Ben S. Bernanke has presided over the collapse of capitalism. He's been a member of the Fed since 2002, and chairman since 2006, and those are not the problem. The events were not in his control. I can accept that. What is unacceptable is his involvement in confusing and bamboozling the public.

He was saying the economy was sound, there was no recession, and in general way behind the curve. Every person who works for a wage knew more about how the economy was doing than did he, as chairman of the Fed. He, of all people, should have known what was happening.

I realize he has an appointment which lasts 10 years. The reason for that is to keep him immune from the political process. But he has been nothing so much as a shill of the system, a PR man for Wall Street and the Bush Administration. That is NOT in the job description.

If he were an honorable, honest man he would have done several things differently. He would have levelled with the American people, self-fulfilling prophecy be damned. And having been so obviously wrong, so seriously, desperately wrong he would resign.

As it is we have him holding on to his job, making further pronouncements, recommending policy and practices. From a guy who has demonstrated he's full of shit. Doesn't know what he's talking about. isn't as aware of the country's economic condition as anyone with a minimum wage job.

So we've now demonstrated he's not honorable, and is either incompetent or dishonest or all three. Sad. In more enlightened countries he'd have slit his abdomen.

Arf