Fixing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in isolation, without looking at the big picture, would be short-sighted. Votes: 15
Home ownership was the fig leaf for the rise in subprime lending. But that was really about cash-out refinancings, not buying homes. Votes: 13
When Warren Buffett invests in a company, he is conferring upon that company something very unique: his credibility. Votes: 13
In capital we trust. Capital is our savior, our holy grail, our fountain of youth, or at least health, for banks. Votes: 12
Choices of right or wrong are not presented to you in black and white. If they were, I'm sure most people would choose white. Votes: 10
Privatization of assets that most of us consider public goods - like airports and highways - has a long, often-uncontroversial history. Votes: 7
No city embraced privatization more eagerly than Chicago, where I live. Votes: 7
Capital isn't this pile of money sitting somewhere; it's an accounting construct. Votes: 6
Google worries - and rightly so - about how hard it is for a big company to come up with the next hot thing. Votes: 5
So Merrill Lynch has launched its first campaign in years to advertise the accomplishments of its investment banking business. The ads feature things like Merrill's recapitalization of Sierra Pacific. I guess including "helping Enron achieve its earnings goals in 1999" might be a little awkward given that Merrill Lynch bankers are currently on trial in Houston for that "accomplishment." Votes: 5
I think synergies are a lot like UFOs: Lots of people claim to have seen them, but few can actually prove they exist. Votes: 4
What's good for the financial industry probably isn't good for you. Votes: 4
The last and most painful irony is that the two longtime rival armies in the securitization market - the investment banks and the GSEs - would end up magnifying each other's sins rather than keeping each other in check. Votes: 3
Building a portfolio around index funds isnât really settling for the average. Itâs just refusing to believe in magic. Votes: 3
... skepticism about past returns is crucial. The truth is, much as you may wish you could know which funds will be hot, you can't - and neither can the legions of advisers and publications that claim they can. That's why building a portfolio around index funds isn't really settling for average. It's just refusing to believe in magic. Votes: 2
The big banks advise cities about whether privatization is a wise choice. They also control the ability of states and cities to access the market for their financing needs. Votes: 2
Proponents of privatization argued that cities and states needed private capital to fund all the upgrades that our decaying infrastructure so desperately needed. Votes: 2