Arrogance of Bankers an Example to Charities?

I'm really amazed and profoundly irritated at the arrogance of the banking community in their use of and lack of accountability for the huge amounts of public funds pumped into their institutions to prop them up.

First, because these bankers got us into this mess with their greed.

Second, because if nonprofits followed their example, we'd all have been ridden out of town on a rail a long time ago. The American public -- our donors -- wouldn't stand for such arrogance in nonprofits. But apparently it's OK for bankers and financial wizards to pull this stuff!

Third, when it comes to righting the public policy wrongs promulgated by the Republican conservatives over the past 3 decades, we find that the nonprofit sector isn't even invited to the table. Even though we represent fully 10% of the nation's GDP and employ over 12 million people and have 2 million voluntary organizations, we still are not asked our opinion on how to make society better. Even though we historically have the highest social values; even though we have the skills and expertise far beyond business and government; even though we're involved in community issues of making society better every day in the trenches; still we do not get an invitation to make public policy along with the business interests and government agencies.

Why is that?

So here these arrogant bankers are blasting away, asking for more money, hoarding the peoples' cash in their vaults, refusing to account for it, refusing even to admit that they're the ones who got us into this worldwide economic depression. And they refuse to apologize for what they have done in their haste to grab billions for themselves. It's a disgrace, not only the the banking community, and the banking institutions within our communities; it's a disgrace to the whole financial marketplace.

In fact, if nothing else, this debacle should confirm once and for all that so-called "free markets" or unregulated markets, are, in fact, sick markets. The true measure of a well-run marketplace is the extent to which it is taxed and regulated. An untaxed, unregulated marketplace is a sadly deficient market, one that soon runs amok on human greed.

I believe the nonprofit sector should not pass up this opportunity to interject some better values into the government and market system by insisting on a continual place, a prominent place, at the public policy-setting table. The voluntary associations of this nation, cooperating and collaborating together, could do away with some of this mayhem and get on with creating a society fit to live in for everyday, normal, working individuals and families. We could do away with this rampant greed and speculation and the constant belief that everything must increase, and preferably faster than the next guy. That's no kind of life.

Let's get a better society; let's pay attention to the collective values of the non-profits sector; let's give nonprofits a prominent place in the formation of public policy and not always keep them begging on the edges for every little crumb and tidbit of consideration by the Congress and President.

Comment anyone?