......over orders of magnitude.

So I'm going to make this brief and just leave it at that. This has been a good debate, but I think we'll end up going in circles forever.

The Net Worth = Wealth definition is fairly common and is the one I see most often. There word has other meanings, but I'm looking at it in an economic context.

Wealth does = financial power, but that's not the only kind of power there is. It is a substantial component of power, but that is not all there is.

TO me, a powerful person can get themselves or their children into an Ivy League school, isn't if the kid isn't anywhere near qualified. Powerful people know who to call if they're (or a friend/relative is) looking for an executive level position at a Fortune 500 company (or major market leader) if a powerful person wants to start a Business....they don't apply for loans, they call some people and drum up financing.

The people who have that power are rare, and it isn't a direct relationship between how much money they have. I think you mis-understood me, when you mentioned decreasing power when you near the top economically. What I meant is that the people who have that kind of power are few, even at the top of the economic ladder and that there isn't a direct corelation between $ and how much of that kind of power you have.

A lot of the stuff you mentioned just comes from having the right friends, and a lot of people have some sort of network. BUT, I don't see that as power on the scale of what I mntioned above.

A lot of those middle class to uppper middle class are driving Hondas in the world of power and the people who can do what I mentioned above are in Porsches.

Apples and Oranges.


As for preferences in the workplace, I've never seen it at the scale you've spoken of. I seen laziness, but I don't think it's all race related.....it's just the absurdities of corporate America (IMHO). At large corporations there is so much more on the line that it's hard to let people behave in that fashion, I've seen it at lower levels, but rarely near the top.

I've seen it at my company, but we're not a GE or a Merck....we're a consulting firm and the guy works in sales. (a dumping ground for idiots) and he does have his uses. In actuality I shouldn't hate on him too much, because he got me the position I had now.....even though some folks said I really should have 5 more (at least) years experience first. However, doesn't change the fact he's underqualified.

BUT, that's one guy. I've never seen a place full of idiots getting by on various forms of nypotism that didn't fail eventually. Like I said, connections only take you so far if you can't cut it.

As for Banks, I still don't think people are comparing Business plans and I've already explained how I see racism working in those organizations. It happens so much because it's so easy! BUT, banks just aren't going to the step of comparing Business plans...it's just not happening. When I see evidence of it happening, I'll belive it, but not until then. I've witnessed every step of the lending process and it's easy to see where racism fits in, but I don't see it with Business plans and trying to protect White Businesses.

In your example you mentioned connected people and that's fine. But, I'm talking about non-connected Whites and Blacks, trying to get small Business Loans. It's hard and removing the racial problem won't change that. So just because a person doesn't get a Small Business Loan EVEN in our current racial climate, doesn't mean that problem was racism. Part of getting more Blacks loans is going to be teach them what they need to get the loan in the first place, so they can say with some authority that it's racism.....which will make it easier to fight the problem.

As for redlining: If you're denying loans to Blacks who are qualified, it's racism...not redlining. Redlining is when Businesses decide not to do business in Bad Neighboorhoods and I'm not completely against that. After all, they are sound economic reasons.

I'm just not ready to call it racism when the banks that do focus on that poor area are losing their shirts because of it.

I will call it racism if Blacks with good incomes and perfect credit cannot get loans.


Peace,




M2




P.S. I started a thread on community investment, I'd be interested on your thoughts on it.

The Blog: http://www.analyticalwealth.com/

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