In a recent article in The Sovereign Society’s Offshore Letter, guest writer Chuck Dolce equated the practices of the Federal Reserve, our central bank, to those of The Godfather, Vito Corleone, whom he quoted, “Give this job to Clemenza. I want reliable people, people who aren't going to be carried away. I mean, we're not murderers, in spite of what this undertaker thinks...” - Vito Corleone. It is Dolce’s contention that our banking system operated much like Mafia loan-sharking.

The American Bankers Association had assembled at a convention in 1923 and hired humorist, Will Rogers, to give a keynote address to the assemblage. Noting the scandals that had riddled the banking industry over the previous two years, Rogers began his delivery with, “You have a wonderful organization. I understand you have ten thousand folks here. And, if you count the ones in the various federal prisons, it brings your total membership up to around thirty thousand.” Much like in the twenties, the present day financial woes can be at least partially attributed to the easy credit, high limits and greed within our financial industry.