Comments of the Week: Oct. 29 - Nov. 2
November 2, 2012 3:45 PM
On whether the social benefits of homeownership are overstated:
"The benefits of homeownership only accrue if the ‘owners’ are able to afford the payment. Otherwise, every day is like having the Sword of Damocles hanging over your head."Related Article: Claims of Homeownership's Social Benefits Rise from the Dead
On whether the social benefits of homeownership are overstated:
"Homeownership: GOOD. Choking regulations: BAD. End of story."Related Article: Claims of Homeownership's Social Benefits Rise from the Dead (Image: Thinkstock)
On why it's difficult for big banks to innovate:
"They only listen to radio station WIIFM (What's In It for Me)."Related Article: Why It's Tough for Bankers to Innovate: They're Left-Brained (Image: Thinkstock)
On the OCC's Curry warning banks to maintain appropriate loan loss reserves:
"The OCC is finally addressing this dishonest and dangerous practice. What took so long?"Related Article: OCC's Curry Warns Banks to Maintain Appropriate Reserves (Image: Bloomberg News)
On whether the OCC's ability to monitor interest rate risk has been compromised:
"Until someone comes up with a better barometer, banks are better off benchmarking against themselves through their own [asset liability management] processes."Related Article: Has OCC's Ability to Monitor Interest Rate Risk Been Compromised? (Image: Thinkstock)
On the subjection of community banks to Basel III:
"Congress should be irate."Related Article: Involve Congress in Reconsideration of Basel III (Image: Thinkstock)
On bankers losing their appetite for holding 15-year mortgages:
"Might this also explain why many are not qualifying for mortgages? Low and moderate income folks cannot afford the monthly payments on 10-year loans."Related Article: Bankers Lose Appetite for Holding 15-Year Mortgages (Image: Thinkstock)
On bankers losing their appetite for holding 15-year mortgages:
"This is the malinvestment created by the QE by the Fed. It will, indeed, come back to bite and people will blindly look in the mirror and ask ‘Why didn't anyone see this bubble? Again....?’"Related Article: Bankers Lose Appetite for Holding 15-Year Mortgages (Pictured: Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke)(Image: Bloomberg News)
On whether uninsured banking should be expanded:
"Deposit insurance … is one of the most misguided, counterproductive features of the financial world today."Related Article: Don't Expand Uninsured Banking — End It (Image: Bloomberg News)
On whether Amex's uninsured Bluebird card should be considered problematic:
"The market will tell us if customers prefer this product."Related Article: Don't Expand Uninsured Banking — End It (Image: Thinkstock)
On parking fees being dragged into the controversy over swipe fee limits:
"Funny how an ill-thought, emotion-based piece of legislation could have so many unintended consequences."Related Article: Parking Fee Hike Gets Caught Up in Interchange Fight (Image: Thinkstock)
On how to get more women into banks' senior ranks:
"Promotion, especially to leadership roles, should be based on the merits of capabilities and job and leadership experience."Related Article: How to Get More Women in Banks' Senior Ranks (Image: Thinkstock)
On how to get more women into banks' senior ranks:
"If we want the person with the best experience and qualifications at the top, then you need to realize that the playing field starts at the bottom."Related Article: How to Get More Women in Banks' Senior Ranks (Image: Thinkstock)
On banking regulators fighting back against the bipartisan agency-review bill:
"Some restraint and a dose of reality would be welcomed by most of the ‘regulated’."Related Article: Banking Regulators Fight Back Against Agency Review Bill (Pictured: Sen. Robert Portman, R-Ohio )(Image: Bloomberg News)
On the potential for an increased number of mergers and acquisitions:
"There are not ‘way too many banks’ and those who would benefit from consolidating them are disingenuous to say so."Related Article: Health of Targets Is Improving in Bank M&A (Image: Thinkstock)
