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07 Feb 2010 20:36

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Politics: Max Headroom: A bunch of financial guys hit the Sunday shows


  • “I Won’t Close the Door” Sarah Palin’s answer here sounded kinda vague, but read between the lines – it’s clear she’s been thinking about it. Come on. She’s already thinking like a presidential candidate. Whatevs.

  • The old financial dudes Today on “Meet the Press,” Henry Paulson and Alan Greenspan try to analyze the recession and the job market. Greenspan suggests tax cuts to drive economic activity that encourages job creation.

  • The new financial dude Timothy Geithner, Paulson’s replacement as treasury secretary, says we’re seeing some “encouraging,” though uneven, signs of growth in the economy. He says a double-dip is unlikely.

22 Jan 2010 16:46

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Politics: Will Ben Bernanke get reconfirmed in the Senate? Neither party knows

  • There is bipartisan support and there’s bipartisan opposition. But you need 60.
  • Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s spokesman, Don Stewart • Regarding whether or not Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will have the 60 votes needed in the Senate to get himself a second term. Finding trouble reaching that mark in his own party, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid reached out to McConnell’s people to see if they could find 60 votes between the two of them. Considering how vitriolic things have been between the two parties of late, it’s interesting that they’re working together on anything. Neither McConnell nor Reid will commit to supporting Bernanke themselves. Bad sign. source

14 Jan 2010 10:39

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Biz, U.S.: Obama’s bank plan: Lots of money for the U.S., with perks!

  • $90 billion in bank taxes over the next ten years source
  • So what happens if the banks overpay the bailouts? Simple. The money goes back to the U.S. to help strengthen the financial position that was screwed up by the bailout crisis. Did someone say “win-win” situation, kids? The banks don’t think so, by the way, and angrily responded to the new charges like petulant children who didn’t get a Nintendo 64 for Christmas.

14 Oct 2009 10:13

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Biz: JPMorgan Chase has more money sitting around than you do

  • $3.6 billion in third-quarter profits for the financial-services company source

12 Oct 2009 20:32

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Biz: Citigroup didn’t keep its eyes on shady trading, gets punished

  • $600,000 fine for sucking source

22 Sep 2009 20:18

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U.S.: The financial toll from the flooding is nothing short of massive

  • $250 million in estimated damages; many are uninsured source

16 Jul 2009 14:32

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Biz: JP Morgan follows the Goldman Sachs route to post-bailout profits

  • $2.7 billion JP Morgan’s profit this quarter, up 36% from a year ago and 27% from the last quarter; as you might guess, investors are giving each other high-fives right now source
 

12 Jun 2009 10:54

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Biz, U.S.: We’re in a better mood about the economy than we’ve been lately

  • 69 The current level of consumer sentiment, the highest in nine months source

01 Jun 2009 21:12

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Biz, U.S.: Currently on Obama’s plate: Financial industry regulation

  • How do we make sure this never happens again? Re-invent FDIC? Kill the Office of Thrift Supervision? Throw out the rule book? The Obama administration is considering all sorts of MacGyver-like techniques to prevent future financial industry screw-ups. Don’t expect them to combine a bunch of organizations together like a puzzle, though. Obama doesn’t think he’ll get enough political support for that, and even some of his closest colleagues in Congress think it’s a bad idea. source

25 Apr 2009 02:15

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U.S.: A murder-suicide in Maryland revolved around a bunch of cash

  • $27 million (or more) could be missing after an ex-lawyer’s death source