Former President Bill Clinton and current White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel’s attempt to persuade Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) to bow out of a contentious Pennsylvania Senate primary against incumbent Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA) was not just bad politics, but bad teamwork. Prior to changing allegiance to the Democrats in 2009, the...
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Financial reform legislation is likely to pass in the coming months, creating clarity for business as to what the new rules will be. Republicans are likely to pick up seats in the House of Representatives and Senate from Democrats, creating the perception of a more business-friendly Congress (whether or not the policies really help)....
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Two weeks ago, I outlined two scenarios for how financial regulation could affect the stock market for the rest of 2010: 1) the politicians play ball and pass something, or 2) they play hardball so that nothing gets passed before the election. The Senate’s approval of the financial reform package this past week bodes well...
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There is a saying that the generals fight the last war, and it could apply to the financial crisis. Right now governments are making reforms to address the gaps that lead to the global meltdown, but the process of considering and implementing these improvements itself contains conflicting interests potentially as significant as those that...
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The best turnaround investing opportunities can occur when a number of factors suggest the prospect of increased value. For that reason, it’s my opinion that investors should consider the case for Sprint Nextel. First, sentiment is growing that while Sprint’s network is not yet on par with U.S. quality leader Verizon (VZ), it is...
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This coming week brings a cluster of controversies to stir the markets—the new European bailout, what to do about computerized trading that spurs market turmoil, and the Goldman Sachs case. But it’s the view of this blog that what happens with legislation to regulate the U.S. financial industry is more likely to drive major...
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We recently refinanced, taking advantage of the historically low rates precipitated by the financial crisis. But given the tremors felt throughout the banking industry, even homeowners with the best credit may have a hard time closing the deal. Here are some thoughts on what worked to get us a good deal: If you want...
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With Goldman Sachs as the latest high-profile case stemming from the financial crisis, investors may be wondering what’s next. Here’s a prediction for something that may happen down the line. The panic selling of equities in the fall of 2009 was the most dramatic market collapse since the crashes of the great depression. While...
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