carmelo5

Well, GDP growth doesn't exist in a vacuum. It's spread throughout every demographic. Every demographic is consuming more than it's ever consumed (highest GDP). Now, I'm assuming you might mean high unemployment as your main complaint. We have more funds now than we've ever had to subsidize unemployment checks without affecting inflation rates. The unemployment checks are going out to many and are in abundant supply. Contrary to what you might hear, the most disadvantaged brackets are being taken care of.

The government stimulus (QEs) can last forever because we have a monopoly on our currency. The Fed can print as much money as it wants. Of course, too much stimulus causes inflation. Banks have the cash, and are lending.

The "culture of fraud and deception" is illegal. Acts of deception can range from fines to decades in jail. Wall Street firms make money from customers who choose to do business with them. Any hint of deception completely destroys any future business with that client, as well as many other clients. I know this might sound like a shock to some of you, but banks make their money by providing services to customers who choose to pay for those services. It's basic capitalism.

Sorry, but that's highly misleading. Demand deposits are liabilities on the commercial bank's financial statements. The "cash" is an asset, which is owed to the depositor. That's very basic financial accounting.

Banks pay for FDIC coverage, like you or I pay for car insurance.

GDP is up. Dow is back to 12,000. Banks are liquid. Output is as high as it's ever been. Krugman and friends, not to mention the more conservative economists, do not share your views. I really don't understand the populist sentiment.

"...while every single one of the 19,000 tax cheats who diverted billions in taxes are free..."

Maybe because we live under a rule of law that says you're innocent until proven guilty.

Sorry, but even Paul Krugman, as well as every other Nobel Laureate in economics, supported TARP. A collapse to the financial system would've wreaked havoc to the economy (ala The Great Depression). "All we have gotten now" is a stablization to the system that didn't collapse, and didn't cause massive bankruptcies and unemployment.

What exact protections are you talking about? The market is already rewarding the most efficient banks.