Oh, The Wells Fargo Wagon Comin'...

 

Back when I was young and stupid I applied for and received my first credit card. I was now involved in one of the biggest scams that is considered legal in the history of mankind. It was through Wells Fargo. I think my limit was $10,000 and it came in handy many times. It took me twenty years to pay off the debt. I probably paid $20,000 just in interest. I don't recall WF trying to sell me any fries with that card, but it's what they did with millions of accounts, all without the consent of the client. It's called cross-selling and businesses do it all the time, but you're supposed to know and have the option to say no. "Would you like a shake with those added fries, or maybe a sleeping bag with that new tent?" WF employees were apparently pressured into selling extras to a client's account, which turned into a giant kerfuffle of scheming, lying thieves who added a credit card to your loan account without you knowing until a few of you who actually read your itemized bill noticed charges for cards you didn't even have. Wells Fargo is a big company. They can take the hits and continue to fuck you over time after time until they are caught. They've been through a few rodeos. They just pay a fine and continue doing what they have been doing for years. Naturally, we, the little people would be spending time in Sing- Sing if we tried that. We don't get the free jail pass. On top of the absolute balls of this company to continue to do business as usual, our dearly befuddled orange man has once again pardoned the scum that tops your morning news. Claudia Russ Anderson was expected to pay a fine of $10 million for her part in the scam. The Trump administration settled the case with Anderson paying $0. Zero. 

Now, I will be the first to admit I don't understand the legalese, here. Shenanigans abounded. The regular folks got screwed. The scammers got fined. Trump made it go away. I think that's the gist of it. 

You may be shocked to know this is how business is done in America. They scheme, obfuscate, lie, cheat, deceive, hide, cook the books, take, take and take. If they can cover the minor setback with payoffs and bribery, it's back to business. If not, well, pardner, you're in trouble. It helps your case to be a certain shade of color, preferably, peach, otherwise you might be used as "an example." You can get away with fraud and rape even if you're the color of a ground Cheeto. The important color here is green, or gold. But, you best be careful if you intend to muscle in on the game. People of color are vulnerable. You will not be allowed to play in the bruh game of life- unless you're a Clarence Thomas kind of guy, who'll kiss and bow and answer with a, "Yeasuhh." You get a pass if you're a Mellon, a Rockefeller or, a Trump. Oh, but there are rules, even within the dirty business of this dog eat dog world. If you've watched 'The Sopranos,' you understand your place and you don't ever disobey the hierarchy. Bada bing, bada boom. Grifters in thousand dollar suits. You need only to look as far as the empty hole where the East Wing once stood. Bribe money is going to build that ballroom. Zuckerberg, Bezos and Sergey Brin, will one day be dancing and partying as if they were characters in the novel , 'The Great Gatsby.' I'm sure a few Wells Fargo grateful execs will show up as well. The regular people can only look from a distance and sigh. This is only business. Whaddya gonna do?

*Here I add, "allegedly" to all of this post.