The criminal, anti-democratic racket described in this NYT article is just the latest blatant display of greedy Wall Street manipulation of the global economy.

Dean Baker has a great summary of Goldman Sachs’ “savvy” track record in this Guardian/UK article. And don’t forget Matt Taibbi’s mind-boggling portrait in Rolling Stone of Goldman Sachs profiting from one self-created economic bubble after the other. And it was the finance industry who gave Scott Brown a big last-minute send-off to Washington, signaling their equal opportunity approach to looting.

I’m starting to think that a focus on unearthing the dirt behind Goldman Sachs and its political influence might shine some daylight on the criminal convergence of politics and economics at the start of the 21st century.  

There are good discussions popping up in some different places about Green-Rainbow electoral strategies, and I’d like to take this opportunity to create an ongoing dialogue that could help catalyze some action.

Leo Maley points out on Blue Mass Group that there will be something like 25 open seats this year in the Legislature. In the same space, he also argues that the Green-Rainbow Party has no business running for high office without having demonstrated political viability or acuity at any level other than a small crop of municipal officials.

Jason Pramas ponders pretty much the same question at Open Media Boston, with a little less devotion to the Grand Old Democrats, and a little more interest in seeing a local electoral focus take hold.

And Peter Vickery makes an eloquent case to run for office and to run Green right here at GMG.

Of course, the Green-Rainbow Party’s electoral strategy for 2010-2012 was to go after State Rep. seats with an eye towards winning one or two in 2012. And Jill Stein’s gubernatorial bid emerged as a powerfully synergistic opportunity to help spur stronger legislative challenges. A strong municipal field in 2011 would also be synergistic with this top-to-bottom-and-up approach.  

Jill Stein announced her campaign for the corner office to the media and about 50 supporters in front of the State House on Monday morning. She directly confronted the corruption that rules the day on Beacon Hill, vowing to open up the doors of the State House to get the lobbyists out and let the people in. Her prepared remarks are below. Read the Boston Globe’s coverage here. Read the Boston Herald’s coverage here. Read Open Media Boston’s coverage here. Then check out Jill’s website and Facebook page and show your support!

Prepared Remarks of Jill Stein

Candidate for Governor of Massachusetts

February 8, 2010 at the State House, Boston, Massachusetts

INTRODUCTION

Thank you so much for being here today. This is the year we the people regain control of our Commonwealth and our common future. It’s time for a Commonwealth that listens to the people, works for the people, and answers to the people. It’s time to bring the voices of ordinary people into this election and into the halls of power. It’s time to break the stranglehold of lobbyists and insiders, and get Beacon Hill back to work for the families and communities of the Commonwealth. It’s time to start building the healthy, secure green future we so urgently need, richly deserve, and is within our reach. My name is Jill Stein and that’s why I’m running for governor.