Senate Financial Reform Fight

If you've ever wondered what the phrase "the sound of silence" means, you should've been listening when the President invited "the titans of industry" to join him in promoting financial reform this morning.

The President's speech walked a fine line between vision and reality. At times it seemed almost an internal dialog between the technocrat who sees the problems and knows how to fix them, and the political pragmatist who wants to reap electoral rewards from whatever bill finally gets passed.

"Between the dream and the reality," wrote T. S. Eliot, "falls the shadow." The President's speech demonstrated that he sees what needs to be done. But reform has to make its way through the legislative shadows on Capitol Hill. That means it's up to the rest of us to create the political climate that makes that makes genuine reform possible - or, better yet, inevitable. more »

More »»

Despite strong rhetoric against aggressive Wall Street lobbying and deceptive Republican attacks, President Barack Obama appears ready to declare victory on a tepid and ineffective financial reform bill. more »

More »»

I generally find Andy Kroll to be both a rigorous and persuasive journalist. more »

More »»