Too good to be true
by Elouise
It sounds too good to be true
because it isn’t true and never was.
Standing before hungry investors
Moving in for the kill
Smiling at every attempt
to fathom or unmask truth,
The Great Con comes crashing
down sooner instead of later.
Smiling at restless investors
itching for more money in the bank,
The Great Con reaches its apex:
“This is a no-brainer my friends.
We’re going to Make America
Great again! And I’ve chosen you
As my favored investment partners!
Believe me, you’ll never be sorry.”
By hook and by crook
the cons continue unabated
from one generation to the next
playing on our worst nightmares
and fears of being left behind
or hung out to dry and missing in action—
With thanks to the party of
Take All Prisoners of Their Own Greed and Discontent
It’s easy to get all worked up and even self-righteous about Bernie Madoff.
Yes, what he did was horrific. Yet he wasn’t and will never be the only Great Con in the history of the USA. Madoff’s Ponzi scheme, now back in the public eye because of his death, invites me to ponder recent history.
Make America Great Again was and still is a con. Invest your vote in Me and reap the rewards! I know how to get the job done! Your job is to vote for Me and send me a nice check! I can give you everything you’ve been longing for, starting with that wall and a stacked Supreme Court. What better future could there be?
Unfortunately, we haven’t yet woken up from this dream. And the con artist hasn’t abandoned his lonely ship. If it weren’t so tragic, I’d be applauding. But I can’t. Ponzi schemes aren’t known for success. Sadly, the fall of a large Ponzi scheme can be the downfall of us all. Here’s to the success of President Biden. Though it won’t be easy, it’s already worth the effort.
Full disclosure: The seminary I served for 28 years was one of many victims in a local Ponzi scheme. It decimated scores of educational, religious and historic institutions in Philadelphia and beyond. Worst of all, it made life more difficult for those who could least afford it.
Happy Thursday greetings to each of you. I hear the birds outside and am hoping for a lovely walk with D this afternoon.
Elouise♥
Elouise Renich Fraser, 15 April 2021
Cartoon found at IndianMoney.com
Telling the Truth 
I remember…
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What a nightmare….for so many people. Especially staff members and students already hard pressed to keep body and soul together. Thanks, Debbie.
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Indeed! The “what ifs” followed us around for quite some time after that…
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As usual, you’ve a candor in your writing that I find both inspiring and frightening. I was present during our move to King of Prussia. I did not know our troubles ran deeper…
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Hello, Ian. I’m pleased to meet you, and grateful for your comment. I remember well the move to King of Prussia. Yes, they were hard times for the seminary, and perhaps also for the university. I often wondered whether the seminary would make it, and am grateful to see it’s still in business. It’s important to be honest about the past, whether it’s connected to a seminary, a church, or a local/overseas ministry. In this case, the failure of the Ponzi scheme was very public and incredibly distressing for everyone. Thanks again for your comment.
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We have never been wealthy enough high up enough to be taken that way. We have been part of a church where one of the staff took advantage of the ones who knew he had a problems but would not stand up to it. My husband had to address it and got fired. Best thing that ever happened to us. It makes the heart sick for those who still follow him but thank God we do not. We learned so much about being loyal to God’s ways and not man’s during that time of our life. How brave of you to write about this…we all need it, we all could be the next victim in some kind of deal to get others money by doing wrong. Bless you
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Thanks for sharing your experience, Betty. I think the downfall for most institutions who bought into this scam was was more about the perpetrator’s religious reputation than about doing due diligence (checking into his credentials, history, etc.). The perpetrator was well known as an upstanding Christian which, in the case of many religious institutions, made him “trustworthy.” One of his selling points was that we (and others) had been chosen because we were positioned to start new programs for which, of course, we would need funding. Sadly, my experience tells me we here in the USA are more likely to trust ‘religious’ people, and less likely to ask tough questions or do background checks, etc. on them. It wasn’t a happy experience for our seminary or for many other institutions in the area. Your last comment is right on target. This isn’t just about con artists of the ‘grand’ sort, but about everyday ‘offers’ we would be ‘foolish’ to refuse.
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Yeah, I get the difference in big scams verses little ones. What is the same is they are deceiving and when deceit you must lie to cover it up and if anyone calls you on it then they become the enemy. My husband got fired on a Thursday and that following Sunday in the vestibule of the church on the table was the books, Do Not Touch God’s Anointed. Even though we were full time in the ministry there, called of God for that, ordained according to them we were not among the annointed. You are so right, we all are targets for someone walking in pride, pride that will not receive counsel or help to help the people of the church not get hurt. I know whenever I start to feel, above anyone I am in a perfect place for the devil to tempt me and flesh to deceive me. This also happens on the mission field to missionaries. We have learned the same thing that takes an organization down starts usually with someone in power who will do another bidding. Before my husband got fired for confronting in private a missionary friend stop by to see us. my husband felt comfortable asking his advice because he was not a member or our church. He told Ace you are too loyal, or loyal to the wrong person. That person high up who deceives will not lower themselves usually take the responsibility to make it right. We know of a pastor who along with others from his church was taken in by exactly the same thing you wrote about. When it all came down, he humbled himself and took the low road and paid back to those who lost in the scheme. He has grown greatly since then and like us has learned who to be loyal to. Again, getting fired was the best thing to happen to us. For weeks before it all went down we had been listen to a groups sing a song, Lord, Move Or Move Me. It became our prayer, everyday. We knew what was coming. My husband heart was for the people of the church, loyal people who followed the leaders without any question. That is dangerous, and we needed to learn that in a big way. That leader who fired my husband thinks it was his choice and we let him think that. But we knew because of our prayer for weeks on end that God kicked the door open and said, get out and never go back. And we left, went back into overseas mission, got to serve in another country. We are still with the same mission as Member Care reps. All the hardships and tears and worry and prayers was not wasted. Another truth that keeps bitterness from taking hold of our hearts was our belief God would not waste that experience. We are better for it, better able to discern, quicker to ask for help, listen much more deeply for the sweet voice of the Holy Spirit when listening to someone heart. Again, I thank you for writing about this, takes courage and a love for others in the whelm of loving others enough to be open and honest so they do not fall into the traps set by the devil. God has healed us and continues to use us and yet with each new challenge we face we know how frail we are, and how badly we need Him. Blessings. Goodness I wrote a book…I am writing a book, not about that experience but when God first started teaching me the value of forgiveness and it’s connection to it and maturing. Drop a prayer for me to get it finished. I get stalled in the hard parts, my memory is still intact and the enemy of my soul tells my head lies all the times about why I should not write. ok, I am going to quit, your post and comment has open a floodgate in my soul. Gotta get back to today and peel those potatoes for supper.
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Oh, Betty. I’m so sorry to hear about you and your husband’s ordeal. I think telling our stories is important. How wonderful that you had friends who put your hearts and minds at rest, and that your husband did the right thing, even though this was a horrible experience. Yes, I’m praying for you as your write. It’s your voice. Given to you by your Creator. Not by the enemy. I hope the potatoes were good! 🙂
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