Updated from 10:16 a.m. EST
Ahead of Monday's meeting with top Wall Street CEOs, President Obama talked tough about the industry Sunday on "60 Minutes", declaring:
"I did not run for office to be helping out a bunch of fat cat bankers on Wall Street."
Obama also talked about how the bankers "don't get it. They're still puzzled, why is it that people are mad at the banks," and reiterated the need for comprehensive financial regulatory reform, featuring:
Those initiatives were part of the financial reform legislation the House passed Friday. Moreover, it's possible the administration's tough rhetoric contributed to Goldman Sachs' decision last week to stop paying cash bonuses to its top executives, and Bank of America's hesitation to lavish its next CEO with a big compensation package, according to published reports.
Still, Obama was light on specifics in terms of what actions the administration will require of the banks, although perhaps he was saving that for today's meeting with a dozen industry CEOs, including Lloyd Blankfein, Jamie Dimon, and Ken Lewis. (Update: Blankfein was one of three CEOs unable to attend the meeting in person and will instead participate via phone; Blankfein, Morgan Stanley's John Mack and CIT's Dick Parson were on the same plane and the flight was delayed due to fog, Reuters reports.)
The bottom line is talk is cheap and, to date, the administration has talked tough but has taken few concrete steps to reign in the risk-taking and bonus culture on Wall Street, where the big have become even bigger amid expectations of future bailouts if the industry gets itself in trouble again. Why else is Citigroup being allowed to repay its TARP funds? (Stay tuned for more on that in a forthcoming video.)
The one thing Obama's team seems intent on doing is spurring the banks to start lending again, which is understandable considering the industry is sitting on over $1 trillion of "excess reserves." But dubious lending practices to non-creditworthy borrowers are a big reason we got into this mess in the first place and it's not hard to imagine reckless lending won't make a comeback if banks feel they "have" to lend - and the government will back them up if the loans go bad, besides.
The sad reality is the U.S. government missed an opportunity to really reform Wall Street in late 2008 and early 2009, a bipartisan failure. Now the window is closing rapidly, if it's not already shut.
Both Democrats and Republicans are bought and paid for by the fat cats of Wall Street.
obama the two face great liar in chief
obama is a two face great liar in chief
Obama is three years in his office. Hasn't done anything. Time for tough talk is long gone. Voters need to see some arrests, prosecutions, and jail terms for Bankers. If not, the sad conclusion is Obama is bought and paid for.
Anyone that thinks Obama is on the side of the poor has thier head in the sand. The man has spent almost 5 tillion in 3 years and all the US has to show for is, the rich are richer the poor are poorer and the USA has 5 tillion more debt. And no I'm not a GW lover. He was a screw up too! Ron Paul...
Talk is cheap and so is buckwheat
Most Americans NEED A HISTORY LESSON. The hogwash handed them by a politically motivated and liberally biased media are nothing but LIES and twisted truthes. Look at what Liberals have done to California. Our country is heading there with all these entitlement programs. USPS, Mdcr, Mdcd, UE, SS, Fannie Mae/Mac; all programs that have failed or have been overspent by our inept govt. NOW THEY WANT TO ADD MORE TAXES AND HEALTHCARE? A little long term planning by a "REAL AMERICAN" individual would suffice in place of ALL these programs. Everyday fake Americans sit on their couches eating garbage, collecting unemployment for as long as they can and leetch off any entitlement program they can. Then they go to a doctor for a hangnail and get everyone else to pay for it. Once again the GREAT liberal policies will bring the rest of America down with it and thru the ashes will rise YET AGAIN, ANOTHER FAILED ENTITLEMENT PROGRAM. You think our obesity rates are high now? Wait till this IDIOTIC healthcare bill and the increased taxes that pushed thru the backdoor starting hitting YOUR paycheck. Why should I stay healthy when I have to pay for fatso over there, sitting on his couch eating candy bars? Do I care if you have healthcare, go out get a job and pay for it like the rest of us. Stand on your own feet and put your hand back. Same goes for foreclosures; pay your mortgage, declare bankruptcy, or sell the home. AMERICANS NEED TO STOP BLAMING SOMEONE ELSE AND MAN UP!
Americans are charitable and give IF ASKED, but STEAL it thru taxes and the SMART ones will fight. Many RICH are politicians from both parties and THEY LOVE TAXES, Cause stupid liberals will TAX themselves right into a hole, LIKE MOST ARE IN NOW!! The rich can absorb taxes or leave the country. They're MOBILE and taxes give them more control over us. The new tax rates of 320% on long term capital gains, who does that hurt? If you think JUST the Rich, then your TRULY LIBERAL AND DUMB. The REAL history of how this country's economy got to this point, the Dumbocratic party. They're DESTROYING AMERICA. WATCH the film "I WANT YOUR MONEY". Business, Finance, & Economic majors, RICH or POOR, are usually on the RIGHT side of the aisle. Liberals need to learn how a Balance Sheet or P&L works and THE TRUTH on how we got to this point. I'm tired of Liberals pretending they're the people's party. What a joke! You want to be for the people.....TAKE CARE OF YOUR SELF, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR FRIENDS, & GIVE WHAT YOU CAN......NOT WHAT THE GOVT TAKES FROM YOU! The biggest flaw in liberal politics is the INSANE ASSumptions that GOVT can manage the daily & long term life of the people. As I mentioned in my 1st paragraph, they have proved time and time again that they can't be trusted. So handing them more and more tax revenues isn't going to transport us to some majic Utopia. Many of the American public can't balance their own checkbook or read financial statements. Perhaps they're a true reflection of America. If so,we're in trouble and I PRAY MERICANS WAKE UP!! Our founding fathers would roll over in the grave if they saw what this country has become. Even Liberals in the 70's and early 80's were more fiscally responsible then these clowns, but perhaps they too were a reflection of the people back then. Whateva the case.....people need to know that the gravy entitlement trains and the govt intrusions into daily life NEED TO STOP!!. If I had to one message to tell Liberals; ITS YOUR MONEY AND PAYING MORE IN TAXES HURTS EVERYONE. MONEY EQUALS POWER/CONTROL AND IS NOT EVIL. THE MORE TAXES & ENTITLEMENTS YOU CREATE, THE MORE CONTROL & FINANCIAL FREEDOMS YOU GIVE UP!
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