If community banks aren't willing to separate themselves from their larger counterparts, they risk appearing to be agents - or dupes - of the bigger banks.
I've never been able to square bankers' constant demands for less regulation with their repeated requests for more government backing on loans, deposits and insurance.
There's a sizable, growing community of people who'd be receptive to the notion that you can get needed services without having to support the companies that have inflicted so much damage on the economy and the country.
CUNA has tracked at least 60,000 contacts to Congress since late March from credit unions, small businesses and others in support of the Credit Union Small Business Jobs Act.
The FDIC is right in its apparent concern about the declining numbers of community banks, but it is exploring areas and questions that are irrelevant to any solution.
The large municipalities can leverage their primary banking relationships to help their communities - as opposed to seeing all of the benefits accruing to the too-big-to-fail financial conglomerates.
There is a new breed of credit union that hardly resembles the variety that first inspired the industry's tax exemption. This new breed is not satisfied making small business loans.
Even though credit unions are the ideal lenders for the smallest of the small businesses they are limited in the amount of business loans they can extend to their members because of an arbitrary cap.
It is time to swear off the federal subsidy trough and reclaim the high ground in the battle to end too-big-to-fail. If we work together, we may even force the breakup of the largest banks.
