There’s a fascinating dual dramatic comedy being played out in the Senate, as the Party of NO tries desperately to halt financial reform on behalf of their Wall Street pals, while in the hearing room next door Goldman Sachs execs demonstrate why we so desperately need the reform. The most amusing (or tragic) exchange occurred when one of the Goldman execs was asked if the bank had a responsibility to act in the best interests of its clients. Long pause. Really long pause. It sounded as though he’d never actually considered the question before. Meanwhile, on the Senate floor, the minority party, led by Mitch McConnell at his Orwellian best, was painting the reform bill as another bailout, and fighting desperately against a consumer protection agency, on the grounds that it would be really bad for consumers if banks were no longer allowed to rip them off. I confess to a grudging admiration for people like McConnell, who can say the things they say without blushing. It’s a valuable quality in a politician, and the Republicans seem to be just a tad better at it than Democrats.
