This morning I read the lead article at Baseline Scenario, Feudal Lord's of Finance, by Simon Johnson. link: http://baselinescenario.com/2009/12/01/feudal-lords-of-finance/)
It is a brief consideration of why we have elitism in our American culture and the big banks in particular. It asks the question... is there some way we benefit from a growing class of elitists. It is a mildly intriguing article. When I got to reading a few comments, I realized this is a hot button! People are really locked on to this discussion much more than I have any clue. Read it.
Then I asked myself, what power do I have to make change occur and not feel like one of a million ants following the leaders over the cliff and into their wallet. The way we Americans can express our feelings is to leave the big banks a clear message. The message is good-bye! They will not go out of business. That is not the aim. The aim is to make it clear they are not where we place our business anymore. They had and lost it. It was their's to lose and they did. Saying good-bye is appropriate. We can sit in judgment of them. That is our privilege.
Doing business locally is beginning to look a lot more important than ever. It's now about developing local, long-term, quality jobs. So, where do you move your account? Of course I would like you to have my experience, at a credit union that is convenient for you. If you would like to consider this more, I have found a site that will help locate credit unions in your area. Here is a link: http://www.creditunion.coop/cu_locator/quickfind.php . This is not the last best idea. Please feel free to leave a comment of your own, here or on Baseline Scenario. Scanner