How do you feel about Sen. Dick Durbin's comments that "banks frankly own the place," while referring to congress?

For a long time we’ve known that the loyalty of many politicians can be bought.
Is Senator Durbin beyond reproach?

I appreciate his honesty, though it seems like too little too late. Our system has been bought and sold by all kinds of people for 200 years.

You mean we have tin foil hat crackpot conspiracy theorists in Congress? WWJD?

I’m really not surprised by his comments. All politicians are bought and paid for and their own interests come before the interests of taxpayers, which is inherently wrong and unethical, in my opinion. Business as usual.

Consider for a moment that we have just poured lots of money into the banks, and they turn around and use the money to buy influence from Congress.
@kevbo, WWJD? What would Jesus drive? He was a carpenter, so I’m guessing a sporty pick-up. (old joke)

I think he is stating it as exactly as it is, unfortunately. They certainly have been a great benefactor to Nancy Pelosi and her husband, They are the ones that created the mess and we are the sheeple that will be forced to pay for it.

Durbin is an IL politician, like Obama. Don’t trust him. IL politicians are a special breed (and not in a good way). Google the Daley Political Machine, it’ll open your eyes as to why IL is the most corrupt state in the lower 48.

@evelyns_pet_zebra I would have guess Louisianna, with IL second

@filmfann I don’t know anything about Louisiana, but when the head of the FBI calls IL the most corrupt state in the Union, I’m inclined to believe him. I’ve lived here my whole life, and I’ve seen most of the crime first hand.

Recently, just before our currently impeached governor was under endictment, his approval rating was around 15%. The previous governor, who is serving time in prison for racketeering, had an approval rating of 55%. When a convicted felon is more popular than the man in office, that tells you something about IL politics. And this is considered ‘normal’ in IL.

All that stuff in the news a few months ago had everyone up in arms, but I just shrugged and told them, “Welcome to IL.” Lincoln is probably rolling over in his grave.

Actually, the Federal Reserve owns the place (& everything else).

It is a truthful statement.

So why are so many people in favor of keeping the banks? The banks only exist, because we allow them to exist. I dont understand why people continue to use these large banks. Is it a catch 22? If we stop using these banks, the taxpayers just invested $15 trillion into a failed entity.

Banks don’t own congress. Congress does what it wants to do. It creates special interests by it’s actions. Then it uses that to benefit it’s members. The truly psychotic members of congress who lust for power the most and stay the longest are it’s true owners.

The FED must be destroyed.

@walterallenhaxton

Thanks to Rep. Ron Paul®-Tx, there is bill, HR 1207, which is gaining more and more co-sponsers each day. I believe there is over 150 now. This bill will audit the fed, which will be a step forward to showing the secrecy and corruption of the practices of the “federal” reserve. Call your Congressman immediately and tell him to support this bill.

@walterallenhaxton You are exactly right Walter. Our country is controlled by the Federal reserve. Many people don’t realize that the that the Fed. is a private bank.

@chris6137 Unfortunately the Senate is sleeping on that bill.

@Russell_D_SpacePoet I can’t tell if it is private or not. I do know that there is no economic reason for it’s existence and without government backing it would vanish. It is a tool for thieves to steal with.

@walterallenhaxton It is most assuredly a private bank given a misleading name. It’s a central bank. That is bad. The government doesn’t back it exactly. They, the Fed, back the US monetary system.

@Russell_D_SpacePoet I don’t think that they have enough assets to do that. I think that the monetary system is uninsured. They are just selling insurance like any other group of mobsters. If something happens they will not be there.

@walterallenhaxton That’s the scam. Why do you think there has NEVER been an audit of the Fed. They are money changers.

@Russell_D_SpacePoet So why doesn’t our great christian government throw them out of the temple. Almost all of that crowd brags at what great Christians they are. At least a super majority of them do.

removed by tiff

@tiffyandthewall What does that mean?

They are no more “Federal” then Federal Express, they really should be called Goldman Sachs. A populated combination of x cabinet administration, political hacks; and power hungry, devious ivy school Illuminati. They are instrumental in the slaughter for money and lives from the sheeple, so they can continue their unabated thirst for more global power and control.

@Garebo If they are not federal then they should have no problem giving up their monopoly on the creation of currency. I contend that without that they would cease to exist. They have no patent on currency. Any mint can make far better currency.

It seems that most people here agree that congress no longer works in the interest of the people who vote them into office, but instead for those who pay for their campaigns and by the complacent “Busness as usual” posts, they agree that this has been going on for a long time.

So, why do Americans put up with this? What needs to be done to get our Democracy back? Should we start with campaign financing reforms such as public financing only through our taxes and limiting campaign durations as in other democracies? Should we drastically change our lobbying system, an if so, how?

I would really like to see some serious ideas along these lines from some of you.

Jeez, a week later and nothing but crickets.

@Espiritus_Corvus This question is from june 2009. Still true though. We will have a hard time taking our democracy back without campaign spending reform. Right now politics is run by the rich. For the rich pretty much.

Age long question, how do you keep people from being corrupted. Limits would work, or would they? Take money out of the political equation, then what do you get, it’s a double edged sword?
I think it all boils down to culture, human beings with conviction that are courageous without self-interest.