Arianna Huffington: Why Are Bankers Still Being Treated As Beltway Royalty?

[flpoljunkie]

(Of course, we all know the answer to that question. M-O-N-E-Y. Campaign contributions to both parties.)

Arianna Huffington: Why Are Bankers Still Being Treated As Beltway Royalty?

Just this week, America's bankers and their lobbyists -- who you might have reasonably thought would be the political equivalent of lepers these days -- have kneecapped bankruptcy reform in the Senate and have tried feverishly to place a roadblock in the way of credit card reform in the House. According to Sen. Dick Durbin, the banks "are still the most powerful lobby on Capitol Hill. And they frankly own the place." When it comes to reforming our financial system, we are truly through the looking glass. I mean, since when did it become "to the vanquished go the spoils"? How do the same banks that have repeatedly come to Washington over the last eight months asking for billions to rescue them from their catastrophic mistakes, somehow still "own the place"?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/why-are-bankers-still-bei_b_194242.html

[izquierdista]

1. Cultural Revolution

I think they need to be paraded through town with dunce caps and signs around their necks showing the amount of money they lost. Then they can be sent to villages to work as peasants.

[Better Believe It]

2. Because they are! Like Senator Durbin pointed out "they frankly own the place"

[flpoljunkie]

3. The American people need to understand why they 'frankly own the place.'

And, do something about it. Public financing of their campaigns so they put the public interests before the special interests who bankroll their campaigns.

Campaign contributions doled out in almost equal proportions to both parties and key members of relevant committees.

[OwnedByFerrets]

4. K and R

[belpejic]

5. I am so furious about these scumbags

When are the politicians going to realize that ordinary people hate the bankers, and by extension hate them? It just makes me want to go to bed for a very, very long time. I can't believe that taxpayer money is bailing out these f***s, who are getting bonuses comparable to those they recieved in boom times, and none of it is coming to the regular gal/guy. When do WE get a break?

[closeupready]

6. "When do WE get a break?" We don't. Just as Leona Helmsley had it,

personal responsibility is for the little people. The wealthy get welfare, taxpayer subsidies, and tax breaks and the little people get indentured servitude.

And I'm being 100% serious.