Bishops, Birthers, and Bankers
We live in a world of duplicity, hypocrisy, cheating and bearing false witness.
Thus it has ever been.
But we the starry eyed innocents of the western “democracies” pretend that it is different in our lands.
Bishops, Birthers and Bankers all work against the good of the world.
They are the Bishops, Birthers and Bankers of said “democracies”.
BISHOPS
(Arch) Bishop Rowan Williams (Canterbury UK) and Bishop Tom Wright (Durham, UK) have written at length about saving the Anglican Communion/Anglican Church (whatever it is we call it today).
They are both writing with high sounding words, wrapped up in convoluted arguments.
The supposed reason for their words is the resolutions of the Episcopal Church regarding the ordination/blessing of relationships/ rights of gay and lesbian persons -- blah blah blah
Blah, blah, blah - back to Williams, Wright, and to the Episcopal Church.
I dare to say that G-d gives not a shit about the Anglican/Episcopal Church. We ( I am an Anglican) are an historic anomaly, long past our shelf life.
Ms. G-d is concerned for those who do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with her.
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Oh, about those “Birthers”.
They are the right wing/neo fascist/ born-again “fruit and nut cases” who dominate the Republican Party.
They are the laughable Looney tunes who believe (despite all the evidence) that our President was born in Kenya, thus disqualifying him for office.
We could laugh that off were it not for Republican Representatives such as Eric Kantor who believes that the President is American born, but blames the “liberal media” (as if it existed) for perpetuating the birther story, in order to discredit Republicans.
Yes, of course, I know that is hard to follow.
But here is a simple version. The noble party of Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and Dwight Eisenhower has been taken over by the crazies.
Oh ye my Republican friends. You are good folks. Please save your party and bring it back to Lincoln/ Roosevelt (T) / and Eisenhower values.
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Bankers.
We need bankers. Most of them are honourable and decent folks.
I have to say this for I was a banker in England between 1961 and 1972.
Our mission was simple:
1. Provide checking (current) accounts for businesses.
2. Enable overdrafts and small loans to business owners.
3. Provide basic banking services: i.e, checking (current), savings, personal loan accounts) to individuals.
4. Provide a worthwhile (albeit modest) reward to shareholders and officers.
In the meantime Investment Banks worked on creating and enabling Capital for major business and industry
Somewhere along the Reagan/Thatcher line this mission was abandoned.
Reagan/Thatcher decided that #4 ( profit) was the most important; and that retail and investment banks needed no line of separation.
Then another line was scorned. Rewards to officers became more important than rewards to the shareholders.
So I must ask my good Capitalist friends. “When did bonuses to bank/investment officers trump service to customers, and reward to investors?”
Is this the best that the Adam Smith/ Free market can provide?
Or is there a wee, wee place for government regulation which works equally for customers, investors and officers?
Thus it has ever been.
But we the starry eyed innocents of the western “democracies” pretend that it is different in our lands.
Bishops, Birthers and Bankers all work against the good of the world.
They are the Bishops, Birthers and Bankers of said “democracies”.
BISHOPS
(Arch) Bishop Rowan Williams (Canterbury UK) and Bishop Tom Wright (Durham, UK) have written at length about saving the Anglican Communion/Anglican Church (whatever it is we call it today).
They are both writing with high sounding words, wrapped up in convoluted arguments.
The supposed reason for their words is the resolutions of the Episcopal Church regarding the ordination/blessing of relationships/ rights of gay and lesbian persons -- blah blah blah
Blah, blah, blah - back to Williams, Wright, and to the Episcopal Church.
I dare to say that G-d gives not a shit about the Anglican/Episcopal Church. We ( I am an Anglican) are an historic anomaly, long past our shelf life.
Ms. G-d is concerned for those who do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with her.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh, about those “Birthers”.
They are the right wing/neo fascist/ born-again “fruit and nut cases” who dominate the Republican Party.
They are the laughable Looney tunes who believe (despite all the evidence) that our President was born in Kenya, thus disqualifying him for office.
We could laugh that off were it not for Republican Representatives such as Eric Kantor who believes that the President is American born, but blames the “liberal media” (as if it existed) for perpetuating the birther story, in order to discredit Republicans.
Yes, of course, I know that is hard to follow.
But here is a simple version. The noble party of Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and Dwight Eisenhower has been taken over by the crazies.
Oh ye my Republican friends. You are good folks. Please save your party and bring it back to Lincoln/ Roosevelt (T) / and Eisenhower values.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Bankers.
We need bankers. Most of them are honourable and decent folks.
I have to say this for I was a banker in England between 1961 and 1972.
Our mission was simple:
1. Provide checking (current) accounts for businesses.
2. Enable overdrafts and small loans to business owners.
3. Provide basic banking services: i.e, checking (current), savings, personal loan accounts) to individuals.
4. Provide a worthwhile (albeit modest) reward to shareholders and officers.
In the meantime Investment Banks worked on creating and enabling Capital for major business and industry
Somewhere along the Reagan/Thatcher line this mission was abandoned.
Reagan/Thatcher decided that #4 ( profit) was the most important; and that retail and investment banks needed no line of separation.
Then another line was scorned. Rewards to officers became more important than rewards to the shareholders.
So I must ask my good Capitalist friends. “When did bonuses to bank/investment officers trump service to customers, and reward to investors?”
Is this the best that the Adam Smith/ Free market can provide?
Or is there a wee, wee place for government regulation which works equally for customers, investors and officers?
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