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American Banker readers share their views on the most pressing banking topics of the week. As excerpted from the Comments sections of AmericanBanker.com articles.

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On the complexity of the final Volcker Rule:

"It was left to be intentionally vague so that the federal government can use this as another way to gather new revenues. Just ask Jamie Dimon about that."

Related Article: Banks, Lawyers Struggling to Evaluate Final Volcker Rule

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On the complexity of the final Volcker Rule:

"Eight hundred and eighty one pages to say 'no short term trading for speculative profit (as distinct from investing to earn income from liquid assets) and no investing in hedge and VC funds.' Eighty-one pages to say that would be bizarre. Eight pages would be more than is needed. … If this trend continues we should expect to see a 1,000 page regulation on bathroom breaks coming soon."

Related Article: Why Community Banks Keep Throwing in the Towel

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On the Volcker rule's limitations on portfolio hedging:

"Prudent management should not be replaced by procrustean rules."

Related Article: Will Volcker End Up Another Example of Knee-Jerk Regulation?

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On why the Volcker rule's information demands will be hard to meet:

"The financial system is … a huge, almost indescribable, interconnected web of computers and networks. … We have already exceeded the capacity of the "system" to absorb more incremental change of regulation. This on top of the crumbling infrastructure of the financial system and the Rube Goldberg legacy technology each financial institution lives with day by day."

Related Article: Cheat Sheet: Regulators Release Specifics on the Final Volcker Rule

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On whether faster payments should be a top priority for U.S. banks:

"This is a must for the industry to stay competitive. The EU, Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore have all rolled this stuff out -- on what planet is it ok for the US banks to say 'we don't need to be as modern as other leading economies in the world'?"

Related Article: Should Faster Payments Be a Top Industry Priority?

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On why faster payments should be a top priority for U.S. banks:

"I can hear Millennials groaning, 'three days?' [Faster payments are] a path to relevance in today's instant gratification world. [Banks] need it to compete." (Via Twitter)

Related Article: Should Faster Payments Be a Top Industry Priority?

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On the slowness of the U.S. payment system:

"Heck, I can hear my grandmother moaning about it!" (Via Twitter)

Related Article: Should Faster Payments Be a Top Industry Priority?

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On whether community banks can survive:

"Serving your high net worth senior citizens will only drive you into obsolescence as they pass and the younger generation does not ask for or desire the personal touch community banks pat themselves on the back for."

Related Article: What Matthew Yglesias Should Have Said About Small Banks

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On the compliance burdens facing community banks:

"This administration would love to create enough regulation to squeeze out the smaller firms. Are we going down the road to becoming 'Southern Canada'?"

Related Article: What If 99% of Banks Disappeared?

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On the governors of Colorado and Washington asking federal banking regulators for guidance on banking marijuana businesses:

"Both governors … state that banks should be required to do 'extra' due diligence on marijuana dealers to ensure that anti-money laundering laws are not violated. Great idea. Then when some doper who paid our customer for his 'merchandise' kills somebody, there will be additional deep pockets to hold liable, for not doing adequate 'extra' due diligence."

Related Article: Federal Banking Regulators Pressed to Act on Marijuana Businesses

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On why pot businesses want access to bank services so they can hold less cash:

"With every passing day the real threat of violence, robbery and murder exist for legal businesses in Colorado. Customers, employees and location staff are at very real risk as federal banking regulator foot dragging shuffles on. Will it take a crime of opportunity culminating in mass death and injury move these fine folk off of the mark?"

Related Article: Federal Banking Regulators Pressed to Act on Marijuana Businesses

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On rebranding a bank after a turnaround:

"Rebranding is not just putting the sheep's clothing on the wolf. It is also the changing of corporate cultures to reflect high standards of behavior."

Related Article: How to Brand a Bank Turnaround

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