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Are the American people finally starting to stand up to Wall Street?  By George Washington, Zero Hedge

Shareholder Revolt

Some of Goldman Sach's biggest shareholders are demanding that executive compensation be reduced. As the Wall Street Journal notes:

   Their complaints in private conversations with the company and at analyst meetings show how anger over its big-money culture is spilling into the ranks of investors who typically shy away from debates over Wall Street pay.

Protests

There were the protests outside of the Bankers Association meeting in Chicago. See this, this, this, this, this and this.

If you don't think that more - bigger - protests are coming, you haven't been paying attention.

Debtor's Revolt

Debtors are revolting against exorbitant interest rates and fees and other aggressive tactics by the too big to fail banks. See this, this, and this.

Congresswoman Kaptur advises her constituents facing foreclosure to demand that the original mortgage papers be produced. She says that - if the bank can't produce the mortgage papers - then the homeowner can stay in the house.

Portfolio manager and investment advisor Marshall Auerback argues that a debtor's revolt would be a good thing.

And even popular personal finance advisor Suze Orman is highlighting the debtors revolt phenomenon on her national tv show.

Congress Is Starting to Get the Message

The American people are shouting so loud at their congress members and Senators, that even some of the most pro-Wall Street congressman are starting to get it.

For example, the Congressional Black Caucus has been hearing so much about how congress is failing to address the crisis of unemployment from their constituents, that the CBC delayed Barney Frank's proposed financial reform.

The House Financial Services Committee received so many phone calls from constituents that it approved the Ron Paul/Alan Grayson bill to audit the Fed and defeated the trojan horse alternate bill written by Mel Watt. Indeed, I have heard from congressional sources that the only calls to support the Watt alternate bill were from the Fed itself.  And see this.

The Committee also approved Congressman Grayson's bill to rein in foreign currency swaps.

Both Geithner and Summers are coming under increasing pressure to resign due to their being in bed with Wall Street.

Even Bernanke's re-appointment is no longer certain.


There is even more substantiation on Washington's post. This confirms what I have been sensing over the last week.  The tide may be turning. The situation is just too blatant and people are letting their feelings be known.  The last time this state of public concern was exceeded was after the "Saturday Night Massacre" in Watergate under Nixon.  I suspect we might start having some riveting hearings on Capitol Hill. We are not yet at the stage where John Dean stuck a knife in Nixon during his testimony, but I wouldn't be surprised to see something similar.  AFT!

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."
by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Sun Nov 22nd, 2009 at 02:27:33 AM EST
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Sadly not happening here yet.

The problem of a financial recovery is that it so often involves putting people out of work. Good for the company, but the worst thing for the economy.

You can't have a jobless recovery when recovery relies of domestic consumption. you have to revitalise the middle classes and that means reversing 40 years of bad faith from government.

It's why UK isn't recovering, we don't have domestic spend cos wages are depresed and all the govt is doing is throwing money at the top and expecting "trickle-down"

Hello !! Earth to Gordon Brown !! Trickle down doesn't happen, it's a self-serving myth to justify wealth capture. They scrape out the fat and give it to themselves in bonuses. But nobody is saying we have to raise employment and wages. It's all cuts, cuts, cuts and until that changes the UK will short its recovery.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Sun Nov 22nd, 2009 at 05:55:49 AM EST
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The only difference here MAY be that people could be awakening in sufficient numbers to change things--as long as we actually count ballots.  Politicians seem to be under the impression that we do--when the turn-out is big enough.  

I just hope Obama can figure it out in time. NOT because I am so enamoured of him, but because fixing the mess would be easier with Dems in control of all three elective bodies. Continuing to forebear much beyond January, 2010 will likely doom the Dems in the fall and I see little chance of improvement with a divided House and fewer Democratic Senators.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Sun Nov 22nd, 2009 at 11:27:35 AM EST
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