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Republicans rip the Fed after examiner tells Okla. bank to hide religious items
The Hill ^ | December 17, 2010 | Peter Schroeder

Posted on 12/17/2010 4:07:46 PM PST by jazusamo

The Federal Reserve quickly withdrew an order to an Oklahoma bank to remove religious items from public view on Friday after two Republicans blasted the action as an "assault on faith." 

Sen. James Inhofe and Rep. Frank Lucas of Oklahoma sent a pointed letter to Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke on Friday asking him whether he stood by a Federal Reserve examiner who told Payne County Bank officials to remove the religious references from their business. The Fed examiner told the bank the religious items could discourage a person from seeking an application.

The removed items removed included a link on the bank's website to a Bible verse of the day and buttons that said, "Merry Christmas, God With Us," according to local news reports.

In a statement on his website, Inhofe called the decision "completely ridiculous."

"It unduly discriminates against a persons faith in Christ and their Constitutionally protected freedom to publically [sic] express that faith. It is simply another case of liberals in Washington overstepping their bounds and intruding in the lives of individuals," Inhofe's statement said.

"The recent actions taken by the Federal Reserve at Payne County Bank are of great concern to me," added Lucas in a separate statement. "I encourage the Federal Reserve to review the situation and take the appropriate action to address it."

The outcry forced Fed officials to reverse the action, clarifying that the personal religious items displayed by bank employees in Perkins, Okla., did not violate a provision of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act.

A spokesman for Inhofe said Fed officials returned to the bank Friday to inform employees they could put the religious items back on display.

The examiner had determined that the religious items violated "Regulation B" of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, which stipulates that banks cannot make any statements to potential applicants that could discourage them from seeking an application. 

The letter forced Tom Hoenig, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, to respond. In a statement Friday, he said the regulation does not apply to personal items displayed in the workplace.



TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; US: Oklahoma
KEYWORDS: christiannation; federalreserve; inhofe; lucas; oklahoma; politicalcorrectness
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To: jazusamo
The examiner had determined that the religious items violated "Regulation B" of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, which stipulates that banks cannot make any statements to potential applicants that could discourage them from seeking an application.

In other words, a minor functionary of a branch of the federal government was able to exercise power over how a local institution chose to reflect the faith of its employees and customers.

That's. Going. Too. Damn. Far.

So far as I know, there is nothing in the Federal Reserve Charter that allows them to police private religious observance.

Go. To. Hell. Do. Not. Pass. Go.

21 posted on 12/17/2010 4:56:37 PM PST by okie01 (THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA: Ignorance on Parade)
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To: jazusamo

Oklahoma is in his district, and the clowns are likely based in the OK City branch [ http://www.kansascityfed.org/oklahomacity/ ], not at HQ.


22 posted on 12/17/2010 5:04:19 PM PST by NativeNewYorker (Freepin' Jew Boy)
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To: jazusamo

Problem is he is responsible for the way his underlings behave. The buck stops with the boss...unless he immediately fired them for being jackass’s.


23 posted on 12/17/2010 5:05:58 PM PST by goat granny
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To: radioone

Even though these nobama GOV stooges try to pull stupid moves on us from X rated x-rays at airport to our banks, when confronted they have consistantly folded like a cheap suit.


24 posted on 12/17/2010 5:07:16 PM PST by dusttoyou ("Progressives" are wee-weeing all over themselves, Foc nobama)
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To: SERKIT

We’re supposed to worship the Fed and the Feds, and they are jealous gods.

The whole system needs to go, and by whatever means necessary. I forget the Freeper whose tagline reads, “The Founders would be shooting by now.” Maybe Ron Paul can effect this without bloodshed. Maybe not.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”


25 posted on 12/17/2010 5:11:03 PM PST by dagogo redux (A whiff of primitive spirits in the air, harbingers of an impending descent into the feral.)
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To: rocksblues

I can absolutley gaurantee that if they came into my business and acted like commissars like they did with that bank, I would tell them to go find a sand pile.


26 posted on 12/17/2010 5:15:03 PM PST by oldtimer
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To: jazusamo

Just one more reason to eliminate the Unconstitutional Federal Reserve.


27 posted on 12/17/2010 5:44:13 PM PST by BlessingsofLiberty (BOYCOTT NEVADA...!!!!)
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To: jazusamo
The Federal Reserve quickly withdrew an order...

ELIMINATE the FED! Who in the 7734 do these UNaccountable bureaucrats think they are?

28 posted on 12/17/2010 5:46:22 PM PST by PGalt
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To: jazusamo

It now appears a local bank robber in Richmond, VA says he was just helping the bank become Fed compliant by removing any bills which said, “In God We Trust”.


29 posted on 12/17/2010 5:54:54 PM PST by Portcall24
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To: BlessingsofLiberty; PGalt

BUMP!


30 posted on 12/17/2010 6:00:43 PM PST by jazusamo (His [Obama's] political base---the young, the left and the thoughtless: Thomas Sowell)
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To: Portcall24

LOL!


31 posted on 12/17/2010 6:01:38 PM PST by jazusamo (His [Obama's] political base---the young, the left and the thoughtless: Thomas Sowell)
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To: jazusamo
The letter forced Tom Hoenig, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, to respond. In a statement Friday, he said the regulation does not apply to personal items displayed in the workplace.

So does this mean that the bank still cannot display 'Merry Christmas, God With Us' on their website? Seems like it, since this is not a personal item, but is on the bank's website.

32 posted on 12/17/2010 6:02:03 PM PST by rawhide
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To: rawhide
They restored the Bible verses on website also.
33 posted on 12/17/2010 6:08:30 PM PST by jazusamo (His [Obama's] political base---the young, the left and the thoughtless: Thomas Sowell)
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To: jazusamo

An example must be made. This person must lose his job.


34 posted on 12/17/2010 6:17:56 PM PST by ccmay (Too much Law; not enough Order.)
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To: newheart

Many banks have already paid the Federal government back for TARP money. They don’t want Washingtonian direction.


35 posted on 12/17/2010 6:19:23 PM PST by GAB-1955 (I write books, love my wife, serve my nation, and believe in the Resurrection.)
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To: radioone
We’re becoming Germany in the 30’s. The Government, and their “workers” are out of control.

Seems like the legislative guys overturned the executive guys. I don't think anyone in Hitler's Germany would have stood up to his administration.

36 posted on 12/17/2010 6:22:02 PM PST by SeeSac
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To: ccmay
"An example must be made. This person must lose his job."

...and be held accountable violation of civil rights.

37 posted on 12/17/2010 6:46:06 PM PST by UnwashedPeasant (Don't nuke me, bro)
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To: Paleo Conservative
"I’m ready for Ron Paul to start hearings on the Federal Reserve in January, and I’m not even a Ron Paul fan."

Same here,and you are right. You know he going to start hearing and they will be entertaining when they happen.

38 posted on 12/18/2010 10:58:17 AM PST by painter (No wonder democrats don't mind taxes.THEY DON'T PAY THEM !)
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