Showing archive for: “Financial Regulation”
Section 2 Symposium: Howard Marvel–An Economist’s View
In the wake of Bork and Posner, and Baxter and the Reagan Revolution, a consensus emerged that big could be bad, but the harm that dominant firms could do needed to be demonstrated, not simply assumed in consequence of their sheer size. Moreover, the demonstration required harm to competition. The consensus held through the Clinton ... Section 2 Symposium: Howard Marvel–An Economist’s View
Call for Papers: FTC/Northwestern University Second Annual Microeconomics Conference
The Federal Trade Commission and the Searle Center at Northwestern are hosting the second annual Microeconomics Conference. The conference will take place on November 19th and 20th at the FTC. Here’s the conference announcement and call for papers: The Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Economics, Northwestern University’s Searle Center on Law, Regulation and Economic Growth, ... Call for Papers: FTC/Northwestern University Second Annual Microeconomics Conference
My interview with Bill Isaac
Over at finreg21–a new site devoted to news, analysis and commentary on financial regulatory reform with which I am affiliated–I interview Bill Isaac, former Chairman of the FDIC (during the savings and loan crisis). We talk about his views on mark to market accounting and his testimony before congress (and a smidge about his views ... My interview with Bill Isaac
Bittlingmayer and Hazlett on the Stimulus
George Bittlingmayer (University of Kansas) and my colleague Tom Hazlett look at the market response to the stimulus and find it none too enthusiastic: President Barack Obama’s “stimulus” plan invokes the 1930s fiscal strategy put forward by British economist John Maynard Keynes, who saw capitalism as pretty much spent. Having exhausted their store of innovative ... Bittlingmayer and Hazlett on the Stimulus
Some Reactions to the Obama Housing Plan
First, Peter Klein: I am bewildered. But, more than that, I am angry. I can’t count how many news accounts I’ve seen about the poor, struggling homeowners who can’t make the monthly mortgage payment, are about to be foreclosed, and risk losing the family home, yard, white picket fence, and piece of the American Dream. ... Some Reactions to the Obama Housing Plan
Zywicki on Judicial Modification of Mortgage Contracts
Earlier this week, I argued that courts should resist the urge to modify what turn out to be improvident commercial contracts. An unintended consequence of rewriting such contracts, I asserted, is that negotiated agreements would become unreliable, which would raise the risks associated with, and thereby discourage, wealth-creating exchanges. And real wealth creation — not ... Zywicki on Judicial Modification of Mortgage Contracts
Fool me once, shame on…shame on you. Fool me – you can’t get fooled again.
I’d like to share a quote on banking industry regulation: “To restrain private people, it may be said, from receiving in payment the promissory notes of a banker for any sum, whether great or small, when they themselves are willing to receive them; or, to restrain a banker from issuing such notes, when all his ... Fool me once, shame on…shame on you. Fool me – you can’t get fooled again.
Principles for Bailout Management
I had the pleasure last week of participating in a bailout panel at William & Mary Law School. The William & Mary Federalist Society, which hosted the event, asked each panelist to address three topics: what led to the current situation, how the bailout plan will (or won’t) fix things, and suggestions for implementing a ... Principles for Bailout Management
Feeding at the trough
I love it! Today saw the “biggest presidential election day rally [in the stock markets] in 24 years.” And why, you ask? Is it because the seemingly-certain Obama victory has calmed all our fears of economic catastrophe (to say nothing of terrorist-induced catastrophe)? Nope. According to Bloomberg, U.S. stocks advanced in the biggest presidential Election ... Feeding at the trough
First Annual FTC Microeconomics Conference: November 6-7
I think conferences like this are an effective way to attract talented economists to work on interesting antitrust problems. I can envision a similar event from the Bureau of Competition or policy shops featuring academic research from law and economics scholars. Here’s the conference announcement: The Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Economics will host a ... First Annual FTC Microeconomics Conference: November 6-7
Citigroup, Wachovia, and Wells Fargo: Round Three
For those who have missed it, Citigroup announced almost two weeks ago an agreement in principle with Wachovia to acquire for $2.1 billion Wachovia’s retail banking operations. Four days later, Wells Fargo jumped the deal, announcing a merger agreement signed by both boards for Wells Fargo to acquire all of Wachovia. This violated an Exclusivity ... Citigroup, Wachovia, and Wells Fargo: Round Three
Exclusivity Agreements, the Bailout Act, and Section 126(c)
The Wachovia-Citigroup-Wells Fargo dance continues. Now, however, it seems to involve confusion about Section 126(c) of the newly adopted Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (“EESA”). Allow me to take a stab at clarifying. To bring everyone up to speed, last weekend, after Lehman was allowed to go belly-up and Washington Mutual was seized by the FDIC, ... Exclusivity Agreements, the Bailout Act, and Section 126(c)
