On Wed, 29 Sep 2010 11:44:33 -0700, Hawke
wrote:
snip
That's more or less correct. But unlike what some folks think, there is
a difference between the parties. You may correctly call them both
corrupt. However, when you look at every single thing that has been done
to improve the lives of Americans it's all been done by the Democrats
and against the wishes of the republicans. The list is a long one; from
the 40 hr. work week, to overtime pay, to minimum wages, to unemployment
compensation, to social security, to food safety inspections, to the
right to unionize, and on and on. Everything beneficial to the average
American has come because the Democrats have made it happen and the
republican have fought them every step of the way on every issue.
snip
===========
Why stop there. Glass-Stegall and the SEC/CFTC were at
least as important in a macro economic/fiscal sense.
Unfortunately that was then and this is now. FDR died in
1945 and he ain't coming back.

FWIW -- Iceland may have a better idea in that they
established a special court to try their politicians for
mis- mal- and non- feasance in office and/or reckless
endangerment of the country when they became a country in
1905. The parliament just indicted the former PM for
allowing/abetting/promoting the uncontrolled growth of
banking and the resulting economic crash. Max sentence
under Icelandic law is only 2 years, and the fines have
become nominal because of inflation.
http://www.businessweek.com/news/201...er-crisis.html
http://noir.bloomberg.com/apps/news?...d=a56Xvy6tuK2k

This may be a way to put some spine [or at least the fear of
god] into politicians, particularly if the prison time is
increased to 5 to 10 years with total asset confiscation and
both are both mandatory. As California and several other
states have demonstrated, term limits and voter
recall/initiative/petition aren't enough.

My suggestion for the #1 indictment is Phil Gramm.



-- Unka George (George McDuffee)
...............................
The past is a foreign country;
they do things differently there.
L. P. Hartley (1895-1972), British author.
The Go-Between, Prologue (1953).