john maddente | midwestern clarity

Last year, consumers and small businesses used the free peer to peer online payment platform called  Zelle , to complete $806B worth of transactions.   I n 2023, three billion Zelle payments equated to $100 million  of transaction activity.... per hour .   The Zelle platform owners are seven of our nation's largest banks.  Those banks and over 2000 smaller banks and credit unions -- make Zelle available to customers for simple, instant, fund transfers.  Unfortunately, there are countless bad actors preying on unsuspecting payers.   freepik image In recent years,  consumer watchdog groups , t he Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and politicians like Elizabeth Warren , Sherrod Brown and Maxine Waters  have targeted Zelle's operator,  Early Warning Services, LLC (EWS)  and large bank owners of the platform, for  consumer losses due to fraud.   On December 20th, the  CFPB announced it was suing ...

T his week at a conference, I listened to featured speaker, Austan Goolsbee , who is President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, a noted Economist and frequent contributor to the financial press.  He's also likeable.  Official Portrait One day I'll post on entertaining economists because there are several on both sides of the aisle and Dr. Goolsbee, an Obama cabinet appointee and acolyte, will definately be part of that post. An amusing story Mr. Goolsbee told about a pleasant sense of wonder he experienced while attending a meeting in the Oval Office with President Obama and  Larry Summers  (the pleasant part ended abruptly) made the audience roar.   Afterward, during the Q and A period, I anxiously awaited my turn with the microphone.  When prompted, I found the "on" switch with only minor assistance.  My question to Mr. Goolsbee, which I'll paraphrase, was... We hear much debate from economists and financial journalists about the likelih...

Official portrait, 1981 Having grown weary of internecine clashes within the Republican Party, I recently had an exchange with a local GOP leader.  Here's what I wrote.... " Thanks for your response.    You mention I should share my thoughts with the State GOP.    Fair point.    Reagan’s “Eleventh Commandment” applies to   all  Republicans.   I’m approaching retirement which will free up my time to learn, but right now, I won’t pretend to be steeped in state politics.    I know Vos is controversial to say the least and I have much to learn about the influences of the lobbies in your message.    I have no reason to doubt the veracity of your claims about who’s ruling the roost and those special interests concern me.   Now, for added context on where  I’m coming from , bear with me….   I’m a lifelong Wisconsinite who’s voted Republican at state and federal levels for 42 years.    That’s right. ...

T hey say life is a journey not a destination, but today I want a destination.  Written while in a somewhat foul mood, what follows are 25 randomly itemized 'things' I don't care for (Mother taught me that it's better to put it that way instead of saying, "I hate " such and such ).   Some of these items are mere dislikes, others indeed border on deep loathing.  You decide which is which. 😇 THINGS I DON'T CARE FOR: 1. Merging traffic. 2. Political messages at non-political events I pay to attend. 3.  Any sort of fruit placed on a pizza.  (Yes, technically tomato is a fruit but let's forget that) 4.  Most reality TV shows. 5.  Shiny, spherical orbs placed on pedestals on a home's front yard (also fake deer). 6.  People who prey on the weak or disadvantaged. 7.  People who covet criminal rights over victim rights.     8.  Several MSNBC commentators. 9.  The short-lived customer satisfaction that comes from drivewa...

Image by Racool_studio</a> on Freepik T ake me out to the ballgame.... Attending a major league baseball game is a thoroughly American experience.  It's also a unique game where the defense has the ball and that ball is often hurled at 100 mph.   It's a classic sport with something to delight everyone.  As spectators, we usually can forget about life's problems for a few innings.  Or, at least we could. Now, the MLB , its franchise owners, the players union, or some combination thereof, have joined the ranks of those in the NFL who thought it was a great idea to radiate political messages in giant letters in the endzone.  (And even allow messaging on the back of player helmets). I hadn't noticed anything similar in professional baseball until recently.  Just beyond the center field wall at Target Field in Minneapolis, one can see, actually one  must see, a large sign blaring two words: "END RACISM".  Who are proponents of the Target F...

1. President Biden's staff, in their sole discretion, will frame each debate question in advance of the debate 2. President Biden can view a Teleprompter live wired to his staff during and after the debate, until he's off camera 3. President Biden shall be allowed unfettered use of stimulants before, during and after the debate  4. President Biden shall not appear on split screen while watching opponent speak, nor shall opponent appear on split screen while President Biden speaks 5. President Biden, at the teleprompting of his staff, will start and end the debate at a time of his choosing