Sunday, October 23, 2011

Occupied on Wall Street

One day I'll understand what those Wall Street Occupiers are on about.  That will be, presumably, 30 minutes after I pass from this Earth and stand before God, at which time I'll ask Him what those Wall Street Occupiers were on about.  He'll probably frown and shrug and have to admit that even He has no idea.

It may or may not be a good thing for, as one strident protester put it, the large banks to spend millions of dollars to lobby the government to legislate in favor of the banks instead of the people, but let's not let the facts get in the way:

  • Banks may use their profits any way they wish.  The stockholders may wish to see less money going to lobbyists and more to themselves, but again, that's not for me to say--nor for you to say.
  • Banks don't get to vote for members of Congress.  The people do.  If you don't like what your representative or senator is doing, vote the loser out.
  • You are not required to put money into a bank, or borrow money from a bank.  If your bank engages in practices with which you do not agree (no matter how silly, misinformed, or uninformed your opinions might be), then don't do business with that bank anymore.
I in no way condone the combination of egregious Federal policies going back 30 years, lack of Congressional oversight, and generally bad behavior on the part of lending institutions that got us into this mess.  The individual who approved the idea of securitizing mortgages should be hunted down like the criminal he or she is, and summarily dispatched sans due legal process in the most hideous and gruesome manner available, preferably broadcast on cable for everyone to see as a warning.

It's too bad the baying bloodhounds and bassets on Wall Street can't see that they've been victimized by liberal government policies just as much as they have been by "capitalism."  Either they're not smart enough to realize that they're being manipulated by politicians into protesting, or they know and don't care because it suits them.

It's obvious to me that the Occupiers lack ambition.  If they had any ambition at all, they'd band together and start a bank.  Then they could show us how it's supposed to be done, couldn't they?

I'll continue not holding my breath.