What “Trading Places” teaches us about bankers – and how to reduce the deficit

[Think82]

http://www.examiner.com/x-2895-LA-Political-Satire-Examiner~y2009m2d27-What-Trading-Places-teaches-us-about-bankers--and-how-to-reduce-the-deficit

VALENTINE: “You know, you can’t just go around shooting people in the kneecaps with a shotgun because you’re pissed at em.”

WINTHORP: (purposefully cleaning his hunting shotgun) “I suppose you have a better idea?”

VALENTINE: “Well actually, it seems to me that the best way of hurting rich people is turning them into poor people.”

In the midst of the financial crisis, I recommend everyone watch the film TRADING PLACES.

You see, this week, the President said that we’re going to have to invest in the long-term future of America: Health Care, schools, infrastructure, foreign aid, etc., at the same time, we’ll have to be tightening our belts and cutting the deficit. Where will the money come from?


If only we could go after those short-sellers, derivative traders, and gamblers, who ran off with boatloads of money after screwing homebuyers/ Good Companies/ the American people of their hard-earned dollars and force them to give some of it back. Those crooks are the evil Duke brothers in Trading Places. The American People are Eddie Murphy and Dan Akroyd, who the Dukes put in the poorhouse for their own amusement, while they plot to illegally corner the frozen orange juice market with insider information.

Well, getting all that cash seems pretty impossible. We can’t even keep Bernie Madoff from siphoning off money to friends and relatives STILL. Can someone tell me why he’s allowed to live in his apartment and not behind bars? I mean, he CONFESSED already.

Hmm, well, in the film, Winthorp and Valentine get their revenge by getting to the orange juice crop report before the Dukes and giving the Dukes the wrong information, causing the Dukes to lose their entire fortune while Winthorp, Valentine & co. get rich at the same time. Essentially, they fight fire with fire...

more at: http://www.examiner.com/x-2895-LA-Political-Satire-Examiner~y2009m2d27-What-Trading-Places-teaches-us-about-bankers--and-how-to-reduce-the-deficit

[givemebackmycountry]

1. Very funny movie....

I love the ending when the Dukes discover they have lost it all, and one of the brothers has a "heart episode" and collapses to the floor.

"But Mr. Duke, what about your brother?"
"Fuck Him!"

[Think82]

6. and underrated!

nt

[AnneD]

2. OK...I confess.....

I learned my basic knowledge of commodities from Trading Places. Have watched it several times to 'get it' and keep the info fresh in my mind. A great, painless way to learn about commodities. It isn't that easy or funny in the real world, but the movie is a source of easily digestable info.

[ejpoeta]

3. i love that move!! the best part is when akroyd and murphy's characters

join forces against the brothers. and then when they do the 'bet' thing.... oh, i bet winthorp we couldn't put you in the poor house and get rich at the same time... or something like that. i can't remember the exact wording. sure seemed like justice. and then in, was it 48 hours (?) when the two brothers were on the bench homeless. hehe.

[Lifelong Protester]

8. It was in "Coming to America"

that Eddie Murphy's character gives two homeless guys a brown paper bag full of money, and it turns out the guys are Mortimer and Randolph Duke, one of whom says "We're BACK!" after looking in the bag.

[ejpoeta]

12. ok. it didn't feel right that it was 48 hours. but i wasn't sure which one. thanks!!

that makes a lot more sense.

[Think82]

14. same director: John Landis

great great body of work...

[Demeter]

4. I suspect the Rich Have Made Themselves Poor All By Themselves

by being insanely foolish and trusting greater fools besides.

[Grinchie]

5. Turn the Machines Back On!

"I think I'll go to the movies, By Myself"

[kimmylavin]

9. Thank YOU, Mr. Mortimer...

:)

[yurbud]

7. the wealthy should be treated like the henchman stuffed in a gorilla suit--with the same cellmate

and outcome.

[marmar]

10. "Sounds like you guys are a couple of bookies"

"See Randolph, I told you he'd understand"


:rofl: A classic. Eddie Murphy stars in three of my favorite movies of all time - Coming to America, 48 Hrs and Trading Places - and Dan Aykroyd in two - Trading Places and the Blues Brothers.

[bemildred]

11. Well, there is actually great big wads of money out there.

The issue is how to take it back,

[The Wizard]

13. If Madoff gets a long prison sentence

his victims will never see a dime. Bernie is using his victim's cash as leverage.
At what point does law enforcement give up on trying to recover some of the stolen billions and throw him in the slammer? Maybe some time on Rikers Island naked in a cell will get him to give up some of his ill gotten gains.