Too big to fail and too small to survive...

[kentuck]

"Too old to rock and roll and too young to die."
Jethro Tull

If any company or bank or whatever entity in our free market is "too big to fail", then they are similar to a monopoly. And as such, should operate under the laws of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890. http://www.answers.com/topic/sherman-antitrust-act

These big banks should nver have been permitted to get "too big to fail". They should have been broken up into smaller entities, to prevent the damage they have done to our economy and the world economy in general.

The anti-trust laws were passed by Congress in response mostly to the Standard Oil Company of John D. Rockefeller, in the last part of the 19th century. At that time, most people used kerosene to light their homes and Rockefeller had a monopoly on the product. Perhaps we should re-visit our anti-trust laws? Or is it too late?

[ThomWV]

1. I would suggest that it is never too late to write (or rewrite) good law

You might also recall the break up of AT&T into the "Baby-Bells". We saw how that worked out as, years later, they began to merge with one-another to begin to reform the monster from whence they came.

[kentuck]

2. True.

And look at AT&T now. I would suggest that maybe they have to be revisited every couple of decades to keep them from springing back to life.

[Uben]

3. Your observation is spot on

The problem lies within the lobbying community in Washington DC. We can never get rid of lobbying, it is a constitutional reality. But, we can limit their financial exposure to our congressional members. Until we make it illegal to try to buy influence in Washington, the problem will persist. Congress has gotten accustomed to be courted by these entities, with all the trimmings. Some look at it as a perk. I see it as what it is....a bribe, and that is illegal. Until we get the "right to lobby" defined to disallow monetary compensation of any sort, meals, trips, tickets, etc., we will continue to have a corrupt congress willing to look the other way while corporations dictate policy and uphold these monopolies. Penalties should be sharp and immediate! Why do you suppose most congress-persons go into the lobbying business once they leave office? They follow the money. They have seen it work and they want their piece of the pie.


No more pie!

[Double T]

4. It is never too late.

We need to get rid of our dysfunctional congress, injustice department, wet noodle scotus and all of the corporate criminal lobbyists over on k street. The Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890 and the Usury Laws were put in place for a damn good reason. The elected officials we have voted into office have sided with the corporations in exchange for bribes for their election coffers. The people running the system need to be changed OUT! WE THE PEOPLE are the only ones that can do that.