There is a lot of mud-slinging going on about the recent Wall-Street and Congressional crisis. Now, I am NOT a financial expert nor a political expert. However, facts are facts, and that is what matters. Now, here are the facts.
(1) In 1999 the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act was passed my a wide margin in both houses of Congress. This act repealed the decades-old Glass-Steagall Act, and basically allowed the lines to dim between banking, securities, and insurance companies.
Senate: 90-8-1
House: 362-57-15
(2) President Bill Clinton signed it into law on Nov. 12, 1999. In a recent interview, he stood behind signing the bill.
http://www.businessweek.com/print/magazine/content/08_40/b4102000409948.htm
Clinton: …Phil Gramm and I disagreed on a lot of things, but he can’t possibly be wrong about everything. On the Glass-Steagall thing, like I said, if you could demonstrate to me that it was a mistake, I’d be glad to look at the evidence. But I can’t blame [the Republicans].
(3) This problem is a bi-partisan issue. I blame both parties plus Wall-Street.
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=s1999-354
Now whether or not this deregulation caused the current crisis – I’m not sure. I personally think that the deregulation COMBINED with lax oversight and greedy companies are really to blame. Don’t get me wrong – I’m a capitalist and conservative, but there are times when oversight are needed.
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