Sheila Bair
"It's at the top of things that need to be fixed. It fed the crisis, and it has gotten worse because of the crisis."
FDIC chairman, on the growth of too-big-to-fail banks.
Prof. Elizabeth Warren
"The market has remained broken in large part because our regulatory system is fragmented, cumbersome, and complex. While various regulators - including the Federal Reserve and the chief banking supervisors-have long had the legal authority to protect consumers, they have refused to do so."
The chairman of the Congressional Oversight Panel, explaining the need for a Consumer Financial Protection Agency.
Jane Thompson
"People know we have a pharmacy and a deli and optical services. Financial services are among our least recognized offerings."
The president of Wal-Mart Financial Services, discussing the company's latest venture into bill payments.
Mary Frances Monroe
"The proposal is on a short track. There's no discussion, just a series of questions. But the implication is that assets would be 100 percent risk-weighted and that is worrisome."
American Bankers Association vice president of regulatory affairs on the notice of proposed rulemaking from bank regulators on changes in capital requirements due to new balance-sheet accounting rules.
Red Gillen
"This is a strong signal [to] other health plan carriers (e.g. Wellpoint) that starting one's own bank is probably something best avoided."
Blog post of Celent senior banking analyst, on the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association's decision to sell its struggling online Blue Healthcare Bank.
Sen. Byron Dorgan
"It won't be very long before we'll have derivatives, we'll have swaps, we'll have synthetic swaps, you name it, we'll have all of them and it'll be a field day for speculation."
North Dakota Democrat, on his fears of letting Wall Street trade in carbon-offset credits.
Richard X. Bove
"Northern Trust's balance sheet is so strong it actually shames its competitors."
Rochdale Securities analyst.
Daniel Alpert
"There are a few banks that can probably make it through, even with more writedowns. But the notion that all these banks will survive doesn't work, especially the regional banks."
Managing director of Westwood Capital, on the lukewarm prospects for bank stocks.
