# What would happen if Obama did what his more liberal/progressive supporters want him to do? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 5, 2011, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-obama-did-what-his-more-liberal-progressive-supporters-want-him-to-do/577248 "2011-04-05T07:07:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Dick\_Dastardly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@Dick\_Dastardly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dick_Dastardly)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-obama-did-what-his-more-liberal-progressive-supporters-want-him-to-do/577248/61 "2011-04-07T17:13:17Z")
> [@Dick\_Dastardly](#): > > OK, exactly what is insane about my post? Can I have some details please, actual factual stuff. I bet you can’t actually come up with anything substantial. I bet correctly. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-obama-did-what-his-more-liberal-progressive-supporters-want-him-to-do/577248/62 "2011-04-07T17:16:12Z")
> [@Dick\_Dastardly](#): > > Put the guys on trial who were responsible for those global investors losing half of their investment portfolio value and you’d probably see an increase in investment and a subsequent market rally. What laws do you intend to charge them with breaking, specifically? Perhaps it would be easier if you point out two or three people, by name, who you want to charge, as well as the specific law or laws you think they broke, and the evidence you would use to convict them in a court. Again, please be specific. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-obama-did-what-his-more-liberal-progressive-supporters-want-him-to-do/577248/63 "2011-04-07T17:17:59Z")
You aren’t trolling me, are you Dick? 😛 I didn’t answer because Ravenman had already answered the question. If you REALLY want me to parse through your post and pick out all of the stuff that is insane, I certainly could do that, though perhaps this is the wrong forum for it. [QUOTE=Dick Dastardly] You don’t have to put all bankers on trial, just the guys who were running the show before the crisis, the guys you can nail for control frauds [/QUOTE] If what they did was illegal, why aren’t they on trial already? Did you want to just make stuff up and do a bunch of show trials, or do you have some evidence that illegal acts were perpetrated and deliberately covered up to…what? Keep a bunch of fat cat bankers from going to jail? -XT ---
**Author:** ![Dick\_Dastardly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@Dick\_Dastardly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dick_Dastardly)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-obama-did-what-his-more-liberal-progressive-supporters-want-him-to-do/577248/64 "2011-04-07T17:28:27Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > What laws do you intend to charge them with breaking, specifically? > > Perhaps it would be easier if you point out two or three people, by name, who you want to charge, as well as the specific law or laws you think they broke, and the evidence you would use to convict them in a court. > > Again, please be specific. > > Regards, > Shodan Angelo Mozilo, Joseph Cassano and Dick Fuld for starters. They used to run Countrywide, AIG finalcial products and Lehman respectively. Both guys could be charges with control frauds of various types. The SEC has an extensive rule book and can shut a firm down overnight for anything they want, but they’re effectively neutered by Washington. The current GOP guy overseeing the regulators/financial industry recently said that regulators are there to serve the banks and that banks shouldn’t be regulated. That’s after they blew up the economy. The SEC actually charged Mozilo with a bunch of stuff but let him reach a financial settlment of about 5% of the money he made during the bubble and then dropped the charges. The problem for the government is that if they bring one guy to trial and what he did is made public then the guy points out everybody else did the same thing and the whole edifice comes down. Which is why there haven’t been any trials. Do you honestly think that after the biggest meltdown since the Depression that there aren’t lots of guilty people out there? ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-obama-did-what-his-more-liberal-progressive-supporters-want-him-to-do/577248/65 "2011-04-07T17:32:05Z")
[QUOTE=Dick Dastardly] Do you honestly think that after the biggest meltdown since the Depression that there aren’t lots of guilty people out there? [/QUOTE] Do you really think that if there was evidence of a crime having been committed that SOMEONE wouldn’t be doing something about it? :dubious: I mean, ok…you think that the Republicans would cover up for them because they are Big Business…and, you probably think that the Democrats are equally in the pockets of the evil bankers and such. Fine, fine. But there are plenty of lefty lawyer types who, if there was an inkling of illegal acts in all this would be making some sort of stink. Right? Or is everyone in the country in the pocket of The Banks?? So, I guess based on your latest post, the answer to ‘is there any actual evidence’ is…‘no’ with a side of ‘let’s just imply there MUST be’… -XT ---
**Author:** ![Dick\_Dastardly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@Dick\_Dastardly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dick_Dastardly)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-obama-did-what-his-more-liberal-progressive-supporters-want-him-to-do/577248/66 "2011-04-07T17:33:38Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > You aren’t trolling me, are you Dick? 😛 I didn’t answer because Ravenman had already answered the question. If you REALLY want me to parse through your post and pick out all of the stuff that is insane, I certainly could do that, though perhaps this is the wrong forum for it. > > If what they did was illegal, why aren’t they on trial already? Did you want to just make stuff up and do a bunch of show trials, or do you have some evidence that illegal acts were perpetrated and deliberately covered up to…what? Keep a bunch of fat cat bankers from going to jail? > > -XT There’s lots of evidcne to put people on trial. Dick Fuld knew Lehman was bankrupt for months but used accounting tricks to hide insolvency. Cassano knew AIG didn’t have remotely enough capital to cover losses if the mortgage derivatives they were insuring went bad. Mozilo had a whole list of charges filed against him. But as a US Senator recently pointed out, the banks own the government in the United States. We’re losing what made us great --open and transparent capital markets – and turning into a banana republic where the government is owned by a few corporations. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-obama-did-what-his-more-liberal-progressive-supporters-want-him-to-do/577248/67 "2011-04-07T17:35:04Z")
So…no evidence then. Just lots of unspecified ‘evidence’ that MUST be there, and an aside as to how the banks own the US government. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-obama-did-what-his-more-liberal-progressive-supporters-want-him-to-do/577248/68 "2011-04-07T17:35:05Z")
> [@Dick\_Dastardly](#): > > Exactly what re-regulation that you’ve seen since the meltdown convinces you that there’ll no longer be any financial crisises, hmmm? Is this question a joke? Of course there will be future financial crises. There will be future financial booms, busts, and everything in between. I’d rather that you tell me when the next crisis is going to hit, so I can plan accordingly. Otherwise, predicting that there will be bad economic times seems to be the same con the Nostradamus pulled: warn everyone of the end of the world in vague prophecies, and then claim victory when something bad happens that wasn’t specifically predicted. ---
**Author:** ![Dick\_Dastardly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@Dick\_Dastardly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dick_Dastardly)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-obama-did-what-his-more-liberal-progressive-supporters-want-him-to-do/577248/69 "2011-04-07T17:36:33Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Do you really think that if there was evidence of a crime having been committed that SOMEONE wouldn’t be doing something about it? :dubious: I mean, ok…you think that the Republicans would cover up for them because they are Big Business…and, you probably think that the Democrats are equally in the pockets of the evil bankers and such. Fine, fine. But there are plenty of lefty lawyer types who, if there was an inkling of illegal acts in all this would be making some sort of stink. Right? Or is everyone in the country in the pocket of The Banks?? > > So, I guess based on your latest post, the answer to ‘is there any actual evidence’ is…‘no’ with a side of ‘let’s just imply there MUST be’… > > -XT It’s not just my opinion. It’s not a fringe opinion, as I already pointed out, that the system is corrupt and full of crooks. And there’s plenty of evidence but the authorities have chosen either nor to pursue it or to drop charges in return for financial settlemts being made by the perpetrators. ---
**Author:** ![Dick\_Dastardly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@Dick\_Dastardly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dick_Dastardly)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-obama-did-what-his-more-liberal-progressive-supporters-want-him-to-do/577248/70 "2011-04-07T17:38:10Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Is this question a joke? > > Of course there will be future financial crises. There will be future financial booms, busts, and everything in between. > > I’d rather that you tell me when the next crisis is going to hit, so I can plan accordingly. Otherwise, predicting that there will be bad economic times seems to be the same con the Nostradamus pulled: warn everyone of the end of the world in vague prophecies, and then claim victory when something bad happens that wasn’t specifically predicted. One minute you’re claiming that my saying another crisis is inevitable is a fringe opinion which could be described as insane, the next m inute you’re agreeing with me. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-obama-did-what-his-more-liberal-progressive-supporters-want-him-to-do/577248/71 "2011-04-07T17:38:17Z")
[QUOTE=DD] It’s not just my opinion. It’s not a fringe opinion, as I already pointed out, that the system is corrupt and full of crooks. And there’s plenty of evidence but the authorities have chosen either nor to pursue it or to drop charges in return for financial settlemts being made by the perpetrators. [/QUOTE] Ladies and gentlemen of the SD…I rest my case. 😛 -XT ---
**Author:** ![Dick\_Dastardly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@Dick\_Dastardly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dick_Dastardly)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-obama-did-what-his-more-liberal-progressive-supporters-want-him-to-do/577248/72 "2011-04-07T17:42:07Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Ladies and gentlemen of the SD…I rest my case. 😛 > > -XT Me too. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-obama-did-what-his-more-liberal-progressive-supporters-want-him-to-do/577248/73 "2011-04-07T17:50:37Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Ladies and gentlemen of the SD…I rest my case. 😛 Stop being such a factguy XT. Obviously, the facts are nowhere near as important as the exiting stories that people can tell that are, potentially, as good as loosely based on them. ---
**Author:** ![Dick\_Dastardly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@Dick\_Dastardly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dick_Dastardly)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-obama-did-what-his-more-liberal-progressive-supporters-want-him-to-do/577248/74 "2011-04-07T17:59:51Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > Stop being such a factguy XT. > Obviously, the facts are nowhere near as important as the exiting stories that people can tell that are, potentially, as good as loosely based on them. The facts are that a large number of the financial community believe that the financial system is corrupt and that the government is owned by the banks. Even the occasional US Senator comes out and admits it. Here’s the biggest financial blogger, a fund manager who manages a couple of billion dollars, making the same points as I am a few days ago. > **[US/UK: Separated by a Common Financial Crisis - The Big Picture](https://ritholtz.com/2011/03/usuk-separated-by-a-common-financial-crisis/)** > > Want to understand how utterly corrupted the US has become by its own banks? Consider the regulatory difference between the United States and Britain — whom Jesse Eisinger describes as “two countries separated by a common financial crisis.” “\[In the... ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-obama-did-what-his-more-liberal-progressive-supporters-want-him-to-do/577248/75 "2011-04-07T18:01:48Z")
Exiting stories? ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-obama-did-what-his-more-liberal-progressive-supporters-want-him-to-do/577248/76 "2011-04-07T18:08:46Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Exiting stories? Oh yeah, there’s thrills and conspiracies and all sorts of really nifty stuff. It’s like a James Bond movie. ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-obama-did-what-his-more-liberal-progressive-supporters-want-him-to-do/577248/77 "2011-04-07T18:13:16Z")
Like when 007 gets out of his sports car, or jumps out a plane, or gets pushed off a platform; those sorts of exits? ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-obama-did-what-his-more-liberal-progressive-supporters-want-him-to-do/577248/78 "2011-04-07T18:15:27Z")
Nah, typos are not very exciting. ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-obama-did-what-his-more-liberal-progressive-supporters-want-him-to-do/577248/79 "2011-04-07T18:18:42Z")
I’ve heard exciting _tyro_ stories, though. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-obama-did-what-his-more-liberal-progressive-supporters-want-him-to-do/577248/80 "2011-04-07T18:19:12Z")
> [@Dick\_Dastardly](#): > > Me too. So no evidence, then. Color me surprised. Regards, Shodan [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-obama-did-what-his-more-liberal-progressive-supporters-want-him-to-do/577248.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-obama-did-what-his-more-liberal-progressive-supporters-want-him-to-do/577248.md?page=5)