Saint Bernie

Bernie Madoff is a saint. He is the patron saint of greed. I know Jews do not believe in saints but I do. It is the job of a saint to be an example to the lives of others. His story may have a negative ring and you may not see him in heaven but Bernie definitely has lessons to teach.

Most of Bernie's victims were Jews. Why didn't he just go after the goyim? For god's sake, he busted Elie Wiesel.

The angel Madoff was seeking to teach his brethren a lesson about greed. Saint Bernard knew he was doomed from the beginning, his only surprise was that he wasn't caught sooner. Money gravitated to him because he was established, respected, powerful and a humble good Jew.

His contributors thought 'I can trust Bernie', give him my fortune, sit on my ass and earn 10 to 12% without a worry. Why such a high return? Why no worry of risk? Bernie the saint was the best Jew since Jesus and he had no political or religious agenda. Bernie was all about money. Madoff was the epitome of greed, he was a magnet of like types. Put a respectable face on any devil and watch the line form. That's the devil's modus operandi but Bernie is a saint. He was there to teach the lesson.

If you do not subscribe to an afterlife then it is best to make the most of existence. Many men mistakenly ascribe success to strictly monetary terms. That was Bernie's hook. All of his victims were already successful and wealthy and their only rationale to seek out saint Bernie was a healthy disposition toward greed.

So, if you got caught, it's your fault. Too many eggs in one basket, trusting a wealthy compadre or lazy fiscal management and the reason for all of it was a modicum of greed.

Idiot capitalists still announce greed as a driver of our economy. This, is not true. Capitalism will always produce wealthy individuals out of invention, innovation and production. The false model of quick gain through manipulation, contrived models and consumer debt is dying.

If you truly want to be rich, invest in yourself, work, think creatively and when it happens. Give it all away.

Bernie is in prison, sleeping on a cot, eating the starchy prison food, left alone all day with his meandering thoughts and he is happy. I am Bernie Madoff, the patron saint of greed.