| The news just keeps getting "stranger" with each day | | | | blatant "me and not you" attitudes. If you did not want |
| that passes. Citizens are urged to "make sacrifices" | | | | the money Northern Trust, then return it, and ask your |
| and tighten their belts, and government officials | | | | guests to pay the tab, and not the American people. |
| promise that saving the economy will take the work of | | | | You could have made corporate contacts at a much |
| everyone. It seems that banks and Wall Street feel | | | | less lavish scandal then the one you flaunted in the |
| that they are not part of "everyone." | | | | face of the nation. So if the American people point |
| When a bank such as Northern Trust, or Wells Fargo | | | | their fingers, it should be at corporate America and the |
| accepts tax-payer bailout funds, then they have joined | | | | banking industry. There has never been in the history |
| the ranks of "everyone." Outrageous expenses on | | | | of America such a significant gap between those who |
| parties, lavish foods, highest priced hotel | | | | have and those who have not, and especially in those |
| accomodations, and entertaining that ordinary people | | | | who take and those who have to give. |
| just can't afford seems to scream out "We don't care | | | | Taxpayers do not have a choice, they have to pay |
| what you do without, because we don't have to do | | | | their taxes or face the penalties. Corporate and |
| without anything." Northern Trust stated that they did | | | | Banking CEO's do have a choice, as does the |
| not ask for the bailout funds. I cannot imagine an | | | | automobile industry. If GM buckled down, used |
| armored truck pulling up to Northern Trust's door, | | | | common sense and tried to appease its customers |
| bandishing weapons and demanding that the safe be | | | | instead of its investors, I can assure you that the |
| opened so that they could pour the billions of dollars | | | | economy would not be the straits it is now in and it |
| into the coffers. It is more of a stretch of the | | | | would not be costing in the trillions. It should be the |
| imagination than Night Gallery. If it was a hostage | | | | American people who celebrate when greedy |
| situation where bank CEO's were held against their will | | | | corporations, whether Northern Trust, Bank of |
| and the money stuffed into their pockets by | | | | America, Citi-groups, or Chrysler face the taskmaster |
| government agents, then I could understand their | | | | and pay up, shut up, or give up their opulent lifestyles. |
| dilemna. This did not nor has it ever happened. Their | | | | After all, it seems that with the lack of business sense |
| open hands took the money and decided that now it | | | | displayed so far, there is a lack of education and |
| was "party time." | | | | quality among the CEO's of this nation. It is time to start |
| If the Obama administration could do one thing while in | | | | cleaning house and dispose of the "malfunctioning", |
| office, it should be to make it plain, simple, and | | | | broken, and inadequate leadership in the business |
| mandatory that banking and Wall Street "higher ups" | | | | world. If they were in the private sector, they would be |
| do not make fools out of the American taxpayers, and | | | | the first to be let go for inefficiency, non-productivity, |
| that they share in the misery that they have created. | | | | and corporate theft. They stole the peace of mind, and |
| There is a lot of finger pointing, but one thing is for sure. | | | | the lifestyle of the everyday tax paying man, and |
| It did not happen overnight, it did not happen since | | | | woman and should be dealt with swiftly and forcefully. |
| January 20, 2009 when President Obama took office, | | | | An uncontrolled child is disciplined and an uncontrolled |
| and it did not happen because of the expertise of | | | | adult is just not acceptable. Something to think about. |
| these highly educated and valued employees. It | | | | ©Arleen M. |
| happened because of greed, stupidity and down right | | | | |