Category Archives: In the News

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Financial Times: CFTC head blames OTC derivatives for crisis

The Financial Times recently published this article about the role of derivatives in the current economic crisis.  The report focuses on Gary Gensler, Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and his recent statement that over-the-counter derivatives “were at the heart and not a side

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Boston Globe article on Dodd’s retirement, financial reform

The Boston Globe published this article about Senator Dodd’s retirement announcement and the way it will affect financial reform.  The full article is available here, and the quote about Americans for Financial Reform is copied below. “The best way to protect consumers is to have

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Huffington Post: Retirements and the Establishment

A recent article by Mike Lux of  the Huffington Post mentioned AFR in connection with Senator Dodd’s retirement announcement and the upcoming Senate debate on financial reform.  You can read the full article here; the excerpt referring to AFR is copied below. The movement against

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Marketplace: How Dodd’s Retirement Affects Reform

This story about Senator Dodd’s retirement announcement was on Marketplace on January 6th.  A quote from AFR featured on this segment is highlighted below. Heather BOOTH: We appreciate the leadership he’s provided and have never thought this was the time for politics. But the time

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Politico: ‘Big is bad’ catches on in Congress

A recent Politico article about “the populist angst aimed at Wall Street banks” talked about the growing strength of the movement to label big banks and institutions as bad for the country as a whole.  AFR’s Heather Booth was quoted in the article.  You can

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Stamford Plus: Connecticut and national leaders praise Dodd’s career

StamfordPlus.com, a Connecticut news source, published this article about local and national reactions to Senator Dodd’s retirement announcement and included a quote from AFR.  You can read the full article here. Heather Booth, Executive Director, Americans for Financial Reform: “We greatly appreciate Sen. Dodd’s years

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LA Times: Banks Take Revenge For New Consumer Rules

The LA Times ran this precient article about banks’ vengeful behavior against consumers in advance of credit card rules going into effect in February.  Here is an excerpt: Happy new year. Now pay up. That’s the message from our friends in the banking industry, who

IMF Study Links Lobbying by US Banks to High-Risk Lending

A working paper from the IMF titled “A Fistful of Dollars: Lobbying and the Financial Crisis” (PDF) shows a connection between lobbying and high-risk lending.  The Guardian UK discusses the article and its possible impact: Powerful American banks spending lavishly on lobbying are more likely

Jim Wallis: A Religious Response to the Financial Crisis

The Washington Post published Jim Wallis’s insightful and moving editorial.  Here is an excerpt: One cold morning the week before Christmas, I found myself huddled with a group of homeowners and religious leaders on Pennsylvania Avenue, in the shadow of the White House and the