Stop ‘Bailout Ben’: Tell Your Senator No on Bernanke

Monday, 11/30/2009 - 4:13 pm by Yves Smith | 2 Comments

Yves Smith of Naked Capitalism spells out the reasons why “Bailout Ben”  must be replaced as Chairman of the Federal Reserve.

Ben Bernanke’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee for his reappointment as Fed chairman is scheduled for this week.

When CEOs preside over disasters, they are fired. Captains go down with their ships.

And Bernanke needs to be replaced.

He was a major architect of the policies that created the crisis.

He ignored signs of the severity of the developing crisis and failed to prepare for obvious dangers, like the collapse of an investment bank.

He has turned the Fed into an off-balance sheet funding vehicle of the Treasury to circumvent Constitutionally-mandated budgetary procedures.

He has fought all efforts to examine the central bank’s conduct in the rescue operation.

Before, during, and after the crisis, he has put the interests of banks ahead of those of ordinary citizens.

He needs to go. Tell your Senator that this vote matters to you and he needs to vote no on Bernanke. Enlist the support of like-minded colleagues and friends to deliver the same message. Keep it simple and to the point. Bernanke has failed at his job. The US public deserves and needs better.

Please sign http://StopBailoutBen.com/

Be certain to concentrate your efforts on the members of the Senate Banking Committee, who are:

Christopher J. Dodd Chairman (D-CT)

Tim Johnson (D-SD)

Jack Reed (D-RI)

Charles E. Schumer (D-NY)

Evan Bayh (D-IN)

Robert Menendez (D-NJ)

Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI)

Sherrod Brown (D-OH)

Jon Tester (D-MT)

Herb Kohl (D-WI)

Mark Warner (D-VA)

Jeff Merkley (D-OR)

Michael Bennet (D-CO)

Richard C. Shelby Ranking Member (R-AL)

Robert F. Bennett (R-UT)

Jim Bunning (R-KY)

Mike Crapo (R-ID)

Bob Corker (R-TN)

Jim DeMint (R-SC)

David Vitter (R-LA)

Mike Johanns (R-NE)

Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX)

Judd Gregg (R-NH)

*This post originally appeared on Naked Capitalism.