At Least One Banker Gets It Right
My economic populism and deep concern over the income gap and lack of economic justice in this nation (and around the world) is NOT a hatred of wealthy people per se. In fact, in a recent post which few people seem to have read, I highlighted the good work of the affluent Americans who form the group Responsible Wealth which lobbies for increases in their own taxes to fund economic justice for their employees and ordinary citizens. Bravo! I even emailed the White House and suggested several of these folk would make good candidates for Commerce Secretary (or could replace the horrid Larry Summers as Senior White House economic advisor–when Summers helped create the deregulation of the ’90s!).
Here’s another rich person who gets it–and this one is even a banker! Leonard Abess, Jr., a Miami Banker, has used $60 million of his own money (not our tax money) to give bonuses–not to high paid executives, but to his tellers, bank guards, and other ordinary employees–even tracking down some former employees and including them! Way to go, Leonard! Caring for your employees in a time of economic crisis rather than just yourself. Wow!
Living proof that wealth does not HAVE to mean motivated soley by greed. Blessings on you, Mr. Abess.
“Why I Am” Series
I invite guest posts for some testimonials explaining some of your basic conviction and commitments: religious (or anti-religious), political, etc. They should be in the 1,000 word range. Examples: Why I am a Christian, Why I am an Atheist, Why I am a Democrat, Why I am an Environmentalist, etc.
I don’t expect any of these essays to explain ALL of the writers’ basic commitments and few if any of us know ALL the reasons for our views (parental upbringing–either in agreement or reaction–rules far more of us than we’d like to admit). But I am not concentrating on the psychological or sociological reasons as much as the logical reasons–what makes you think such a view is RIGHT.
I myself will probably contribute several essays to the series: Why I am a Christ-follower (since “Christian” now seems to make “following” or discipleship optional, unlike the original meaning of the word); Why I am an (ana) Baptist; Why I am a Pacifist and Conscientious Objector; Why I am a Democrat; Why I am a (Male) Feminist. Maybe others. But I won’t start the series and I will only put my own contributions in among the others. Folks shouldn’t have to read just me all the time.
Americans Want Universal Healthcare & Bush Investigations
President Bush once completely dismissed 2 million Americans in the streets protesting the planned invasion of Iraq (2002) (and 10 million people doing the same worldwide) as a “focus group.” He spent his entire presidency ignoring the opinions of ordinary Americans. So far, President Obama, though far from driven by every poll, looks to be far more responsive to the input from ordinary Americans–to remember for whom he works. I hope that continues:
The majority of Americans now say they want universal single-payer healthcare (Medicare for All): 59%.
An even larger majority (62%) want the Bush/Cheney administration investigated for possible criminal wrongdoing, although that is split between those who want a criminal investigation by the Department of Justice (41%) and those who favor a Congressional-led “truth commission ( 30%). I actually favor a blend of these approaches: Use the congressional hearings, with some immunity deals for lower-level folks, to bring all matters to light, then have the Atty. Gen. appoint an independent special prosecutor to convene a grand jury for those who seem clearly guilty of criminal action (which, it appears to this layperson, would include Rumsfeld, Yoo, Ashcroft, Gonzalez, Harriet Miers, Karl Rove, Wolfowitz, Bush and Cheney at a minimum). The hesitancy of some Democrats to pursue this matter is that investigations could reveal that some Congressional Democrats are complicit in some actions (Sens. Diane Feinstein and Jay Rockefeller come to mind). But public pressure is building against Obama’s preference to simply ignore the past and concentrate on the future. As Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) says, “You can’t turn the page until you at least read the page.”
Support is also growing (weirdly, faster among Republicans than Democrats–at least in Congress) for some form of bank nationalization (at least temporarily) as a means to curing the crisis in the financial industry. And here the economists and the public seem ahead of both Congress and the Obama admin on the way forward. Although leadership definitely includes needing to dissent at times from the views of the people you’re leading, I hope this president keeps in touch with the people instead of repeating Bush’s error of surrounding himself with an “echo chamber” of his own thoughts.
About
Michael L. Westmoreland-White, Ph.D. I live in Louisville, KY USA with my wife, Kate, and our two wonderful daughters. My wife, Kate, is a Baptist minister who works at a Catholic charity (the Society of St. Vincent de Paul) to provide assisted housing to homeless people. Our daughters are Molly (’95) and Miriam (’99). I am a former soldier converted to gospel nonviolence and a once (and future?) academic theologian turned peace activist, author, and peace educator. Contact me at [email protected]
The Levellers were a 17th C. movement during the English Civil War. They were a religiously-inspired political movement for democracy, human rights, justice for the poor, and peace. Their strongest leader was Richard Overton, a pacifist General Baptist influenced by Dutch Mennonites. Although I write on a wide range of topics, most often this blog deals with the intersection of faith, especially Christian faith, and work for social justice and peace. So, I have named the blog and dedicated it to the spirit of Richard Overton and the 17th C. Levellers.
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