[Willie Green]

To be the custodian of someone else's money that you pay them the use for (or have partial ownership and share risk with) or the lender (or investor) who gives it to the custodian who will presumably do the same as you did?

Neither a borrower nor a lender be;
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.
This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.

~ William Shakespeare, "Hamlet", Act 1 scene 3

"And I sincerely believe, with you, that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies; and that the principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale."

-- Thomas Jefferson to John Taylor, May 28, 1816

[LowCountryJoe]

How about your answer, Willie? Don't give me classical quotes from historical players that philosophically bash financial institutions. How about an honest to goodness answer from that post that you responded to?

Let me offer this disclaimer: I do not want to read something from you that suggests that you want perfectly balanced trade - it doesn't happen in the real world. I'd like for you to be psychologically balanced too but that's not going to happen either. You may ping all your fellow protectionists or, more discreetly, send them private messages to come to your aid on this thread but I do request the you provide an answer.