Last Week in Words

MONDAY
"How can they look at themselves in the mirror every morning thinking that they have a regulatory reform bill and they are totally silent on Fannie and Freddie? It just boggles my mind."

— Lawrence White, a New York University economics professor, noting holes in the banking reform bill awaiting a vote in the Senate.

TUESDAY
"Volcker is another chip he can cash in and give up."

— Brian Gardner, a KBW Inc. analyst, on how Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd will treat proposed restrictions on proprietary trading in his reform bill bargaining strategy with Republicans.

WEDNESDAY
"When people are not wanted, you know what happens. It's the same in business. You can sense when you're being taken care of and attended to."

— Louis J. Cappelli, head of Sterling Bancorp, considering the plight of small and midsize businesses at big banks.

THURSDAY
"It's an industry where terminology has always been wonderfully nonstandard."

— Michael Youngblood, the founder of a Maryland asset management firm, assessing the mortgage industry's use of loose definitions and broad classifications of loans to ill effect.

FRIDAY
"In my opinion, nobody shakes down the banks better than members of Congress."

— John Taylor, the president of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, philosophizing on an ulterior motive behind Rep. Jeb Hensarling's call to repeal the CRA.