Economic stimulus… or stimulant?

This Reuters story by Boris Groendahl (International Herald Tribune) hasn’t been receiving much distribution (or comment) — which makes me wonder whether or not anyone really wants to know how much of our Sinaola agricultural commodities market funds are in the U.S. banks (it’s too much cash to be socked away in mattresses here, or even invested in gold chains, Hummers and high-maintenance girlfriends and has to be somewhere).  If “drug money” is, by definition, “corrupting”… then its not some cop on the take in Fulanotitlan  that should be of concern, but the people whose economic decisions affect everyone in the United States (and the rest of the planet as well) that should make people nervous.

Vienna: The United Nations’ crime and drug watchdog has indications that money made in illicit drug trade has been used to keep banks afloat in the global financial crisis, its head was quoted as saying on Sunday.

Vienna-based UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa said in an interview released by Austrian weekly Profil that drug money often became the only available capital when the crisis spiralled out of control last year.

“In many instances, drug money is currently the only liquid investment capital,” Costa was quoted as saying by Profil. “In the second half of 2008, liquidity was the banking system’s main problem and hence liquid capital became an important factor.”

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime had found evidence that “interbank loans were funded by money that originated from drug trade and other illegal activities,” Costa was quoted as saying. There were “signs that some banks were rescued in that way.”

Profil said Costa declined to identify countries or banks which may have received drug money …

Based on 2003 figures, drug trafficking  constitutes “the third biggest global commodity in cash terms after oil and the arms trade.” (The Independent, 29 February 2004, quoted by in “Who benefits from the Afghan Opium Trade?, Global Research).  Oil and narcotics are major Mexican exports.  If one or the other were to dry up, would the U.S. economy completely fall apart?  Or is the U.S. (also the major source of arms to Mexico) also propping up the narcotics industry… and should it ask for a bailout from the U.S. Treasury Department?

If the cop on the take in Fulanotitlan is supposedly a national security threat, what kind of threat is it when the banks are also corrupted (if this is counted as corruption).  I don’t know… given the bankers’ bling binge paid for by U.S. taxpayers…  some heads need ot roll on Wall Street .

I have neighbors here in Sinaloa who are the go-to guys for that.