As you wade through the wreckage of the American economy, know that those responsible for this mess are already positioning themselves to profit from your misery again.  

     The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a global investment banking firm linked to financial disasters occurring in numerous countries including Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain. Its CEO testified before Congress about the company’s high stakes credit default swaps, deemed responsible for the implosion of the US housing market. Many former Goldman employees hold key positions in the federal government. Thanks to former Goldman CEO, Treasury Sec. Hank Paulson, they were the recipient of $12.9 billion in TARP bailout funds via AIG. Then, with no humility, Goldman paid out an average of $500,000 each, in employee bonuses.  

     The Securities and Exchange Commission has charged the company and one of its vice presidents with fraud. Still, no one in this company has gone to jail.  In this potentially greatest depression, of plant closings, job loss, foreclosures and general hardship, Goldman is prospering, alive and so well.

     Obviously tired of the public bashing of their notorious ‘achievements,’ and never grateful for their taxpayer paid profits, Goldman Sachs has come up with yet another ingenious plan to bilk billions more from an unsuspecting public. GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP Inc. is giving an investment boost to ATS, American Traffic Solutions, Inc., to help it meet increasing demand by cities and counties for its revenue producing red-light and speed cameras. Goldman is using a fraction of their ill got gains to turn the cameras on you, the citizen.

     Thomas Jefferson warned, “The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.” Modifying stop lights to make intersections safer is a known method to improve public safety. We the People have a right to move about freely in public without being photographed by our government. It is unconscionable, in this time of financial hardship that Jefferson County Council members, Ed Kemp, Patrick Lamping and Chuck Banks are teaming up with ATS and Goldman Sachs, under the claim of public safety, to joint venture in a scheme designed to take millions of dollars from a community they should be representing. It is criminal for these ‘public servants’ to move against freedom and toward the tyranny of a citizen surveillance police state.

     There is a growing citizen awareness of the corruption in government and lack of representation, coupled with a significant loss of freedom. Public disgust is resulting in a movement to vote out incumbents. Trillions of taxpayer dollars and private property are being taken by government for corporate benefit. Massive revenue producing citizen surveillance cameras are the local sign of a government that exits to perpetuate itself, violating rather than protecting the rights of citizens.

     Cameras posted by government to watch and photograph citizens defile the very spirit of America, like walking on the flag. With respect to those who gave their all since this nation was founded to secure our liberty, we cannot deny that our obligation is no less than theirs. If we are to pass the gift of freedom to future Americans first we must preserve it. Each of us must be vigilant and we must commit to work to see that that this, and any other budding tyranny, must come to an end.

Nick Ivanovich,
Candidate for Congress, 3rd Dist MO
www.ConstitutionPartyMO.org