BankThink

If some regulation of financial products and services is a good thing, then shouldn't a lot more of it be even better? As everyone trying to run a credit union these days knows, the answer to that question is "of course not."

Children's Miracle Network Hospitals has forged a wonderful partnership with the credit union community over the last 17 years and in that time credit unions have established a remarkable legacy at children's hospitals throughout the United States.

I would argue that the testimony by credit unions to Congress that the regulatory burden is the number-one concern is either a delusion or dishonest.

Congress has punched traditional bankers in the nose, and if we do nothing in the next 50 days, they will continue this abuse with impunity.

When will all the details of the much-debated Volcker Rule, which bans proprietary trading by banks, be set? FDIC Acting Chairman Martin Gruenberg is aiming for yearend. "That's the intention — to try to get it done," he said.

For banks to tap into the full potential of advanced analytics, they should address some difficult challenges, including vast quantities of poorly organized data, inadequately skilled staff and risk management operations still stuck in silos.

The bailouts were justified as a way to unfreeze credit and help homeowners, and the government failed on both counts.

Receiving Wide Coverage ...QE3 Forever?: The Federal Reserve Thursday outlined its latest plan to spur job growth and bolster the economy. The basic steps include the purchase of $85 billion in long-term bonds a month through the rest of the year, the subsequent addition of $40 billion of mortgage-backed debt per month until the job market gets better and low interest rates through at least mid-2015. Stocks rallied following the announcement of this indefinite QE3, as traders apparently had been sufficiently encouraged to buy "growth-sensitive assets," reports the FT.

A bill in the Senate, which would require 13 more steps for new financial regulations, including a cost-benefit analysis, is drawing attention. The committe vote on it has been delayed until after the election, but there's a chance it could still move quickly.

The Federal Reserve announced an indefinite round of quantitative easing in hopes of improving the stagnant economy. Some feel the move may help the lagging job market, while others feel it illustrates Einstein's definition of insanity.