$(document).ready( function () { talk_rendercallback({"enabled":"1","islive":"0","eid":5713,"total":"2","discussion":[{"nm":"Alan W.","rs":"0","ms":"I commend Senator Dodd for his work over the years on these issues but, the fact is that nothing is truly being accomplished. Congressional failure to address these issues can be summed up in one of Senator Dodd\'s statements in the interview:\n\nQ: "Was there a key moment where you knew you could get this bill out of committee?"\n\nA: "I should respect all of my colleagues and their motivations, so I don\'t want to attribute rationale. But some people come from places that have very strong banking and credit card issue constituencies."\n\nIt\'s time to start naming names and holding congressmen accountable. The statement above is simply laying cover for the large number of congressmen who maintain backroom deals with lobbyists while selling out their constituents.  The press needs to do its job and start asking hard questions and demanding real answers from all representatives. Time after time I see someone like Senator Shelby given a free pass on these issues as he continually blocks legislation designed to help actual constituents. \n\nIt would be refreshing to see a reporter actually call these individuals on misstatement of facts that we see pass each and every day. When a Senator makes statements implying that we cannot indulge consumer protection measures because it would compromise the "Safety and security" of the banking system then I believe he has to back that statement up with some facts. \n\nThe place to start would be with the little used option in the press called a follow-up question. \n","pt":"Feb  3, 2010 22:27"},{"nm":"Mel Pearson","rs":"0","ms":"Frightening! In a body of 100 solons - the elected representatives and supposed protectors of the American people - a concensus is unattainable on protecting citizens, without hesitation, from the greedy and usurious practices of the financial industry.  That the regulatory agencies\nwere so lax in their oversight certainly bordered on criminal.  That the congress should fail to react to these blatant abuses quickly and without regard to party affiliation is shameful!","pt":"Nov 29, 2009 14:47"}]}); });