Thursday, December 24, 2009
Wall Street, Deception and Exploitation
I just noticed that justice was served today. The judge said that the case was about deception and exploitation; that it was an “exploitation of people’s emotions and money.” The scoundrels were sent to jail and were barred from profiteering on their criminal activities for the next four years!
So, at last, justice caught up with some of the Wall Street robber barons?
Well not exactly. This court decision was rendered against the Balloon Boy’s parents – 90 days for the father and 20 days for the mother – for their escapades in trying to get publicity. But the significance is there in its comparison to what has happened to the crafters of the worst financial crisis this country has seen in eighty years. Over a year has passes since the proverbial waste hit the fan. And what have they received? Time in jail? Not a minute to date. Fines or orders barring them from profiteering? Not a dollar and not a peep. But these bankers and financiers have received billions of bailout dollars from American taxpayers, plus lucrative salaries, plus extravagant bonuses.
Is there something wrong here when comparing these two situations, or am I just having a bad day? If it is “just” to put this couple in jail and to forbid them from profiting from their deception, then why is it not “just” to at least do the same with those whose deceit and exploitation were responsible for the financial disaster and destruction we now have in this country?
Is there no indignation left in our prosecutorial halls of justice to do with Wall Street what is appropriate and required under our legal system? Perhaps this is just an obvious symptom of a country - a civilization – that is now in a steep decline….
©2009 subhan schenker
I just noticed that justice was served today. The judge said that the case was about deception and exploitation; that it was an “exploitation of people’s emotions and money.” The scoundrels were sent to jail and were barred from profiteering on their criminal activities for the next four years!
So, at last, justice caught up with some of the Wall Street robber barons?
Well not exactly. This court decision was rendered against the Balloon Boy’s parents – 90 days for the father and 20 days for the mother – for their escapades in trying to get publicity. But the significance is there in its comparison to what has happened to the crafters of the worst financial crisis this country has seen in eighty years. Over a year has passes since the proverbial waste hit the fan. And what have they received? Time in jail? Not a minute to date. Fines or orders barring them from profiteering? Not a dollar and not a peep. But these bankers and financiers have received billions of bailout dollars from American taxpayers, plus lucrative salaries, plus extravagant bonuses.
Is there something wrong here when comparing these two situations, or am I just having a bad day? If it is “just” to put this couple in jail and to forbid them from profiting from their deception, then why is it not “just” to at least do the same with those whose deceit and exploitation were responsible for the financial disaster and destruction we now have in this country?
Is there no indignation left in our prosecutorial halls of justice to do with Wall Street what is appropriate and required under our legal system? Perhaps this is just an obvious symptom of a country - a civilization – that is now in a steep decline….
©2009 subhan schenker
# posted by Subhan @ 12:36 AM 
