Experience should teach us wisdom. Most of the difficulties our
Government now encounters and most of the dangers which impend over our
Union have sprung from an abandonment of the legitimate objects of
Government by our national legislation, and the adoption of such
principles as are embodied in this act. Many of our rich men have not been
content with equal protection and equal benefits, but have besought us to
make them richer by act of Congress. By attempting to gratify their
desires we have in the results of our legislation arrayed section against
section, interest against interest, and man against man, in a fearful
commotion which threatens to shake the foundations of our Union. It is
time to pause in our career to review our principles, and if possible
revive that devoted patriotism and spirit of compromise which
distinguished the sages of the Revolution and the fathers of our Union. If
we can not at once, in justice to interests vested under improvident
legislation, make our Government what it ought to be, we can at least take
a stand against all new grants of monopolies and exclusive privileges,
against any prostitution of our Government to the advancement of the few
at the expense of the many, and in favor of compromise and gradual reform
in our code of laws and system of political economy." Andrew Jackson
"Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days." - James 5:1-3

Monday, January 25, 2010

Vatican bank accused of laundering

http://rt.com/Top_News/2010-01-23/vatican-bank-money-laundering.html#

23 January, 2010, 09:19

The Vatican is facing some awkward questions after an investigation was launched into its alleged involvement in a money-laundering scheme.

The financial scandal was triggered by a report in an Italian magazine that claimed the Vatican bank laundered some $200 million.

The alleged secrets of the Vatican have often provided rich material for fictional works, such as blockbuster film Angels and Demons, but the Holy See now has to deal with a case equally shrouded in mystery.

The Vatican Bank has been accused of laundering $200 million through the accounts of Italy’s UniCredit Bank, one of the world's largest financial institutions.

An investigation into the case became public after Italian magazine Panorama published details from tax police and prosecutors.

“This corruption is continuing on a regular basis in the Vatican,” claimed lawyer Janathan Levy. “Again, there’s no reason for a religion to have a bank that does worldwide commercial activities, dealing in gold, dealing in insurance, dealing in property and then hiding behind the Roman Catholic Church.”

The London Telegraph recently reported that the Vatican Bank is the eighth most popular destination for laundered money, ahead of the Bahamas, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The reason for this is that you cannot trace any movement of cash within the bank.

“I had the privilege to walk inside this bank. It’s nothing like a bank,” shared lawyer Massimiliano Gabrieli. “If you go there you deposit or withdraw money without limit, without any kind of receipt for the bank and for the client. All you have is a single card with a number.”

A lawyer representing the Vatican dismissed the allegations that it is some sort of clandestine organization where accounts are not kept.

Jeffrey S. Lena, lawyer for the Institute for Religious Works, said that “This is all part of a generalized attack on the Catholic Church from the position of the Orthodox Christians, based upon a theory of Catholic hegemony in the Eastern part of Europe. Some are using legal cases against the Vatican to pursue a political agenda”.
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