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?