In the U.S, the wheels of commerce move swiftly; public policy? Slowly

Of course, Congress and the public policy process can change that, but again, you're talking about big change, or what public policy pros call 'non-incremental change,' and it's very hard to achieve. For an example: see health care reform.

Further, you could have an urgent need (capital for small/medium-sized businesses) and a clear majority favoring action, but there's a very good chance very little will happen. That's because the entire U.S. public policy process is designed to defeat legislation, and, at minimum, to create delays. That's what the Framers of the U.S. Constitution intended. Do you have a passionate, committed majority behind you? That's comforting -- you could elect a majority in the House, but don't forget that only one-third of the Senate is elected every two years: 66% of the Senate is not. That less-subject-to-the-passions-of-the-moment Senate tends to let the air out of many political rumblings, factions, and fringe activities. And that's exactly what the Framers wanted. What's more, in the modern era, you could even gain majority control of the Senate (current Democratic Party), and still struggle to move the stone: do you have 60 votes, and by that we mean a solid 60 votes? If you're just one vote shy, your bill stops cold, and the majority ceases to rule. And needless to add, it's hard to get 60 Senators from a nation as diverse and complex as the United States to agree on anything, let alone big change.

So as far as getting the banks to lend more -- citizens, small businesses, even the president can request that the banks increase lending, but it's still the banks' call. To be sure, if the American people are committed to change, they can petition Congress and the president to pass a law to create new banks and/or create some other new institution that will increase lending, but to see how much effort that will take, see the above paragraph.

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Financial Editor Joseph Lazzaro is writing a book on the U.S. presidency and U.S. economy.