I would add this to the comment that I made on Bryan's post: Bryan is right that the banks have gone rogue. But so has much of the political class. The best thing that could happen in this country would be to have an election this fall replacing every member of Congress (I know they're not all bad, but let's just clean house anyway).
I personally think it is quite simple - pass a law saying that banks can only lend to those with adequate securty. (ie like they used to be, and like mutuals in the UK still are - or at least, those of them that have not converted to stock-listed banks out of greed, eg Halifax, Alliance & Leicester etc).
ReplyDeleteAs for your Congress suggestion - this may be, but that decent chap you just elected President will help a lot. He reminds me quite a bit of Tony Blair (who would be making a far better job of things over here just now than Ghastly Gordon Boring Brown).
I completely agree, Maxine, regarding your first suggestion. Of course, our brilliant Congresspeople passed a law penalizing banks if they didn't lend to those with insufficient security. As for Obama, my attitude is to wait and see.
ReplyDeleteThe Blair comparison seems apt, though. Blair certainly was greeted with enthusiasm when first elected.