The Un-American, "All About Me" Crowd

In this flag-waving, hand-over-heart political season, it would
be well to examine the patriotism of the six or seven largest
U.S. banks and their right-wing rich supporters. While I'm at it,
here's a list of the un-American, all about me crowd:

(1) The SEC: those staff members most closely tied to the NYC/DC
incestuous, revolving door corridor should have been relieved
of their posts, as they DID NOTHING to stem the practices
which led to the country's (and the world's) financial ruin,
beginning in 2007. Incompetence or intent? --Does it matter?
A few really should experience significant jail time.

(2) The Big Bank "Deciders": All of the big six or seven had/have
administrators who skirted laws, took hat in hand to ask/accept
big bailouts from the taxpayers, most of whom are NOT rich....
most of whom find it hard to get federal school loans, home loans,
etc., in a new era of tight credit, post 2008. Big Banks
unnecessarily hoarding cash, keeping the Great Recession of
2007---- going, now, that's un-American.

(3) Any Ayn Rand devotees serving in Congress: In her cant on
"individualism" vs. the evil "collectivism", class warfare becomes
more of a problem than is actually necessary. Is it required to pit
the individual against society, and/or the reverse? Are we one
nation, or not? Is it Socialism to have libraries, fire and police
departments, public schools? The right-wing Randian purists
would have us believe that an almost non-existent federal
government would somehow be productive and fair, letting the
lesser gifted without family or friends wind up on the streets,
as we saw happen in the 1930s, the 1980s and beyond.

(4) The "Fed": The Federal Reserve has some 'splainin' to do
as well. Paul Krugman is wrong to suggest more money be
printed without that increase being based on a proven
improvement in the economy, however.

I support a balance between the individual and society, because
that reflects the reality of humanity--we are inevitably part of
groups, and we are always individuals. Without such balance a
nation, any nation, is perverted and therefore unfair.

Memo to the rest of us: stop wrapping ourselves in the ol'
red, white and blue. Aside from the medical community, charities,
inventors and the front-line military, most of us have done
precious little to improve the nation's fortunes, and I'm not
merely meaning money here. But it's not too late to start.