Just last week, Republican leaders in the House summoned more than 100 key lobbyists for the financial industry to a “pep rally,” and urged them to redouble their efforts to block meaningful financial reform. Not that they needed the encouragement. These industry lobbyists have already spent more than $300 million on lobbying the debate this year.
The special interests and their agents in Congress claim that reforms like the Consumer Financial Protection Agency will stifle consumer choice and that updated rules and oversight will frustrate innovation in the financial markets. But Americans don’t choose to be victimized by mysterious fees, changing terms, and pages and pages of fine print. And while innovation should be encouraged, risky schemes that threaten our entire economy should not.
Transcript
A preview of the Obama Christmas on Oprah tomorrow night:
A preview of the Obama Christmas on Oprah tomorrow night:
The President and First Lady remember their favorite gifts as children:
OW: Do you remember what your favorite Christmas gift was as a child?
First Lady: Oh it was a doll house and it was a metal doll house with plastic furniture but it was and I remember I really didn't know how to set up a house so I had all the furniture lined up along the walls as opposed to nestled around the fireplace, but I loved that little doll house
OW: Well now you get some practice here - goodness gracious. Doll house...I asked this question to some of my friends and they all said Easy Bake Oven. Did you have an Easy Bake Oven?
First Lady: Oh I did have an Easy Bake Oven but you know once you run out of the mix it's like you're done with it
OW: (LAUGHS) Yeah you're done with that -
President Obama: You couldn't get more mix?
OW: It doesn't come with more mix, the Easy Bake Oven
President Obama: But can you order more mix?
First Lady: Nowadays it's easy -
OW: Probably now you can go online and get more mix -
First Lady: When we were little - what you got - that's what you got
OW: That's what you got
First Lady: When it's over, it's over.
Bo's Stocking:
OW: So who all has a stocking in this family?
First Lady: Everyone. The President, the First Lady, Malia, Sasha and Bo.
OW: Bo has a stocking?
First Lady: Bo has a stocking. Of course he does.
OW: How lovely.
First Lady: Santa loves Bo too.
OW: Santa really loves Bo. First Lady: He loves Bo.
OW: Bo got a good home. I must say.
First Lady: Bo's got - right. (THEY LAUGH)
OW: Bo got a good home. Bo did okay.
What Santa Eats clip (Exclusive to Yahoo.com):
OW: Will Santa be coming to the White House?
First Lady: Absolutely
President Obama: Probably through the yellow room - there's a chimney there - we'll set up - some cookies and milk -
First Lady: where the tree is -
OW: Oh - not apples and vegetables from the organic garden?
First Lady: Santa likes cookies - we'll put some apple slices but Santa generally likes cookies
President Obama: Yeah I mean Santa eats what he wants (ALL LAUGH) Politico
