In a fairly mainstream online publication too.

Speaking of committees and oversight, when Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke testified under oath to Congress in July, he said in no uncertain words, "the Federal Reserve will not monetize the [federal] debt". [1]. Fast forward to the day after mid-term elections, in which the American people clearly voted for LESS spending/printing, and the Fed announces its plan to monetize $900 billion in treasury bonds. [1]. The Chairman has proven his previous testimony before Congress to be a blatant lie, but instead of condemning the Fed's recent actions, the federal government has welcomed it with open arms. That's quite some oversight we have there.

Actually when you commit Perjury before Congress you're supposed to be cited for contempt and jailed.

The Fed, by it's own admission, is an independent entity within the government "having both public purposes, and private aspects". By "private aspects", they mean the entire operation is wholly-owned by private member banks, who are paid dividends of 6% each year on their stock. Furthermore, the Fed's decisions "do not have to be ratified by the President or anyone else in the executive or legislative branch of government" and the Fed "does not receive funding appropriated by Congress". In 1982, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals confirmed this view when it held that "federal reserve banks are not federal instrumentalities... but are independent, privately owned and locally controlled corporations".

That's a damn shame, really.  At least it is if you're Bernnake.

Why?

Because of this thing called "Sovereign Immunity."  That is, a government official, so long as he acts within his delegated and official duties, is generally immune from prosecution.  He can be removed from office, but not arrested.  This doesn't protect a Congressman from being arrested for taking a bribe (outside of his duties) but it does prevent him from being arrested for passing an unconstitutional law that results in your rights being infringed.

There is no such protection for private actors.

As I said, such a damn shame because.........

Speaking of committees and oversight, when Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke testified under oath to Congress in July, he said in no uncertain words, "the Federal Reserve will not monetize the [federal] debt". [1]. Fast forward to the day after mid-term elections, in which the American people clearly voted for LESS spending/printing, and the Fed announces its plan to monetize $900 billion in treasury bonds. [1]. The Chairman has proven his previous testimony before Congress to be a blatant lie.

More-specifically that's perjury, and our friend Ben is subject to arrest for it.

Will Congress do it?  Probably not.  And here's where we get to the "R" word....

We have all become subject to the misguided and/or malicious whims of a few wealthy individuals operating the levers of economic policy, with no adequate means of challenging their power.

Well that's not quite true.  We still have means available to challenge that power.  They're just not legal. 

And while this may be in the back of a lot of people's minds these days, it's damn rare to see it written..... like, for instance..... right here.

The reality is that there is only one way back to a true democratic system now, and this path will require nothing less of us than the courage of our forefathers.

Did I just see in print something that looks a lot like "Stop the looting or we will start......"

 

It may be considerably closer to midnight than I thought.