decades. Yet she hopes to take the helm of the United States?  

Citizens of the U.S. have plenty of media distraction to sort through.  Most will not bat an eye lid over renewed allegations of dirty money and 'business as usual' political corruption.  While the news media devotes air time to social evils and Black Lives Matter, U.S. politicians are quietly going about their business of building war chests of 'dirty' money. It is a veritable smorgasbord of influence peddling--the perfect crime.

Recently a disgruntled 61 year old postal employee, Doug Hughes took it upon himself to illegally fly and land his gryro-copter on the Congressional lawn to deliver letters to the Congressmen asking them to enact campaign reform and to stop the taking of money from special interest lobbyists who support narrow legislation favoring big business and special interest, all to the detriment of the tenets of democracy .He of course was arrested and branded a kook. His message to Congress will go unheeded because it threatens the political golden goose.

The shameful state of the 'American way' is obvious  Presidential candidates and lawmakers will continue to accept money from nearly anyone (domestic or foreign) with an agenda to further. The 'American Way' describes a system where democracy is merely an ideology and influence peddling a verifiable fact.

The Direct Selling Association Lobby represents a snake nest of unscrupulous criminals who sell a trick bag of extortionately priced bullshit and a plethora of nearly worthless motivational materials.

Is Bill Clinton's reputation furthered by advocating the direct selling myth? Does Hillary Clinton's claim to represent the ideals of the common man become just another fraud on those who easily believe they have found a champion in her?  Hillary might as well join the GOP clowns in the thought stopping clown car of American politics?

 

Herbalife Operates a Monopoly Business

Herbalife, offering a plethora of health supplements and shakes, has come under scrutiny for being of all things, a pyramid scheme.  There is something more to be said about what a product pyramid scheme of this type actually is.  It is essentially a monopolistic scheme, a monopoly created in the mind of those who believe Herbalife's prosperity gospel--the myths of the kingdom. 

The market for Herbalife's shakes and health supplements are the distributors themselves. They are the consumers. (Sales outside of the distribution chain are non-existent.) They create for Herbalife a monopoly market for their assortment of unremarkable elixirs.  Price fixing at predatory levels is possible due to the 'closed market' model founded originally by Nutrilite and then Amway.  This monopoly market might be best described as a 'prison of belief''.  

Distributors living in the Herbalife prison of belief are left to buy from Herbalife's 'company commissary.'  They must pay the fixed price to play in Herbalife's 'game of greed.'  Herbalife distributors have become 'defacto' slaves, believers in a totalitarian utopia, a heaven on earth promising 'financial freedom,' a future redemption where investment of time and money will be 'shaken up' and returned to them from those who join downline.  Herbalife slaves labor in the field, buying and consuming the product, and recruiting others to take on the Herbalife yoke themselves.  They deny the snare that has been set before them.  

MLMs always sit at the top while the slaves build their pyramid, really a monopolistic monolith founded on greed at every level.   More slaves are always needed.  As in any MLM pyramid scheme, most leave much worse for their efforts.  It has become what a fellow Amway critic has called a 'theocratic chain of misery'. 

To avoid becoming a victim of a MLM scheme, watch the following video:

Bill Cosby Accusations Strikingly Similar to the Jimmy Savile Scandal in the U.K.

Bill Cosby, "America's Dad," has been described as a "predator", a "sociopath," a "narcissist" and a "rapist" by one of five accuser appearing on a CNN special  The Cosby Show: A Legend Under Fire which aired December 8th hosted by Don Lemon.  These women are not the only Cosby accusers to have come forward with disturbing accusations.  Another woman appeared and also accused Cosby of being a sexual predator and described how Cosby's victims are being "victim shamed" and suffer the effects of post traumatic stress disorder.  One accuser said that she suffered alone not realizing that she was but one of many Cosby victims.   

Bill Cosby has remained absolutely silent and has refused requests to respond to any of the mounting allegations of drug induced rape.  In a sense, he has been "dead" to the allegations and has lawyered up. Cosby's lawyers had previously made an out of court settlement with one accuser. 

The allegations against Cosby are much similar to those made posthumously against British comedic pop presenter Sir Jimmy Savile,a scandal which shocked the British people and represented a significant embarrassment to Her Majesty The Queen.  Nearly a year after Savile's death, evidence shows that Savile lead a secret life as a sexual predator. Savile's corpse has since remained "mum" on the allegations. 

 

Unlike Savile, Cosby's accusers have come forward while he is yet alive and have significantly tarnished the comedic star's reputation. Whether Cosby will actually be held to account for any of his alleged crimes is left to be determined. Because California has a statute of limitations, victims only avenue towards justice would be to bring civil charges. Cosby's lawyers have maintained that the accusers are lying to seek financial gain.

Much like Bill Cosby, allegations against the last founding member of the Amway Mob remain indeterminate. Amway has in the past settled allegations by former distributors of operating a pyramid scheme and fraud out of court. Just as Jimmy Savile escapes allegations of sexual crimes by the slumber of death, Jay Van Andel's corpse obviously will never be held to account.  Rich DeVos is still alive and it is left to be determined if he or his heirs will be held to account for the "financial holocaust" suffered by present and past adherents of the Amway Cult?  DeVos and the Amway Mob could care less for those who have fallen and will fall into the Amway trap. 

"Enthusiasm for a scheme" fostered by "dream selling" continues to claim new victims who "pay to play" in Amway's game of greed.  Believers are significantly fleeced by the Amway Kingpins who operate a secondary scheme, selling the "tools" that inexperienced newbies are lead to believe will make them into multimillionaire successes in the pyramid.  Recruitment of new 'distributors' to replace those who 'lose and leave' serves to keep the Amway scam moving forward.  Notice that the Amway Cult initiators are usually shown smiling (all the way to the bank with money extracted from their deluded flock.)          

quixtarisacult       

Donald Sterling Hires Lawyers To Dig Up Dirt On NBA Owners Club

Donald Sterling has in so many ways become infamous for making what many believe to be racist remarks which were illegally recorded and distributed to the news and entertainment media by his supposed 'girl friend' turned backstabber V. Stiviano.  In the infamous recording, Mr. Sterling is heard telling Stiviano not to bring blacks with her to the Clippers games--and more specifically for her not to be seen bringing pro basketball legend, Magic Johnson.  Mr. Sterling has been accused of making 'racist' statements and has since been given a lifetime ban from the National Basketball Association and has been ordered by the NBA owners to sell the Los Angeles Clippers.

I am not trying to defend Sterling, who has since proven that every time he makes a phone call he seems to enhance his 'racist' persona.  I will say 'somewhat in his defense' that the infamous  'offensive' recording was made illegally.  I would also like to point out that Sterling's remarks referred to 'blacks' and did not use the more common racist description usually uttered by 'dyed in the wool' racists, the infamous 'N' word which rhymes with Tigger.

Obviously Mr. Sterling was infatuated with Stiviano and was 'green' with jealousy.  He saw the impropriety of having his love interest showing interest in other men who just happened to be black. My guess is he wouldn't have been happy to see her bring any other number of white ex NBA stars to the Clipper games either. Legally, these conversations should have remained private between a 'guy and his gal'.  Surely Donald (who remains married to someone else) should not have trusted a 'gold digger' like Stiviano.  Oh well, Sampson had his hair cut by Delilah and Donald has had his 'do' blown back by V.  (Never trust a gal named V.)

Ironically, Sterling has gone on to be recorded making many more embarrassing remarks which have since been leaked.  I suppose when you are wealthy persona like Sterling , you have a target on your back and, no one is to be trusted!  Surely he is left to wonder just who is taping his phone and running their recording equipment?  Anyway, Sterling has hired lawyers to dig up what dirt they can find on the other NBA owners, so here is the man Sterling should be looking up too:  

Here is Amway Global Cult Intervention's nominee for inclusion in the NBA owners club 'Hall of Shame'.  Richard DeVos, owner of the NBA Orlando Magic,

'the initiator of the Amway 'pay as you go advanced fee fraud' cult whom DeVos et.al  have schemed into the #1 spot as the Worlds Greatest Scam!" 

DeVos and the late Jay Van Andel and their myriad 'kingpin' cronies have duped and swindled believers for billions of their hard earned money, and left them holding an empty bag with a note saying they...

"should blame themselves for 'not trying hard enough!"

I have previously wrote an editorial type blog post where I compared DeVos to Rush Limbaugh which I now invite you to read by clicking here.

This blog has many times in the past described how Amway operates to screw those who want to believe in DeVos's corrupted vision of the "American Way."  I must also give credit to contributing author David Brear for his contributions to this blog.  David writes the enlightening 'MLM' The American Dream Made Nightmare blog. 

I believe that Donald Sterling's lawyers should have little trouble digging up dirt on the NBA's biggest dirt bag owner.  I also make reference to the scandal that Amway is currently experiencing in The Republic of India where authorities have correctly identified Amway's corrupt business model which violates Indian law.  For the latest developments, Shyam Sundar has the details on his Corporate Frauds Watch blog.

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