OAKLAND, CALIF. —
The Greek philosopher Aristotle warned of the dangers of oligarchy: the rule of the few.
In America today a new oligarchy, independent of any democratic control, has arisen. It seeks to install its ideology through economic coercion, outside of any legal process.
Some of the world’s most powerful banks have set themselves up as an unelected legislature. They impose their decrees with no relation to the laws passed by Congress and the states.
A blatant example is the attempt to ban legal guns by cutting off banking services to the firearms industry.
Frustrated that democratically elected legislatures have rejected the demands of their favored interest groups, certain banks have decreed they will no longer do business with firearm manufacturers and dealers or allow others to do so.
The policy of financial intimidation was instigated by the Obama administration, frustrated that Congress wouldn’t further criminalize gun ownership.
Known as Operation Choke Point, the Department of Justice-led effort pressured banks not to do business with gun retailers. That ended with Donald Trump’s election.
Then came the Parkland school shooting: 17 students and staff members murdered, due largely to the inaction of government at every level.
The FBI did nothing after being advised of the planned attack. The sheriff failed to act on the perpetrator’s clear threats. A deputy stood idle outside the school during the killing spree.
Yet when the smoke cleared, it was time to blame law-abiding gun owners, the National Rifle Association and even the Second Amendment constitutional right to keep and bear arms, which needed to be repealed, the critics claimed.
Congress also was blamed because it hadn’t legislated a gun-free world where everyone was nice.
Into the gap stepped the financial oligarchy.
Citibank made the first
