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Views of experts from Raghuram Rajan, Paul Krugman and Simon Johnson are at odds with the Obama administration's recycling of prior Paulson's bank rescue plans
04/21/2009
Rajan and Johnson call for smaller, more transparent financial institutions through the government takeover of insolvent banks and breaking them up into smaller financial institutions that pose less risk to the country's economy and are easier to manage, and less prone to excessive risk taking. And they propose crafting policy and antitrust laws to make this work. Questions raised about the administration having too many people on its economic team who are deferential to Wall Street and not with a mindset that questions key assumptions -some call them sacred cows- that are put forward by Wall Street.
Linked Articles
Economists Seek Breakup of Big Banks
Wall Street Journal 04/21/2009
Time for Bank Creditors to Share the Pain?New York Times 04/29/2009
Geithner's Plan for Toxic Assets
03/23/2009
Experts are doubtful Geithner's plan of March 23, 2009 for toxic assets will work. Its similiar to plans previously announced by Paulson in the Bush administration. Views of Krugman, Eavis and Reinhart. If lack of confidence and lack of liquidity were the only problems they say, government money as incentives might work, but the problem is more basic and structural. These mortgage securities are from a time of easy money, now investors are shy of risks and would discount them even more as a safety factor, and banks would not want to sell them at that price. Are stress tests and nationalization of failed banks around the corner?
Linked Articles
Why Congress Will Kill the Bank Rescue
Wall Street Journal 03/24/2009
Geithner's Gamble Needs SpeculatorsWall Street Journal 03/23/2009
"So am I", the President responds to special interests gearing up to thwart his plans to revamp the economy.
03/01/2009
My message to them, is this: "So am I", with that remark in his radio address Obama says he knows special interests are gearing up for a fight to prevent needed change in education oppportunities that otherwise would close the door on the middle class, on health care coverage that otherwise will leave in addition to the 46 million not covered an additional number of that magnitude uncovered as unemployment rises and insurance premiums become unaffordable, and on energy that leaves energy policy to oil and gas companies that have done little to promote conservation or new technologies to reduce demand amid mushrooming global demand.
Linked Articles
Obama Calls His Budget Needed Change
New York Times 03/01/2009
Liberal Groups Are Flexing New Muscle in Lobby WarsNew York Times 03/01/2009
Robert Khuzami and the S.E.C.'s ambivalent enforcement mindset 2010-2012
02/10/2009
The lack of corrective acton that changes the leadership and culture at financial companies in the U.S. following the 2008 financial crisis. Where the action by enforcement agencies has required admitting wrongdoing as part of the settlement, the changes in leadership and culture have put the companies on a new path to renewal. Barclays under one of the respected names in British finance, David Walker, is a recent example.
Linked Articles
Top Enforcer at the S.E.C. Steps Down
New York Times 02/10/2009
SEC's Top Cop Oversaw Deutsche CDOsWall Street Journal 04/24/2010
Board of Directors, auditors, management and bad governance- Satyam in India and Olympus in Japan
01/09/2009
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 01/09/2009
Panel Releases Findings in Olympus CaseWall Street Journal 12/06/2011
Detroit Automakers and the UAW vs the nonunionized plants- what went wrong?
12/09/2008
With job security gone at Detroit automakers amidst a series of bad decisions by unions and management unwilling to make a total break with the status quo to the point of reinventing themselves, and lacking the courage and the vision to do so, what good are these higher medical benefits? Isn't an employee who has his job and lesser medical benefits at anonunionized plant better off than one who has either lost his job or about to lose it at aDetroit automaker plant?
Linked Articles
Detroit Bailout: How It Can Work
BusinessWeek 12/09/2008
Toyota delays new Prius plantDetroit News 12/16/2008
GM's lead director Fisher reflecting the Board's lack of initiative and vision.
12/04/2008
The marked tendency to brush off any criticism to decisionmaking errors with the comment (that would not stand scrutiny) that one cannot imagine GM making all the right decisions all of the time because it was too big and complex.
Linked Articles
Lead Director Pins G.M.’s Hopes on Federal Rescue
New York Times 12/04/2008
Terms of a Rescue PlanBusinessWeek 12/11/2008
Economist Paul Krugman who just won the Nobel prize says Gordon does good.
10/13/2008
Paul Krugman says Gordon Brown has done much good with his initative and proper direction of the rescue effort giving all countries good leadership in a global crisis.
Linked Articles
New York Times 10/13/2008
British Prime Minister’s Stock Rises as His Bank Plan Lifts Stocks WorldwideNew York Times 10/15/2008
Cable by British Ambassador in Kabul on the loss of trust in Karzai government
10/04/2008
Cable by a career foreign service officer, the British ambassador in kabul on the loss of trust in Karzai government. The head of the provincial council in Kandahar is Karzai's brother who is said to be involved in the heroin trade.
Linked Articles
Reports Link Karzai’s Brother to Heroin Trade
New York Times 10/05/2008
‘Dictator’ Proposed for Afghanistan in Leaked CableNew York Times 10/04/2008
The Martin Feldstein plan to address foreclosures and the plan of Glenn Hubbard.
10/02/2008
Feldstein headed Reagan's economic policy team, and Hubbard headed the elder Bush's economic policy team. Its interesting that both lamented the lack of addressing the foreclosures as root of the problem. Feldstein and Hubbard gave their own proposals on the pages of the WSJ on the eve of the $700 billion bailout. The bailout plan had this gaping hole in it- with little for serious foreclosure prevention.
Linked Articles
The Problem Is Still Falling House Prices
Wall Street Journal 10/04/2008
First, Let's Stabilize Home PricesWall Street Journal 10/02/2008
As Feldstein and Hubbard suggest their proposals for addressing foreclosures the U.S. has done little to address it.
09/29/2008
Ruth Simon in the WSJ points out that little help is going to homeowners.
Linked Articles
Rescue Includes Steps to Help Borrowers Keep Homes
Wall Street Journal 09/29/2008
The Problem Is Still Falling House PricesWall Street Journal 10/04/2008
Friedman and Kotter on persuasion in politics or running companies where appeal is to gut feel.
09/04/2008
Not logic and details or detailed powerpoints but appeal to gut feel becomes important in getting people to get eager and motivated to get things done and push vigorously.
Linked Articles
New York Times 09/10/2008
John Kotter on How to Transform CompaniesBusinessWeek 09/04/2008
FDIC Sheila Bair's approach and her using IndyMac as a model on how to help rebuild a failed bank
08/21/2008
Before the FDIC took over IndyMac bank Sheila Bair who heads the FDIC had given her own proposal to tackle the mortgage crisis and credit cris. Now she can use the IndyMac bank to develop a model for resolution of failed banks.
Linked Articles
Agency’s Head Expects Banking’s Crisis to Worsen
New York Times 08/27/2008
FDIC Unveils Plan to Aid IndyMac BorrowersWall Street Journal 08/21/2008
In the two areas that government can make aserious difference, foreclosure prevention and bank lending it is failing.
04/15/2009
The government has only indirect influence over the other important variables in the equation for economic recovery, consumption and employment. Through foreclosure prevention and bank lending it can influence consumption and employment. Obama's program while admirable may simply fall short of what is required. Through asimple takeover of insolvent banks the administrationcan implement its own programs for goreclosure prevention and aggressive bank lending at attractive rates, but this has to be done early before business go into permanent retrenchment mode and consumers simply revert to a frugal lifestyle of an earlier generation.
Linked Articles
Lending By Bailout Recipients Falls Again
Washington Post 04/16/2009
Banks Ramp Up ForeclosuresWall Street Journal 04/15/2009
Child hunger in India and India's Food Security legislation in August 2013
03/13/2009
Food expert Rieff cites figures showing child malnutrition at over 40% in India for children under the age of 5 in 2009. A World Food Program report says 230 million people in India are hungry each year. India's Food Security legilation has to be seen in this context. Rieff says India is in danger of losing its demographic dividend as a result of child malnutrition. All developing countries can learn from each other and their programs to reduce child malnutrition, improve health care and vaccinations, and introduce healthy food and sanitary practices. Programs are in place in Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia, India, and China.
Linked Articles
As Indian Growth Soars, Child Hunger Persists
New York Times 03/13/2009
India's Lower House Passes Food Bill to Help PoorWall Street Journal 08/26/2013
Cornell's Frank points out that savings may be good for America once they are chanelled into investment.
02/15/2009
For this to happen some of the excess household debt from the number 96% of GDP, that household debt in the USA has reached, has to be shaved off. This is happening as Americans are shifting to becoming debt free in their finances. This affects consumption through the paradox of thrift. But says Prof. Frank this is OK, as the government steps in in the meantime to give the boost to the economy, till consumers recover from debt. Future savings can then be channelled into new productive investment for modernization's next phase, just as China and India are doing.
Linked Articles
Imbalance in Nations' Savings Clouds Forecasts for Recovery
Wall Street Journal 03/23/2009
Go Ahead and Save. Let the Government Spend.New York Times 02/15/2009
Akio Toyoda brings a broader mindset, American and overseas experience to his CEO role.
01/12/2009
The grandson of the founder was educated in the U.S. and worked in the Chinese operations. He brings a broad exposure to countries around the world that his predecessors lacked with their more parochial backgrounds. This will be invaluable as he steers Toyota back to its roots and accomodates a changing world.
Linked Articles
New York Times 06/02/2010
Toyota, Needing Change, Taps a Scion to LeadWall Street Journal 01/12/2009
Silicon Valley's lack of resilience.
12/31/2008
The short term thinking, risk aversion, and how the economic crisis makes things worse by exaggerating these two attitudes. The lack of resilience that is inherent in these atitudes as it does not increase selfawareness and the confidence from overcoming difficulties and challenges.
Linked Articles
Whatever Happened to Silicon Valley Innovation?
BusinessWeek 12/31/2008
Anxiety Management in an Economic CrisisBusinessWeek 12/31/2008
The shortsigtedness of Detroit automakers union and management.
12/05/2008
Both the automakers unions and management lacked the vision and courage to break totally with the status quo. The unions in hanging onto higher medical benefits and the management onto their higher compensation, and the management failing to shift to higher fuel efficiency standards comparable to competitors in Europe as mandated by the EU. In the process they stand to lose the higher medical benefits, and the higher compensation under government oversight as condition for loans, and along with that the jobs of unions and of management as well as the huge downsizing occurs in 2009.
Linked Articles
New York Times 12/05/2008
Toyota delays new Prius plantDetroit News 12/16/2008
UAW opposes any consolidation or merger as it would mean loss of may more jobs.
10/14/2008
From UAW President Gettelfinger's view consolidation would only mean loss of even more jobs to a devastated Detroit. A better source of cash for GM would be more loans from the federal government as democratic candidate Obama has suggested a $50 billion loan package. At that point a Chrysler consolidation if it were to occur could be done through a rationall consolidation or merger as opposed to the large closures that the present situation might require.
Linked Articles
UAW chief opposes GM-Chrysler merger
Detroit News 10/14/2008
Howes: One of Big 3 may not surviveDetroit News 10/14/2008
Nobel Prize winer Vernon Smith likes the direct injection of capital into undercapitalized banks.
10/09/2008
Vernon Smith thinks Treasury has little experience with reverse auctions and they will be awfully hard to do. Direct injection of capital into banks is something Treasury has experience and has done recently in some bank failures such as WaMu takeover by Chase organized by FDIC and Treasury. The British rescue plan of Gordon Brown is to provide capital to the banks in return for equity stakes.
Linked Articles
Britain Takes a Different Route to Rescue Its Banks
New York Times 10/09/2008
There's No Easy Way Out of the BubbleWall Street Journal 10/09/2008
New York Times editorial asks Congress to "Show us Hope" as 12 million households or 1 in 6 mortgages go under water.
10/02/2008
NYT laments the lack of anything to give hope to homeowners in the $700 billion bailout plan. So do Feldstein and Hubbard both Republican Presidential advisors of reagan and Bush.
Linked Articles
New York Times 10/02/2008
Housing Pain Gauge: Nearly 1 in 6 Owners 'Under Water'Wall Street Journal 10/08/2008
Homeowners facing foreclosure and the lack of meaningful help.
09/29/2008
A new York Times editorial the day after the Senate passes the Bailout Plan for $700 billion on October 1, 2008, describes the lack of meaningful help and the WSJ describes the language in the bill that refers to foreclosure and several studies.
Linked Articles
New York Times 10/02/2008
Rescue Includes Steps to Help Borrowers Keep HomesWall Street Journal 09/29/2008
Bob Woodward on decisionmaking in the Obama White House and the Bush White House
09/15/2008
In "The War Within" Woodward described how Bush persevered to get the job done right in Iraq. In "The Price of Politics," Woodward describes how Obama failed to use his presidential leadership and suthority to get all sides to reach an agreement. Bill Keller of the NYT says Obama failed to make the "unpleasant choices" a president has to make, including supporting the president's own Simpson-Bowles Commission on the U.S. deficit.
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 09/15/2008
Notable & QuotableWall Street Journal 09/07/2012
Sheila Barr voices concern about lack of serious homeowner help, only institutional help.
08/27/2008
FDIC's Sheila Barr voices concern for a lack of serious homeowner help and an incomprehensible reluctance to do anything serious for homeowners in Congress or the Bush Administration even as Barr, Paulson and Bernanke offered no choice to CEO's of leading banks at the meeting last week in Paulson's offices but to sign term sheets for accepting $125 billion from the government. Another $125 billion goes to smaller banks. And a unspecified amount goes to buy troubled assets under TARP, and money to buy commercial paper, and other institutional help. Still nothing on a large comprehensive basis to help homeowners in difficulty which is at the root of this crisis according to Feldstein, Hubbard, Bair.
Linked Articles
FDIC Chief Raps Rescue for Helping Banks Over Homeowners
Wall Street Journal 10/16/2008
Agency’s Head Expects Banking’s Crisis to WorsenNew York Times 08/27/2008
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