Big banks are a problem

[Jack L Golding]

Someone has mentioned that we should use the TARP money to subsidize the small businesses . We have only distributed only about a fifth of the TARP money to various projects like infrastructure and saving local and state jobs. Let's not spend another nickel bailing out the big banks and AIG, since they are using it for speculation and paying huge bonuses for their so called talented executives.Instead give the rest of the money to small businesses for capitalization, job training, shovel ready projects for infrastructure, and to pay healthcare for employes of small businesses unable to afford to pay their healthcare. Change the practices of Congress and make the bills effective immediately upon enactment. The only reasons for such delays are to appease the businesses being affected by such changes.

[Brian]

Remember, Jack, the Constitution of the United States was written by the richest men in America to benefit those like them. (Those without property couldn't vote, early on.) The rich have seen to it that that Constitution remains in effect. What you ask is as un-American as labor unions and female suffrage.

[abby0802]

Our Constitution was considered a remarkable document for its time; however, you are correct in that it was written by primarily the "aristocracy" of America.

America has never lived up to the myth of what it was suppose to be....

As long as the rich write the rules no one benefits but the rich.

[Jack L Golding]

I agree. Need to change the rules, Abby

[Jack L Golding]

Brian said my comment was unAmerican and not according to the Constitution. Well, I'm against the two-party system, One guy called me un-American some 25 years ago for stating that opinion. Well, I'm an independent thinker and am proud to be un-American.

[Dennis St. John]

Right O, right o. You're standing on me right toe. I think it's a given that any business "too big to fail" is too big to exist. If the big hog banks were allowed to go out of business altogether the pigs at the trough would learn to go on a diet. I just finished reading Ron Paul's book entitled End the Fed. I first read about the federal reserve over twenty years ago after the stock market crash of 1987. We definitely need to get rid of this corrupt conglomerate of private bankers who profit from our taxes and refuse to tell the public and the government anything about their business. It would also be nice to get our government back from the greedy hands of the corporations, but I'm sure these crooks will keep forcing the issue until armed citizens take to the streets as they did in ages past.

[Mark Jacobs]

Here's one I agree with you Dennis.

[abby0802]

The Fed like the government is well controlled by big business, including those big banks.
Until the citizens do something other than complain nothing will change because the politicians know where their big donations come from and it's not from you or me.....
Unfortunately, most citizens are too afraid of losing their jobs, homes, etc. to act collectively....

[Brian]

Written on the men's room wall of a favorite tavern of mine: "If you can't say, 'no!', you're a slave."

[abby0802]

Yes, Brian, financial slavery still means slavery, but fear is very crippling.... It takes being in a situation where people feel that they have nothing left to lose to make them act.
The closest we came to a radical change (from the people) was during the Great Depression -- both the right and left offered their ideologies -- however, FDR fearing both threats decided to act -- hence all his programs -- i.e. CCC, WPA, etc.
The 1960s peace movement, etc. was not as power keg as compared to the despair and the threats of the right and left of the 1930s.
Social and political changes come about when sufficient people perceive a threat to their well-being or position and powr -- hence, even Bismarck introduced the idea of social security to Germany during his time in power to undermine the attraction that the left offered the German people...

[Brian]

I think you've pretty well nailed it. FDR and his cousin, TR, saved capitalism by throwing some scraps to the desperate poor. Bismarck similarly.

[Dennis St. John]

You are correct, but let's give the unions their due. The early union organizers fought private security agents and corporate police until blood flowed in the streets. Most of the benefits that American workers enjoyed up until the economy went tits up in 2008 was due to unions.

[Dennis St. John]

That someone was me, too. The first thing I thought of was giving the TARP money to local banks who have acted responsibly and letting the megabanks go down the drain. Yeah, the economy would take a steep dive, but we'll survive, just like Americans have done for many generations before big banks were invented. Additionally, it's time to revisit the idea of term limits. The founding fathers did not intend for there to be a tit-sucking, ass-kissing class of professional politicians. Those elected to office were supposed to be selfless citizens serving the public welfare. Senators can serve one term of six years and no more. Congress persons can serve one term of two years and no more. The president can serve one term of four years and no more. Besides term limits, the citizens of every state should have the right to recall any elected official from their state by a referendum, and the president by national referendum. This will, of course, play hell with lobbyists and career egotists, but who cares about bottom feeders anyway?