I would not normally try to piggyback onto a very successful diary, and judging by the amount of recs bobswern's diary on Taibbi's Rolling Stone article got, it was very successful indeed, but I came to it late and a comment tacked on the end of a diary that has probably already been read by the majority of interested people will get little attention.
The comments in the thread below express universal outrage, and a lot of questions about the current political and economic systems in place. I did not see anyone comment on concrete actions that could be taken, and granted there are few, outside of the torches and pitchfork route that would be both futile and dangerous.
I suspect that most of us here have very little faith that our Congress represents us in any meaningful way. Granted our government is severely dysfunctional, but letting your senators and reps know that you are aware of the situation removes at least part of their fig leaf. They count on us to be either ignorant or dispirited and cynical. If you express a sense of outrage, you at least let them know you are out there and you are paying attention. It would be especially useful if you have representatives on the House or Senate Banking Committees. Those people are (Republicans in italics):
Senate (for 112th Congress. If you know of changes feel free to add them in comments)
Tim Johnson, South Dakota, Chairman; Jack Reed, Rhode Island; Chuck Schumer, New York; Bob Menendez, New Jersey; Daniel Akaka, Hawaii; Sherrod Brown, Ohio; Jon Tester, Montana; Herb Kohl, Wisconsin; Mark Warner, Virginia; Jeff Merkley, Oregon; Kay Hagan, North Carolina; Michael Bennet, Colorado; Richard Shelby, Alabama, Ranking Member; Mike Crapo, Idaho; Bob Corker, Tennessee; Jim DeMint, South Carolina; David Vitter, Louisiana; Mike Johanns, Nebraska; Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania; Mark Kirk, Illinois; Jerry Moran, Kansas; Roger Wicker, Mississippi
House (ditto)
Jeb Hensarling, Texas, Chairman; Spencer Bachus, Alabama, Chairman Emeritus; Peter T. King, New York; Ed Royce, California; Frank Lucas, Oklahoma; Ron Paul, Texas; Donald A. Manzullo, Illinois; Walter B. Jones, North Carolina; Judy Biggert, Illinois
Gary Miller, California; Shelley Moore Capito, West Virginia; Scott Garrett, New Jersey
Randy Neugebauer, Texas; Patrick McHenry, North Carolina; John Campbell, California; Michele Bachmann, Minnesota; Thaddeus McCotter, Michigan; Kevin McCarthy, California; Steve Pearce, New Mexico; Bill Posey, Florida; Mike Fitzpatrick, Pennsylvania
Lynn Westmoreland, Georgia; Blaine Luetkemeyer, Missouri; Bill Huizenga, Michigan;; Sean Duffy, Wisconsin; Nan Hayworth, New York; Jim Renacci, Ohio; Robert Hurt, Virginia; Robert Dold, Illinois; David Schweikert, Arizona; Michael Grimm, New York;; Quico Canseco, Texas; Steve Stivers, Ohio; Stephen Fincher, Tennessee; Frank Guinta, New Hampshire Maxine Waters, California, Ranking Member; Carolyn B. Maloney, New York; Luis Gutierrez, Illinois; Nydia Velázquez, New York; Mel Watt, North Carolina; Gary Ackerman, New York; Brad Sherman, California; Gregory W. Meeks, New York
Michael Capuano, Massachusetts; Ruben Hinojosa, Texas; William Clay, Jr., Missouri; Carolyn McCarthy, New York; Joe Baca, California; Stephen Lynch, Massachusetts; Brad; Miller, North Carolina; David Scott, Georgia; Al Green, Texas; Emanuel Cleaver, Missouri; Gwen Moore, Wisconsin; Keith Ellison, Minnesota; Ed Perlmutter, Colorado; Joe Donnelly, Indiana; André Carson, Indiana; Jim Himes, Connecticut; Gary Peters, Michigan; John Carney, Delaware
Even if your representatives are not on the list, it would probably help to send them a stiff letter anyway. First read the diary if you haven't already, then read the article, then pick out a quote that speaks to either you or what you think might be most effective to the staffers of the person you're writing to. Maybe your representative doesn't read Rolling Stone, or they think that no one else of any import does. It's up to you to let them know you're watching. Being cynical or being outraged in private will do no good at all.