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Srila Prabhupada[Posted Feb 4, 2009]

Rescue for the taxpayers perps



A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

You thought your government cared about you?
rescue Forbes Feb 4, 2009 - BRIAN WINGFIELD

CEO Pay Curbs Could Extend The Crisis



WASHINGTON -- Now we get to find out who really needs a taxpayer bailout.

Wednesday morning, President Barack Obama and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner are expected to announce strict limits on executive compensation for banks and other companies that receive money from the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP.

The idea sounds noble enough. Even as they have accepted billions of dollars in taxpayer money to keep the doors open, bosses at companies such as General Motors (nyse: GM - news - people ), AIG (nyse: AIG - news - people ), Bank of America (nyse: BAC - news - people ) and Citigroup (nyse: C - news - people ) have been pilloried for their lavish lifestyles. The display of luxury corporate jets, million-dollar bonuses and executive suite redecorating all but invites Uncle Sam to step in at a time when hundreds of thousands of Americans are losing their jobs.
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The Bhaktivedantas World Sankirtan Party and Inside Nam Hatta are hosted by Hansadutta das, a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada and trustee of The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Participate or learn more about World Sankirtan Party.
Your government working for you?
Plundered A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

In Kali-yuga, as stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.2.13): the ruling class (rajanya) will be no better than plunderers (dasyus) because the third-class and fourth-class men will monopolize the affairs of the government. Ignoring the religious principles and brahminical rules and regulations, they will certainly try to plunder the riches of the citizens without consideration. more

Plans for economic development


excerpt from purport, Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.24.66
"My dear Lord, all living entities within this material world are mad after planning for things, and they are always busy with a desire to do this or that. This is due to uncontrollable greed. The greed for material enjoyment is always existing in the living entity, but Your Lordship is always alert, and in due course of time You strike him, just as a snake seizes a mouse and very easily swallows him."

PURPORT
Everyone is greedy, and everyone makes plans for material enjoyment. In his lust for material enjoyment, the living entity is described as a madman. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (3.27):

prakriteh kriyamanani
gunaih karmani sarvashah
ahankara-vimudhatma
kartaham iti manyate


"The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities which are in actuality carried out by nature."

Everything is enacted by the laws of nature, and these laws are under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The atheists, or unintelligent men, do not know this. They are busy making their own plans, and big nations are busy expanding their empires. And yet we know that in due course of time many empires have come into existence and been destroyed. Many aristocratic families were created by people in their extreme madness, but we can see that in the course of time those families and empires have all been destroyed. But still the foolish atheists do not accept the supreme authority of the Lord. Such foolish people unnecessarily concoct their own duties without referring to the supreme authority of the Lord. The so-called political leaders are busy making plans to advance the material prosperity of their nation, but factually these political leaders only want an exalted position for themselves. Due to their greed for material position, they falsely present themselves as leaders before the people and collect their votes, although they are completely under the grip of the laws of material nature. These are some of the faults of modern civilization. Without taking to God consciousness and accepting the authority of the Lord, the living entities become ultimately confused and frustrated in their planmaking attempts. Due to their unauthorized plans for economic development, the price of commodities is rising daily all over the world, so much so that is has become difficult for the poorer classes, and they are suffering the consequences. And due to lack of Krishna consciousness, people are being fooled by so-called leaders and planmakers. Consequently, the sufferings of the people are increasing. According to the laws of nature, which are backed by the Lord, nothing can be permanent within this material world; therefore everyone should be allowed to take shelter of the Absolute in order to be saved. In this regard, Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita (5.29):

bhoktaram yajña-tapasam
sarva-loka-maheshvaram
suhridam sarva-bhutanam
jñatva mam shantim ricchati


"The sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attains peace from the pangs of material miseries."

If one wants peace of mind and tranquillity in society, he must accept the fact that the real enjoyer is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord is the proprietor of everything all over the universe, and He is the supreme friend of all living entities as well. By understanding this, people can become happy and peaceful individually and collectively.


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Sri Guru and Gauranga

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