The LuLac Edition #1103, Feb. 22nd, 2010

PHOTO INDEX: CONGRESSMAN PAUL KANJORSKI AND AUDITOR GENERAL JACK WAGNER.

KANJO AND ROLLING STONE

Paul Kanjorski might not have made the cover of the Rolling Stone but he sure got quoted in it recently on the bank bailout. On Feb. 17th writer Matt Taibbi wrote an article on Wall Street. Here’s the Congressman’s quotes and a bit of the story:
The idea behind the flood of money, from the government's standpoint, was to spark a national recovery: We refill the banks' balance sheets, and they, in turn, start to lend money again, recharging the economy and producing jobs. "The banks were fast approaching insolvency," says Rep. Paul Kanjorski, a vocal critic of Wall Street who nevertheless defends the initial decision to bail out the banks. "It was vitally important that we recapitalize these institutions."
That's why the biggest gift the bankers got in the bailout was not fiscal but psychological. "The most valuable part of the bailout," says Rep. Sherman, "was the implicit guarantee that they're Too Big to Fail." Instead of liquidating and prosecuting the insolvent institutions that took us all down with them in a giant Ponzi scheme, we have showered them with money and guarantees and all sorts of other enabling gestures. And what should really freak everyone out is the fact that Wall Street immediately started skimming off its own rescue money. If the bailouts validated anew the crooked psychology of the bubble, the recent profit and bonus numbers show that the same psychology is back, thriving, and looking for new disasters to create. "It's evidence," says Rep. Kanjorski, "that they still don't get it."
More to the point, the fact that we haven't done much of anything to change the rules and behavior of Wall Street shows that we still don't get it. Instituting a bailout policy that stressed recapitalizing bad banks was like the addict coming back to the con man to get his lost money back. Ask yourself how well that ever works out. And then get ready for the reload.

WAGNER STEPPING UP

Democratic candidate for Governor Jack Wagner is stepping up his campaign effort. With the withdrawals of Tom Knox and Chris Doherrty, Wagner has been making a huge presence in the state via regular media and You Tube. Check out this new video: