Bilderberg 2010

would be nice to know what is discussed and what implications these meetings have on governments and companies or us for that matter.
 
Nothxkbi said:
Just a place for high profilers to rub shoulders, drink some wine and air their views with each other without feeling constantly on guard due to press scrutiny. Politicians often get together behind closed doors and kick their feet up and relax so they can honestly air their views off the record, I think the bilderberg is just the same, but on a global scale.
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Politicians are elected officials. Their power is granted to them by the people to manage on their behalf but full accountability and public knowledge has to exist. The only exception are matters of national security where not everyone needs to know. If politicians are involved in that group and they're there because they are politicians (elected into office) they have to let their public know what they were discussing unless it affects national security and even that has to be overseen because attendees in those meetings are from around the world.
 
PeterCH said:
Politicians are elected officials. Their power is granted to them by the people to manage on their behalf but full accountability and public knowledge has to exist. The only exception are matters of national security where not everyone needs to know. If politicians are involved in that group and they're there because they are politicians (elected into office) they have to let their public know what they were discussing unless it affects national security and even that has to be overseen because attendees in those meetings are from around the world.
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Lovely sentiment. Never gonna happen though, the essence of power does not allow for full disclosure. I have seen it too many times: once a person/group gets power, it believes that it knows all and can do all and that there is no real need to report back to "the little" people, because they "do not understand the real issues".

This is why a robust democracy, an opposition and checks and balances are SO IMPORTANT.
 
blunomore said:
Lovely sentiment. Never gonna happen though,
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It happens all the time. When one government gets voted out of office, all its dealings are made available to the next one.

the essence of power does not allow for full disclosure. I have seen it too many times: once a person/group gets power,
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Maybe on an interpersonal scale but within inter-government things come out.


it believes that it knows all and can do all and that there is no real need to report back to "the little" people, because they "do not understand the real issues".
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It's not reporting back, it's declaring publicly what you're on about. The parliament can make or break any deal and unless you believe in extensive conspiracy theories or the matter is of extreme national security there is division and that's a good thing - it adds to public accountability.

Politicians when acting officially - whether they have public or private meetings are always employees of the state.
 
PeterCH said:
It's not reporting back, it's declaring publicly what you're on about. The parliament can make or break any deal and unless you believe in extensive conspiracy theories or the matter is of extreme national security there is division and that's a good thing - it adds to public accountability.

Politicians when acting officially - whether they have public or private meetings are always employees of the state.
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You are talking of the ideal state. This does not happen in reality. By the way, I am not referring to them being accountable for how many roads they built or how many kids are put through govt schools. I am referring to those myriads of things they NEVER tell you about and which you have EVERY right to know about.

In my vocabulary, politicians are not employees of the state - they are SERVANTS OF THE PEOPLE. Very few of them act like it though ;)
 
There are so many heads of competing companies there I doubt they'd give away enough about their future plans to arrange a conspiracy.
 
Nothxkbi said:
More typical bitching and whining about how everyone is trying to screw us and how fsucked we are. Its not a trait exclusive to South African's, but boy we sure do it more than anyone else.
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Where did I bitch or moan. Have you got a reading disability. Have you ever met a banker who is interested in anything other then the bottom line? As I said, I don't believe most of what is said about the BG but you can't tell me the worlds most powerful and richest are meeting together to discuss the weather and how to provide health wealth and happiness for the masses. You do know that 90% of the worlds wealth is in 5% of the worlds population? That should tell you something. Like the rich want to stay rich.
 
they probably planning the next economic crisis and which countries will be taken onto its knees..
 
Ronjay said:
Where did I bitch or moan. Have you got a reading disability. Have you ever met a banker who is interested in anything other then the bottom line? As I said, I don't believe most of what is said about the BG but you can't tell me the worlds most powerful and richest are meeting together to discuss the weather and how to provide health wealth and happiness for the masses. You do know that 90% of the worlds wealth is in 5% of the worlds population? That should tell you something. Like the rich want to stay rich.
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Lets take number one on the guest list, Dr Josef Ackermann, Chairman of the Management Board and the Group Executive Committee, Deutsche Bank AG.

Deutsche Bank continues to dedicate over 80 million Euros a year to non-profit purposes in spite of the financial crisis.
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Frankfurt am Main, Despite the financial crisis, Deutsche Bank is not cutting back on its expenditure in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Last year, the bank and its foundations invested a total of over EUR 81 million in education and social initiatives, sustainability, art & music as well as corporate volunteering. Deutsche Bank has just released its most recent CSR report, which details the bank’s activities in this area.
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In the past year, 14 percent of Deutsche Bank employees participated as Corporate Volunteers. Altogether, they performed over 34,000 days of volunteer work around the globe in 2009, contributing in their own personal way to our core CSR principle of "building social capital" Supported by the bank, 14 percent of all employees worldwide, a two percentage points increase over 2008, committed time, energy and know-how to social projects.
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http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=118068

Many people will simply pile all bankers/banks into the same "Its all about money" and by all means, it mostly is. But here is one bank that is actually making a different and putting it where it counts, from funding educational programs, to making huge investments in minimizing their energy footprint.
 
LOL. I love how the conspiracy nutters are back spouting Alex Jones as their authority of evidence. Haha - prisonplanet makes me LOL. Especially the time they ran an article trying to explain the credit crunch conspiracy by blaming derivatives, while using a definition for subordinated debt as their explanation of what derivatives are. The poor sods are so completely out of their depth they make the biggest heap of tripe up - and you nutters continue to go back for more...:D
 
Nothxkbi said:
Lets take number one on the guest list, Dr Josef Ackermann, Chairman of the Management Board and the Group Executive Committee, Deutsche Bank AG.







http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=118068

Many people will simply pile all bankers/banks into the same "Its all about money" and by all means, it mostly is. But here is one bank that is actually making a different and putting it where it counts, from funding educational programs, to making huge investments in minimizing their energy footprint.
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You do know that the banks are largely responsible for the economic mess we are in to begin with. The Deutsche Bank made a profit of 2.8billion Euro's in the first Quarter this year, In that context I'll also be willing to give my change to charity. Look, I'm not saying that there are no good bankers etc, All I'm saying is that a group like BG are not meeting together for the common good, if that was the case why is it so secretive? If my company was involved with a group that was striving to change the world for the benefit of all humans, I'd be shouting it from the rooftops. Publicity is the backbone of business after all.
 
Ronjay said:
You do know that the banks are largely responsible for the economic mess we are in to begin with. The Deutsche Bank made a profit of 2.8billion Euro's in the first Quarter this year, In that context I'll also be willing to give my change to charity. Look, I'm not saying that there are no good bankers etc, All I'm saying is that a group like BG are not meeting together for the common good, if that was the case why is it so secretive? If my company was involved with a group that was striving to change the world for the benefit of all humans, I'd be shouting it from the rooftops. Publicity is the backbone of business after all.
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Ditto, 100+ of the world's wealthiest people come together for a secret meeting...

Bill Gates is also part of the B.group, "donates" money to planned parent hood & supports vaccines (population control) http://6love.wordpress.com/2010/06/...its-vaccines-are-used-for-human-depopulation/

As said before, it is ILLEGAL to for governmental officials to attend private (industry) meetings...
 
FISHborn said:
Ditto, 100+ of the world's wealthiest people come together for a secret meeting...

Bill Gates is also part of the B.group, "donates" money to planned parent hood & supports vaccines (population control) http://6love.wordpress.com/2010/06/...its-vaccines-are-used-for-human-depopulation/

As said before, it is ILLEGAL to for governmental officials to attend private (industry) meetings...
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It is perfectly legal for government officials and business leaders to gather together like this in an informal capacity, such as a social function, and social functions can choose to be private regardless of what anyone says. There you may talk to your competitors about business issues, weather, motor racing, global politics, whatever you like, I've done it before many times. But you still have to adhere to company policy about secrecy.

My best guess is this will be anything but a gather around the fire and singing koombaya. As you said, the banks are largely responsible for making the pockets of a lot of companies and governments just that much lighter and a lot of fingers are pointing blame.
 
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blunomore said:
You are talking of the ideal state. This does not happen in reality. By the way, I am not referring to them being accountable for how many roads they built or how many kids are put through govt schools. I am referring to those myriads of things they NEVER tell you about and which you have EVERY right to know about.

In my vocabulary, politicians are not employees of the state - they are SERVANTS OF THE PEOPLE. Very few of them act like it though ;)
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That depends on the country but in most democracies those things have a tendency to emerge. The current government loses the election and new guys take over - they get access to everything which occurred and there is a tendency for all the dirt to be dragged out - look at the British government for instance. There is no love lost among politicians of opposing camps.
 
Nothxkbi said:
The only time it is legal for government officials and business leaders to gather together like this would be in an informal capacity, such as a social function, and social functions can choose to be private regardless of what anyone says. There you may talk to your competitors about business issues, weather, motor racing, global politics, whatever you like, I've done it before many times. But you still have to adhere to company policy about secrecy.

My best guess is this will be anything but a gather around the fire and singing koombaya. As you said, the banks are largely responsible for making the pockets of a lot of companies and governments just that much lighter and a lot of fingers are pointing blame.
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That depends on the local law. In some countries politicos can fraternise and cut deals with big business, in others they have to disclose to parliamentary/senate committees and resultant deals are scrutinised for corruption etc. Of course very rich people could approach governments directly to broker any deal or use intermediaries, but deals which inconvenience the state in the long run will ultimately emerge and may result in big problems for the politicians involved.

There is also a much bigger economic summit at Davos each year.
 
Nothxkbi said:
Lets take number one on the guest list, Dr Josef Ackermann, Chairman of the Management Board and the Group Executive Committee, Deutsche Bank AG.

http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=118068

Many people will simply pile all bankers/banks into the same "Its all about money" and by all means, it mostly is. But here is one bank that is actually making a different and putting it where it counts, from funding educational programs, to making huge investments in minimizing their energy footprint.
Click to expand...


I do not know about Europe, but in SA companies are required by law to invest 1 - 3% of profit after tax to develop their local communities via Local Economic Development (LED) and Corporate Social Investment (CSI) initiatives.

The fact that a bank - or any company for that matter - spends money on CSI or CSR, does not make them any nobler than the next capitalist. They still exploit people and all the rest of it.
 
FISHborn said:
Ditto, 100+ of the world's wealthiest people come together for a secret meeting....
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Not to be facetious, but if you got hold of the info, it was not exactly that top secret, was it ?

PeterCH said:
That depends on the country but in most democracies those things have a tendency to emerge. The current government loses the election and new guys take over - they get access to everything which occurred and there is a tendency for all the dirt to be dragged out - look at the British government for instance. There is no love lost among politicians of opposing camps.
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It is a tad too late if the info comes out when a new govt takes over. By then , the damage has been done, the culprit has stuffed his pockets and left office.
 
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