I was glancing at Wikipedia this early morning and since GoldmanSachs basically rules the world, especially the US, I decided for "fun" to look up the biography of CEO and Chairman Lloyd Blankfein. Here are some interesting factoids:
* Blankfein became CEO in 2006- he replaced Hank Paulson. If that name sounds familiar, he was Treasury Secretary under George W. Bush, and the one front and center in late 2008 demanding Congress authorize $700 Billion for TARP without any questions.
* In 2006, Blankfein earned $54.4 million and in 2007 received just under $54 million "which included a base salary of $600,000, a cash bonus of $26,985,474, stocks granted of $15,542,756 and options granted of $10,453,031"
* Blankfein donated $4200 to Hillary Rodham Clinton's 2008 Presidental campaign & employees and their relatives of Goldman contributed almost a million dollars to Barack Obama's presidential campaign making it, according to the Washington Examiner, "the company from which Obama raised the most money in 2008" As of February 2011, he has visited the White House ten times.
* Former Goldman executives who hold senior positions in the Obama administration include Mark Patterson, a former Goldman lobbyist who is chief of staff to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, Gary Gensler, the chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and Robert Hormats, the undersecretary of state for economic, energy and agricultural affairs
* In a November 2009, interview with the London Times, Blankfein declared that, as a banker: "I'm doing God's work."
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GoldmanSachs rules the world. I don't say it joyfully- it just is true. Its tentacles are infiltrated in all the governments and major banks of all the industrialized nations of the world. Goldman dictates financial policy and Presidents, Prime Ministers & Chancellors all go 'woof-woof'.
Goldman Sachs has had (and currently has) direct influence within the inner-circles of politics in Washington (both Democrat & Republican administrations) and other in nations' governments (Canada, Italy, Great Britain, Australia,etc..) for decades. Some of the most powerful people in government either were connected to Goldman Sachs prior to entering public service went to Goldman soon after.
Many of the names may not seem familiar and thus on the surface seems a rather dry read. But don't get too caught up on that- Take your time reading this list... focus on the public sector titles of these individuals and compare to their specific roles with Goldman. Then you will see the pattern of influence emerge. I provided photos for each individual...
There is a saying: "Once a Marine, Always a Marine". The same motto can be applied to those who've world for Goldman.
Government: President George W. Bush's Chief of Staff from 2006-2009; Director of Office of Management and Budget from 2003-2006; White House Deputy Chief of Staff from January 20, 2001 - June 2003.
Goldman: Executive Director of Legal Affairs for Goldman based in London aka the bank's chief lobbyist to the EU from 1994-1999.
Government: Governor of the Bank of Canada since 2008.
Goldman: Mr. Carney had a thirteen-year career with Goldman Sachs in its London, Tokyo, New York, and Toronto offices. His progressively senior positions included Co-Head of Sovereign Risk; Executive Director, Emerging Debt Capital Markets; and Managing Director, Investment Banking. He started at Goldman in 1995.
Government: Former Governor of New Jersey from 2006-2010; U.S. Senator from 2001-2006 where he served on the Banking and Budget Committees- Democrat.
Goldman: Former Goldman CEO. Worked at Goldman from 1975-1998.
Paul Dighton
Government: Chief executive of the London Operating Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG).
Goldman: Former COO of Goldman where he worked for 22 years beginning in 1983.
Government: Head [Governor] of the Bank of Italy since January 2006.
Goldman: Vice chairman and managing director of Goldman Sachs International and a member of the firm-wide management committee from 2002-2005.
William Dudley (on far right next to Geithner & Bernanke)
Government: President Federal Reserve Bank of New York City (2009-present)
Government: Chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission since 2009; Undersecretary to the Treasury from 1999 to 2001; Assistant Secretary to the Treasury from 1997-1999. (Clinton Administration)
Goldman: Former Co-head of Finance for Goldman Sachs worldwide. Worked at Goldman from 1979-1997.
Lord Brian Griffiths
Government: Under Margaret Thatcher & John Major, Head of the Prime Minister Policy Unit from 1985 to 1990.
Goldman: International Advisor since 1991.
Jim Himes
Government: Congressman from Connecticut (on Committee on Financial Services) since 2009.
Goldman: Began working at Goldman in 1990 and was eventually promoted to Vice President.
Government: U.S. Representative, Missouri- Democrat (1977 to 2005); currently a lobbyist
Goldman: President and CEO, Gephardt Government Affairs (since 2007). Hired by Goldman to represent its interests on issues related to TARP.
Government: U.S. Ambassador to Germany since 2009.
Goldman: Former Senior Director of Goldman Sachs where he worked from 1983-2006.
Government: Top Staffer to House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, Democrat.
Goldman: Director of Government Affairs/Lobbyist (2009)
Mark Patterson
Government: Treasury Department Chief of Staff since February 2009. (Obama)
Goldman: Lobbyist for Goldman Sachs from 2003-2008.
Government: Secretary of the Treasury under George W. Bush from March 2006 to January 2009; White House Domestic Council, serving as Staff Assistant to the President from 1972 to 1973; Staff Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon from 1970 to 1972.
Goldman: Former Goldman Sachs CEO. Worked at Goldman from 1974-2006.
Romano Prodi
Government: Two time prime minister of Italy.
Goldman: From March 1990 to May 1993 and when not in public office, Mr. Prodi acted as a consultant to Goldman Sachs.
Government: Former SEC commissioner from 1990 to 1995.
Goldman: Now working as a principal at RR&G LLC, which was hired by Goldman to lobby on TARP.
Government: Treasury Secretary under Clinton from 1995-1999; Chairman of the National Economic Council from 1993-1995.
Goldman: Former Co-Chairman at Goldman Sachs where he worked from 1966-1992.
Government: Under Secretary for Domestic Finance of the United States Treasury from 2006-08. (Bush)
Goldman: Former Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs where he worked from 1976-2004.
Adam Storch
Government: COO of the SEC's Enforcement Division (October 2009-present). He was 29 years old at the time of his appointment.
Goldman: Former Vice President at Goldman Sachs where he worked from 2004-2009.
Government: Member of the Australian House of Representatives since 2004.
Goldman: Chairman and Managing Director, Goldman Sachs Australia from 1997-2001 and Partner with Goldman Sachs and Co from 1998-2001.
Government: President of the World Bank since 2007.
Goldman: Vice Chairman, International of the Goldman Sachs Group, and a Managing Director and Chairman of Goldman Sachs' Board of International Advisors (2006-07)
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*** Goldman Sachs-- One Big Happy & Financially Incestual Family
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