Despite gridlock in Washington, a new effort to loosen Wall Street regulations and water down the 2010 Dodd Frank Act is getting bipartisan support in Congress. Republican Representatives Patrick Henry and Scott Garrett are backing the measure, as is Democratic Rep. Gwen Moore. Moore justified her support by saying the plan is only meant to relieve regulatory burdens on companies that do business with big banks. Another democrat, Representative Jim Himes, even wants to roll-back Dodd Frank, and stick taxpayers with the bill, should the derivative market implode again.

But some Democrats still understand the dangers of banks-gone-wild, and are fighting for tougher regulations to protect us all. Less than a week ago, Senator Carl Levin issued a scathing report on the devastation JP Morgan caused with risky multibillion-dollar derivative trades. Levin said, “It is incredible that less than a week after new JPMorgan Whale hearings detailed how the bank's London office piled up risk, hid losses, and dodged regulatory oversight, that some House members are again supporting the weakening of derivative safeguards.”

It's only been five years since the banksters crashed our economy by gambling with derivatives, and the modest legislation we've enacted is meant to prevent another economic meltdown. Representative Alan Grayson, a leading voice for financial reform, criticized his colleagues for considering putting our nation at risk again. He said, “the road to hell is paved with these bills.”

We should be strengthening regulations on Wall Street, not giving banksters another free pass to gamble with our economic future. Call Congress today and tell them they must stop the next derivatives debacle before it's too late

-Thom

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Wednesday's Daily Stack

Hour One: are you suffering from "Taxpayer Anxiety Disorder?"
- David Selig, Conservative Commentator & Pro-Business Advocate

Article: "Taxpayer Anxiety Disorder" by Selig & Associates.

Article: "More U.S. Profits Parked Abroad, Saving on Taxes" by Scott Thurm And Kate Linebaugh.

Article: "A rising tide lifts all boats" by Wikipedia.

Bible: "Leviticus 25:8-13" "The Year of Jubilee".

Article: "The Latest Body Count From the Senate" by Kevin Drum.

Article: "Senate gun bill won't include assault weapons ban" by Jackie Kucinich.

Book: "The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight: Revised and Updated: The Fate of the World and What We Can Do Before It's Too Late" by Thom Hartmann.

Book: "Beyond Growth: The Economics of Sustainable Development" by Herman E. Daly.

Law: "Glass-Steagall Act", 1933.

Law: Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (1999).

Law: "Commodity Futures Modernization Act", 2000.

Article: "Elizabeth Warren: Minimum Wage Would Be $22 An Hour If It Had Kept Up With Productivity" by Nick Wing.

Article: "Back to Work Budget" by Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Article: "RSC Budget Defeated, Ryan Budget Vote on Thursday" by Andrew Stiles.

Book: "Democracy in America" by Alexis de Tocqueville, 1835.

Sequester...effects on small business
- Elliot Richardson, Attorney / President- Small Business Advocacy Council, Chicago, IL

Article: "Small Business Advocacy Council Launches New Crowd Funding Platform" by SBAC.

Article: "Health Care Cooperatives to Become a Reality" by SBAC.

Article: "Illinois governor backs insurance 'co-ops' under healthcare law" by Sam Baker.

Hour Two: Cars and bicycles...why can't they all get along?
- Paul Guppy, Vice President for Research-Washington Policy Center

Article: "Seattle's War on Cars Is a War on Drivers" by Michael Ennis.

Cars and bicycles...why can't they all get along?
- Craig Benjamin, Policy and Government Affairs Manager for Cascade Bicycle Club

Article: "Cascade Bicycle Club Poll Busts the “War On Cars” Myth" by Mary Lauran Hall.

Book: "Rebooting the American Dream: 11 Ways to Rebuild Our Country" by Thom Hartmann.

Talk Radio News Segment:
- Victoria Jones

Book: "Sideswiped: Lessons Learned Courtesy of the Hit Men of Capitol Hill" by Robert Ney.

Article: "Thursday, March 21: Obama "Deeply Skeptical" Of Syria "Beast" Breaks Down! Senate Votes To Avoid Shutdown! Conservative House Budget Fails. Cyprus: Plan B Today" by Victoria Jones.

Article: "House Votes Against Murray Budget" by TRNS.

Article: "Faith Leaders Across America Protest Budget Cuts To Programs That Help The Poor" by Travis Waldron.

Article: "Barack Obama in Israel: 'the Beast' limo breaks down" by Robert Tait.

Article: "Obama To Bibi: “We Have Your Back”" by Geoff Holtzman.

Article: "Nuclear regulators under fire for delay of post-Fukushima safety requirement" by Ben Goad.

Article: "Frantic day ahead as EU tells Cyprus it can rethink controversial bailout terms as key vote postponed " by John Hall Author Biography, Charlotte McDonald-Gibson, Nathalie Savaricas.

Article: "Rejection of Deposit Tax Scuttles Deal on Bailout for Cyprus" by Liz Alderman.

Article: "Amid Cutbacks, Greek Doctors Offer Message to Poor: You Are Not Alone" by Liz Alderman.

Quote: "less government in business, more business in government." Warren Harding.

The good: "Westboro Equality House: Aaron Jackson Paints Rainbow Home Across From Anti-Gay Church".

The bad: James Ives: "Texas tea party leader promotes Fascist Party as ‘pro-Constitution, pro-America’" by David Edwards.

The very, very ugly: Joseph D. McDonald: "Sheriff Defends Obama Assassination Joke At St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast" by AP.

Book: "Meme Wars: The Creative Destruction of Neoclassical Economic" by Kalle Lasn and Adbusters.

Book: "The Biblical Vision Of Sabbath Economics" by Ched Myers.

Bible: "Matthew 25:31-46 (New International Version)".

Law: "Glass-Steagall Act", 1933.

Book: "Only the Super-Rich can save us" by Ralph Nader.

Article: "Poll: Majorities favor assault weapons ban, background checks" by Carrie Dann.

Article: "States Cut Higher Education Funding, Increase Tuition To Avoid Raising Taxes" by Aviva Shen.

Article: "Elizabeth Warren to write book titled ‘Rigged’" by Aaron Blake.

Immigration & economic challenges in the Latino community
- Tavis Smiley, Host-The Tavis Smiley Show and Smiley & West (w/Dr. Cornel West) / Author of 16 books, latest "The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto"

Hour Two: What would happen if we didn't have regulations?
- Andrew Smith, COO, Yenkin-Majestic Paint Corporation / author of "Sand in the Gears: How Public Policy Has Crippled American Manufacturing".

Geeky Science - Clicking "like" on FB more revealing than you know...

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