Edward Griffin succinctly explains what the Federal Reserve System actually is: "It's a cartel. It's not a government agency, it has the appearance of it being a government agency. They went to great lengths to give it that facade... In it's essence, It's a cartel... They got together. They drew up the rules and regulations for their own industry.. To self regulate their own industry.. It's what cartels do. And then they sent it to congress and they took off the label off the top that said 'banking cartel' and they erased that and they said 'Federal Reserve Act.' Congress passed it into law. And that's why we think it's a government agency it's because if you don't obey the rules that they set down for their own industry you go to prison."