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HomeFCIC Report: Wall Street and Washington Failed America
Posted by Larry Doyle on January 28th, 2011 7:16 AM |
A multiple trillion dollar loss emanates from Wall Street and no crimes are committed? Will any form of real justice ever be served? Will those who facilitated and enabled this crisis to unfold ever be singled out? Are there individuals on both Wall Street and in Washington who just exhaled thinking, “We got away with it.”
The report released yesterday by the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission highlights that Wall Street and Washington collectively failed our nation. Specifically the FCIC writes on page 23:
We do place special responsibility with the public leaders charged with protecting our financial system, those entrusted to run our regulatory agencies, and the chief executives of companies whose failures drove us to crisis. These individuals sought and accepted positions of significant responsibility and obligation. Tone at the top does matter and, in this instance, we were let down. No one said “no.”
How is it that these ‘supposed leaders’ failed to perform? (more…)
Will the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission ‘Name Names’?
Posted by Larry Doyle on January 26th, 2011 9:25 AM |
Tomorrow the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission will release its widely anticipated report investigating the causes of our financial crisis. While many on Wall Street would like to promote the fact that the financial crisis was nothing more than ‘the perfect storm,’ we know that is not the case. The New York Times has received a preview of the FCIC’s report and highlights the fact that the Financial Crisis Was Avoidable, Inquiry Finds,
The 2008 financial crisis was an “avoidable” disaster caused by widespread failures in government regulation, corporate mismanagement and heedless risk-taking by Wall Street, according to the conclusions of a federal inquiry. (more…)
What Wall Street Secrets Will FCIC Reveal?
Posted by Larry Doyle on September 2nd, 2010 10:06 AM |
Information is everything.
There is no doubt that the development of the internet and a wide array of websites has led to a significant increase in the amount and quality of information accessed and processed by many. That said, there is also no doubt that there is an equally aggressive, if not public, effort to protect information, privileged or otherwise. Industry and company specific trade secrets can often be the key to developing and maintaining a hard earned competitive edge in the marketplace. I fully support and appreciate those ‘secrets.’ On the other side of this coin, though, there are ‘secrets’ which can often be the key to unlocking bad practices, if not much worse.
On this note, after a day’s worth of travel yesterday, I was particularly intrigued to read the Financial Times’ Probe Chief to Issue Wall Street Data. A few comments. Why is it that the FT’s electronic delivery entitles this article as such, while the hard copy entitled it, Probe Chief to Issue ‘Secret’ Wall Street Data? That one little word, ‘secret,’ is exceptionally powerful. What is Wall Street hiding? Why are they hiding it? Who specifically is hiding it? Do the secrets entail illicit and fraudulent activities? So many questions. (more…)
At the Corner of Wall Street and the Gulf of Mexico
Posted by Larry Doyle on June 16th, 2010 9:43 AM |
The distance from the canyons of lower Manhattan to the now soiled beaches of the Gulf Coast runs about 1300 miles. A long way and decidedly different lifestyles, you may think? I do not think so. In very real terms, the economic disasters centered in each of these locales are virtually contiguous.
As I watched a replay of President Obama’s speech last evening (Red Sox and Celtics games took priority until both those games were effectively decided), I was struck by one segment of Obama’s speech and the stark similarity in the disasters centered on Wall Street and the Gulf. Which segment and which similarity? (more…)
Goldman Sachs Stonewalling Highlights Trading Mentality
Posted by Larry Doyle on June 8th, 2010 3:30 PM |
Did Goldman Sachs ‘flip the bird’ at the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission and, in turn, America by its handling of the commission’s request for information? The fact that the FCIC felt it necessary to issue a subpoena to Goldman is an indication as to how serious the commission is handling this issue. Why would Goldman be so brazen and bold in its dealing with the commission?
Nathaniel Popper of the Los Angeles Times wrote a comprehensive article on this Goldman bombshell this morning, Goldman Sachs Stonewalling, Federal Panel Says:
Goldman Sachs Group Inc., already under fire for its actions leading up to the financial crisis, came under attack from a federal commission that accused it of refusing to divulge information, including documents detailing its controversial bets on the mortgage market. (more…)
Is the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission Providing Cover for FINRA?
Posted by Larry Doyle on May 6th, 2010 11:03 AM |
The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission is charged with the following:
… a bipartisan commission that has been given a critical non-partisan mission — to examine the causes of the financial crisis that has gripped the country and to report our findings to the Congress, the President, and the American people.
So far, I would grade the Commission’s work as an F, as in failing . . . as in f@*%ing pathetic. Why so harsh? 
(more…)
Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission Questioning
Posted by Larry Doyle on January 13th, 2010 11:28 AM |
I did not expect to learn anything riveting from today’s Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission’s questioning of the Wall Street CEOs and I didn’t. Why?
The executives being questioned represent the survivors or are new to the game. Who are they?
Lloyd Blankfein of Goldman Sachs
Jamie Dimon of JP Morgan
John Mack of Morgan Stanley
Brian Moynihan of Bank of America
The Commission will be at work during calendar 2010, but the initial performance will pack the biggest punch and get the most attention. Why? Simply because the media will provide the greatest coverage to the opening round. (more…)
