The current economic turbulence is a direct result of insufficient regulation — so it makes no sense to curb pending rules that would address the causes of the crisis, says Lisa Donner, executive director of Americans for Financial Reform, a coalition of labor, civil rights, community, and small business groups. “The thought that what we need to get the economy going again is to cut back on regulation is astoundingly backwards,” she says, noting that recent polls suggest businesses are struggling with economic conditions, not overregulation.”

‘The banks want to get away with everything, and she is probably one of the linchpins in saying that is going to happen or isn’t going to happen,’ said Liz Ryan Murray, the chairwoman of the foreclosure task force at Americans for Financial Reform. ‘We would like to see her come forward and be more public on what she will and won’t give up.’”

Click here to view this week’s highlights and lowlights in Wall Street Reform – September 24, 2011 – September 30, 2011.

Read AFR’s comment letter in response to regulators posing the questions of whether stable value contracts meet the definition of swaps in the Dodd-Frank Act, and, if so, whether they should be regulated as swaps or given an exemption. The letter points out that stable value contracts have the characteristics of swaps and also pose some of the same risks as swaps do. It does not take a specific position on whether stable value contracts should be subject to all swaps regulation, but does urge regulators to address these dangers by extending business conduct standards to issuers of stable value contracts and also to ensure that issuers of financial guarantees have sufficient resources to back up their promises.

Harmonious international financial regulation is best achieved by the timely implementation of Dodd-Frank-mandated regulations for derivatives. Contrary to claims made by Wall Street and its allies, postponing the implementation of Dodd-Frank rules until the global community reaches a consensus on derivatives regulation would undercut efforts to achieve harmonious financial reform and expose American taxpayers to significant economic risk.

Click here to view this week’s highlights and lowlights in Wall Street Reform – September 17, 2011 – September 23, 2011.