Straight Talk: Key distinction

      As elected officials consider options for financial reform legislation, they should make sure they understand the difference between a banker making a bad loan and a banker making a loan that goes bad. The distinction is very important.       No one feels much concern for the lender who makes a bad loan. You … Read more

Straight Talk — A few good things in ’09

      It would be easy to look back at 2009 and say “good riddance” as we move into the New Year. But I think that would be a mistake. True, it was a difficult year in many ways, but in this last column of the year I would like to make note of … Read more

Straight Talk — Oh, Senator Dodd

      Sen. Christopher Dodd is in a tough campaign to win re-election in his home state of Connecticut next November. Poll results released Nov. 12 have the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee behind his Republican challenger by a sizeable margin.       Dodd must be nervous; how else do you explain Dodd’s banking industry … Read more

Straight Talk — How about a little help?

       Consultant Robert Morgan told bankers at the Oct. 29 Eide Bailly seminar in Mankato, Minn., what many of us have suspected for a long time: The ratings game is rigged. Saying that field examiners have no authority, Morgan said regulators determine a bank’s rating before examiners ever get to the bank. Once … Read more