報(bào)道：“內(nèi)幕交易”揭開美式“金錢民主”的黑幕
原標(biāo)題：中新網(wǎng)評：“內(nèi)幕交易”揭開美式“金錢民主”的黑幕
圖說：紐約時(shí)報(bào)截圖。
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據(jù)《華爾街日報(bào)》分析，約240名衛(wèi)生機(jī)構(gòu)和國防部(疫苗推廣的關(guān)鍵參與者)聯(lián)邦官員報(bào)告稱，他們擁有總計(jì)900萬到2800萬美元的藥品、制造和生物技術(shù)公司的股票，這些公司在2020年和2021年贏得了與新冠疫情相關(guān)的聯(lián)邦合同。
美國政府官員利用提前掌握的政策信息謀求個(gè)人利益，把國會(huì)當(dāng)成致富的場所，憑借自己對政策變化的了解，找準(zhǔn)時(shí)間購買和拋售股票，賺得盆滿缽滿。新冠疫情、烏克蘭危機(jī)……在這些“股神”眼里都是生意。
烏克蘭危機(jī)前夕，不少國會(huì)議員提前購入美國軍工企業(yè)的股票。危機(jī)不斷升級，拜登政府向?yàn)蹩颂m提供了大量軍事援助，這些股票也迎來大漲。
了解內(nèi)幕的美國議員們把他們接觸到的有利信息轉(zhuǎn)化為金錢，這不僅違反了聯(lián)邦證券法，還破壞了公眾對市場公平性的信任和信心。
盡管大多數(shù)美國民眾都支持禁止議員炒股，并呼吁國會(huì)立法來阻止這一現(xiàn)象，但美國兩黨絕大部分議員紛紛站出來反對，甚至美國眾議院院長南希?佩洛西也公開表示反對這種禁令。
在巨大的利益面前，國會(huì)進(jìn)行自我監(jiān)管的可能性極低。早在2012年，美國就通過了《停止利用國會(huì)消息交易法案》，禁止議員進(jìn)行內(nèi)幕交易，然而這部法律處罰力度極低，幾乎沒有震懾力。
其實(shí)，從國會(huì)議員利用“內(nèi)幕消息”進(jìn)行股票交易，到總統(tǒng)和議員席位競選用錢鋪路，都印證了美式民主是“金錢民主”、“錢主政治”，這種民主更代表富人的利益。美國國會(huì)大多數(shù)議員都是百萬富翁，很多國會(huì)議員拼了命地要?jiǎng)龠x連任，美國的決策到底為誰服務(wù)不言自明。
美國政客們?yōu)榱水?dāng)選，拉票時(shí)說得天花爛墜，選舉完后就把民眾拋一邊。手握權(quán)力者投機(jī)鉆營，通過非法手段聚攏財(cái)富，標(biāo)榜“自由、公平”的“美式民主”聽上去冠冕堂皇，但是掀開其所謂的“美式民主”面紗，人們發(fā)現(xiàn)，它早已被金錢淹沒。
‘Insider dealing’ uncovers ‘money-dominated’ U.S. democracy
(ECNS) – The New York Times has reported that at least 97 current members of Congress are suspected of using insider information to buy and sell stocks from 2019 to 2021.
And according to an investigation conducted by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ)， thousands of federal officials were found to have been making decisions in their respective government agencies that had a direct effect on stocks they owned or traded.
WSJ’s analysis found that about 240 officials at health agencies and the Pentagon, a key player in the vaccine rollout, reported owning a total of between $9 million and $28 million in stocks of drug, manufacturing and biotechnology companies that won federal contracts related to Covid-19 in 2020 and 2021.
U.S. government officials use the Congress as a tool to make their fortunes, using insider information to trade stocks. The Covid-19 pandemic, Ukraine crisis and other global events have become their business opportunities.
Members of the Congress purchased energy and defense stocks prior to the Ukraine crisis and these stocks rose greatly after the U.S. announced it would provide military assistance to Ukraine.
These people cash in on insider information, which has violated U.S. Federal Securities Laws and destroyed public confidence and trust in a fair market.
Although the public supports the ban on their trading stocks and call on the Congress to legislate, the majority of both parties disagree to this proposal, with even Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, publicly opposing such kind of ban.
Self-supervision of the Congress is hardly possible in the face of huge interests. In fact, in 2012, the Congress passed a STOCK Act to make it illegal for its members to engage in insider trading. However, it has showed very low deterrence due to its light punishment.
Either insider trading or money-manipulated President and Congress member election has proved that U.S.-style democracy is dominated by money, which protects the interests of the wealthy more than that of the ordinary people.
The Congress members, most of whom are millionaires, are desperate to win re-election, which further confirms that government decisions works for the rich.
U.S. politicians indulge in empty talk when canvassing but don’t care about the voters after they win elections. Those in power speculate and gain wealth by illegal means. The U.S.-style democracy which boasts freedom and fairness has already been kidnapped by money.
