The Muddled Mindset of the Mob

Over at Brutally Honest, there's an essay on some of the "good people" involved in the Occupy movement. One of the "good people" was a lady pastor from Southern California. And a former (we can only hope) if not present, Obama supporter. But, then, let's let her say it:

The people have finally arrived at the place where they are saying, "Enough!" They are making strong statements that are definitive; closing accounts at Bank of America because they are tired of the banksters charging us to use our own money.

"Banksters." Catch that? That oh, so clever way she equates "bankers" with gangsters". I wonder if she thought that up herself or is just repeating it because she thinks it's cute?

Here's something for you to ponder, Pastor Sue: "the labourer is worthy of his hire" -Luke 10:7
The bank provides a service to its customers. Should they do this for free? There is overhead associated with giving you access to your own money. No one is forcing you to put your money in their bank. Keep it in a coffee can in the back yard, or stuffed under your mattress if you like. And if you're on vacation and run short of cash, just run home and get some more!

The fee that's got Pastor Sue's choir robe in a bunch, is the response to the micromanaging of the banks by Congress. A fee that they used to charge to retailers was reduced by Congress, and the banks, who need to make a profit to keep the doors open, pay the tellers and bookkeepers and building maintenance people, the utility companies, the printers, the sign makers, pay for the buildings the furnishings, the slightly larger coffee cans they keep your cash in, and the "free" coffee they serve in the lobby...all those things, and more! Are the people who build and service ATM machines, the data entry people who keep track of your account, the people who answer the phones (yeah, yeah...after "press one for English"), are they not entitled to be paid for what they do?

Or instead of boycotting the banks, maybe Pastor Sue and her friends can pool their money and start their own bank? They can hire lawyers to help them navigate all the state, federal and local regulations, rent or buy a building, pay all those salaries the staff requires...oh, I forgot! This is a volunteer bank! Scratch the salaries! And then, after they have done all this, they can offer free access to their depositors' money, at no charge, twenty four/seven. Assuming they can get any depositors. After all, how are they going to pay any kind of interest if they can't charge for any of their services? And why would anyone want to deposit their money in a bank with no ATMs, that pays no interest and a limited number of locations (1).

Let me know how that works out for y'all as a business model!