There have always been conspiracy theories linking the financial markets and the political world -- think the Military-Industrial Complex, the Carlyle Group, heck, Nicolas Cage in any of those "National Treasure" movies -- and now the latest one involves none other than Goldman Sachs. On MarketWatch.com, Paul Farrell uses a comparison to Jack Bauer and the conspiracy-rife "24" to describe how members of the financial-industrial complex are using the global financial crisis to entrench their power within the U.S.:


"The other drama in play: "Hank the Hammer" Paulson, iconic Wall Street hero, a Trojan Horse placed inside Washington by Goldman Sachs as Treasury Secretary in control of America's $15 trillion economy. Goldman, a modern dynasty with vast financial powers much like those once used by the de' Medici, Rothschilds and Morgans to control nations. Both dramas play high-stakes games with financial WMDs that have lethal consequences. Jack compresses thrills, kills and chills into 24 hours. Hank, Goldman and their army of Wall Street mercenaries move with equally blinding speed, heart-pounding action.

Drama? You bet. Six short months ago Hank led an assault on Congress. The scene parallels one in "24:" Sangala War Lord Juma's brazen attack inside the White House. But no AK-47s necessary. The Hammer assaulted Congress with just a two-and-a-half page memo in hand. Like a crack special-ops warrior, he took down the enemy, demanding $750 billion, absolute control, total secrecy, no accountability and emergency powers to act immediately ... warning that inaction was not an option, that collapse of America's banking system was imminent, would bring down the global monetary system, pushing world's economies into a "Great Depression II." Congress surrendered."


With that as backdrop, Paul Farrell provides ten examples of how Goldman Sachs & their financial ilk have entrenched their power within the Washington bureaucracy to serve their own financial needs. As a result, the future fate of the U.S. economy seems to revolve around the future of the largest Wall Street banks.

Which begs the following question, of course: How do I trade this?


[image: Jack Bauer on Fox TV's 24]

Carbon tax - tax money goes direct to government. 
Cap & trade - brokerage fees as the allowances are traded.

Now why in the heck is Cap & trade the talk of Congress???

I don't know ho wmany members read these blogs, but this is what I've been ranting over in the chat forum.

Sad but like a banana republic I am told.

From Mr Paulson's perspective it was a win-win situation. All these shares of GS he had to sell to be "independent" when becoming the head of the Treasury were tax free. Nice

Haymore, Incubus, OldFart -- Always follow the money. As in the case of cap and trade or the selling of Goldman shares, who's benefiting and who's making the money? Thanks for sharing your opinions and views.

- The TradeKing Blog