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Editors Column

May 28

2009

Turning point for credit cards

Posted by Bill Streeter in Editors Column

The industry just got a second slap in the face over credit cards—this one from Congress. The new legislation imposes all sorts of restrictions regarding pricing, rates, and practices, much of it already covered by the rules issued by the Federal Reserve late last year. It looks like Congress and the Administration wanted to get credit for helping consumers on an issue that has been fanned to red hot by media attention and consumer activists.

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May 04

2009

Too big to manage? Not so

Posted by Bill Streeter in Editors Column

The comment was made recently by an elected official that perhaps “too big to fail” isn’t the point, but “too big to manage” is.

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Apr 01

2009

Enough already

Posted by Bill Streeter in Editors Column

“This too shall pass,” is a wise and comforting saying, but by no means does it imply simply waiting for a flood of trouble to recede. All floods recede in time, but you’ve got to do everything in your power to keep them from overwhelming you. Sometimes you win, sometimes not, but you never win if you don’t try.

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Mar 01

2009

Bad ideas you must fight now

Posted by Bill Streeter in Editors Column

In recent weeks one new idea, one new law, and one existing practice have moved to the forefront. All have the potential to drastically alter the banking industry as we know it.

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Feb 01

2009

A time of testing

Posted by Bill Streeter in Editors Column

January, a difficult month in the best of times, was particularly doleful this year. Not even the presidential inauguration nor the heroics of U.S. Airways’ Capt. Chesley Sullenberger could thaw the country’s economic (and meteorological) chill for long.

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Jan 01

2009

Why a lending surge won't work

Posted by Bill Streeter in Editors Column

Congress has become increasingly strident in insisting that banks that received capital from Treasury lend that money.

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Dec 01

2008

Oh, those boring banks

Posted by Bill Streeter in Editors Column

Boring is popular, right now.
Whether you’re talking investments, cars, or real estate deals, “slick,” “glitzy,” “high-powered” are all in the doghouse for the moment. They’ll be back, of course. But for now they’re in hiding.

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Nov 01

2008

Visiting with history

Posted by Bill Streeter in Editors Column

It was the middle of the afternoon and he had a cold, making the familiar rumbling voice even deeper. With his still-tall frame filling a large desk chair, Paul Volcker, glanced at the list of questions he was holding and asked his guest, “Why did I agree to do this?”

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Oct 01

2008

P.T. Barnum capitalism

Posted by Bill Streeter in Editors Column

The country PAUSED LAST month to note the seventh anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. How ironic that the economic damage to the U.S. financial system that fateful day was far less than what we just witnessed.

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Sep 01

2008

Responsibility. Now there's an idea

Posted by Bill Streeter in Editors Column

Somewhere along the line most of us were advised to brush regularly, floss, avoid too many sweets, etc. Whether we heeded that advice was, and is, our choice, and the consequences of not doing so are ours as well.

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