Viewpoints Letters

Viewpoint: Treasury Resolution Plan Solves Nothing

American Banker | Nov 19

Treasury's proposal games resolution procedure and increases systemic risk and other "serious financial effects," thereby inviting the problem it purports to control.

Viewpoint: Wall Street-Main Street Divide's a Gaping Issue

American Banker | Nov 19

Banks and bankers have got to make every effort to restore the industry's reputation. There is no silver bullet to accomplish this, but here are some steps that would help.

Viewpoint: Industry Has to Act to Fix CARD Law Income Rule

American Banker | Nov 19

A proposal requiring creditors to look at income does not further the purposes of the Credit CARD Act when compared with the detriment such a requirement would impose.

Stress Test Profile: Iberiabank Corp.

American Banker | Nov 19

Its recent purchase of failed banks and the possibility of future acquisitions of assets from FDIC bank resolutions make Iberiabank an emerging regional powerhouse.

Viewpoint: Dodd Plan's Flawed But a Good Start

American Banker | Nov 17

Though crucial flaws exist in Senator Dodd's FIRA proposal — not least among them a substantial weakening of the FDIC — it has promise.

Viewpoint: After Failure, Litigation Risk for Directors

American Banker | Nov 17

As the FDIC begins the process of pursuing officials of failed FDIC-insured financial institutions, directors and officers coverage becomes a significant asset.

Viewpoint: Communicate with Regulators to Build Trust

American Banker | Nov 12

In developing and maintaining a cooperative relationship with your regulators, there is one simple rule: A bank must establish trust.

Viewpoint: Keys to Effective Financial Education

American Banker | Nov 12

Properly structured financial education programs can and do help people make wise decisions about their personal finances. These six components are key.

Viewpoint: FDIC Prepayment Plan Is an Economic Loser

American Banker | Nov 12

Because the FDIC did not build the DIF during good economic times, it now proposes to harm banks economically just as the country is trying to recover. This is poor policy.

Viewpoint: Getting Set for Change in Bank-to-Bank Transfers

American Banker | Nov 12

With the introduction of the revised cover payment type poised to significantly change how global bank-to-bank payments are processed, what is the state of industry readiness?

Viewpoint: Special Cases: Parent Fails, Bank Lives

American Banker | Nov 10

Since CIT and Capmark are new bank holding companies, they were not inextricably intertwined with their subsidiaries. Further, the banks themselves are involved in straightforward lending activity.

Letter to the Editor: Put Preparedness Ahead of Profitability

American Banker | Nov 10

To the Editor:
The three-part series on the topic of what needs to be done with large banks makes a number of important points. That "too big to fail" is really a euphemism for "too big to manage" is spot on.

Viewpoint: Recapitalizing the GSEs to Shield Taxpayers

American Banker | Nov 5

The only viable option for limiting taxpayer expense is to set up a "Bad Fannie" and "Bad Freddie" holding the existing portfolios and a "Good Fannie" and "Good Freddie" as cooperatives.

Viewpoint: Martin on Retailing - Avoiding Message Overload in Branches

American Banker | Nov 5

During a period when more pressure than usual is on us to cross-sell products, the temptation to pile on the marketing is natural. But in some situations, saying "less is more" has real merit.

Viewpoint: Third Time's the Charm for Toxic Asset Solution

American Banker | Nov 5

Only by adopting an approach that does not fatally impair capital, provide a taxpayer-supported windfall or burden the already strained federal budget can we prevent another false start.