I'm not sure we're going about Occupy Wall Street the right way. Should we be focused on Washington, D.C.?
Bankers, let's face it, have never had our interest at heart, and never will. In fact, quite the contrary. Their mission is to subtly--and even overtly--bone us every step of the way. Is anyone really surprised about the excesses and the outrages we've seen take place since Congress cut away the fetters with deregulation?
I'm sure the abuses go back much further, but we know that the one time Jesus actually became angry was when he encountered the money-changers, a/k/a bankers, at the temple. (This is the only account of Jesus using physical force in any of the Gospels). You can find the story at Mark 11:15–19, 11:27–33, Matthew 21:12–17, 21:23–27, Luke 19:45–48, 20:1–8 , and John 2:13–16).
We shouldn't expect much from the bankers. During the Great Depression, when they were also largely ungoverned, they foreclosed on many millions of people, just as they have in the Great Depression II. Bankers do what bankers do. . .they chafe under regulation, and go ape when they are periodically set free. But we should expect more--much much more--from the politicians we pay in the mid-six figures to defend our interests. Alas, those six figure salaries, franking privileges, fat pensions, platinum insurance, cars, large staffs, air travel, earmarks for the home district that insure re-election, and expense accounts, can't hold a candle to the satchels of cash delivered by special interest groups. As you know, one of the most pernicious and insidious special interest groups are the banks. And they are outbidding us every step of the way for the services of the legislators and staff we already pay a pretty penny to secure.
I think OWS is doing the right thing. And it feels like the uprising is maturing, and growing. But it would be nice to focus a little more on the politicians, hacks, and functionaries--both the corrupt ones, and the Good Germans, who go along to get along.
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