A must read article published in the New York Times on line September 19, 2008 written by Joe Nocera. His reference to the SEC not doing their job, calling it the "SEC Jihad", further points out the lack of oversight that occurred. His analysis and observations, I believe, are right on target.
After reading the NYT's article then read the next one from a local hometown publication. It raises the question a very important question.
Hoping a Hail Mary Pass Connects
By Joe Nocera
New York Times published September 19, 2008
Henry Paulson at a news conference to announce an insurance program for money market
Hoping a Hail Mary Pass Connects
By Joe Nocera
New York Times published September 19, 2008
Henry Paulson at a news conference to announce an insurance program for money market
After reading the NYT's article, read this one from a small local hometown paper. It raises a very good question.
by Chris Powell
What is it about the United States that every generation it must have a catastrophically mistaken imperial war and a catastrophically expensive rescue of its predatory financial class?A generation ago the catastrophically expensive rescue of the financial class arose from the collapse of savings-and-loan institutions, which had recklessly lent into a real estate boom against deposits insured by the government even as the government paid little attention to what the banks were doing. Today the catastrophically expensive rescue of the financial class arises from the failure to regulate the great New York financial houses, which were allowed to create and misrepresent bogus financial instruments, now called derivatives, and poison the world financial system with them. Ten years ago a few members of Congress proposed regulating these instruments, but Congress was dissuaded by worthies such as Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, who testified that derivatives would diminish risk by dispersing it and thus should be left alone. Of course as it turned out so much risk was created and dispersed that it took the world's economy hostage.
While he now is thundering emptily about accountability, Connecticut's U.S. Sen. Christopher J. Dodd facilitated this failure of regulation from his seat on the Senate Banking Committee. Dodd was a leading advocate of unleashing the financial houses to do whatever they wanted, as by repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act in 1999. But Connecticut's other members of Congress were just as negligent and approved staffing the financial regulatory agencies via the revolving door from Wall Street. Of course they financed their campaigns largely with financial industry contributions.Now the country is bankrupt and lemon socialism is replacing free-market capitalism, with the government desperately extending taxpayer guarantees to cover every bit of corporate irresponsibility as the country loses its sovereignty to the nations that hold its proliferating bonds. Asia makes big-screen TVs and Americans mainly just watch television -- but not, it seems, much news.
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