Topic: Lehman Brothers Inc.

Is Obama a socialist? What does the evidence say?

Some critics cite government 'takeover' of business and 'giveaways' to the poor as signs that President Obama is a socialist. Members of the Socialist Party are among those who disagree.

Five big decisions as House, Senate confer on financial reform

Members of Congress began work Tuesday to resolve differences in the House and Senate versions of financial reform legislation.

Government spending and the façade of a successful economy

May's dismal consumer spending numbers could be an early sign that the government's stimulus funding has been unsuccessful in boosting the economy.

Financial reform: Will the next crisis be handled differently?

Financial reform debate centers around a key question: Will reform mean that the economy is better protected? Here is a look at pros and cons in the debate.

Wall Street crashes amid market 'temper tantrum over Europe'

Wall Street investor sentiment over European debt problems and an unexpected spike in unemployment claims drove the market downward.

A sign of economic recovery? For the fourth straight week, a dip in claims for unemployment benefits.

The Labor Department said Thursday that initial claims for unemployment benefits dropped last week by 4,000, the fourth weekly decline in a row.

Hefty bank taxes sound nice, but are they the solution?

One option the government should consider is imposing a taxes on each bank equal to the government’s future cost of bailing it out. The more risky a bank's investments, the higher the taxes.

Will financial reform end big bank bailouts?

Lawmakers are pledging to end bailouts in the financial reform bill that the Senate is considering now. But many experts say bank bailouts can and will occur again.

The flaws of financial reform

The House reform bill has already been passed, but the more influential bill written by Senator Dodd and the Banking Committee still faces debate in the Senate. It is crucial, for the sake of US financial stability and that of the world, that some of the bill’s shortcomings are recognized and remedied.

Financial reform: four sticking points

Although Republicans said Wednesday they will no longer seek to block floor debate in the Senate on financial reform, plenty of disagreement remains. Here are four sticking points.

The Monitor's View: The weak spot in the financial reform bill

Bank size doesn't matter much in the financial reform bill. But it should. The Senate needs a debate, with Republican support, on whether to trust regulators to decide the size of the biggest banks.

SEC watching porn instead of financial industry

Wonder why they missed the financial crisis? Or Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme? A government report obtained by ABC News reveals that SEC employees were focused on something else: porn.

Dow reaches 11000. Now what for the stock market?

With the Dow's march to 11000 complete, the focus turns to the economy. Can the private sector rev the economy forward as government stimulus begins to fade?

There's nothing wrong with Social Security

That's the claim made by a "progressive" web site. Boy, are they wrong.

Despite March employment gains, US still short 11 million jobs

March's employment numbers offer some hope, but not when you consider the amount of jobs lost during the recession and rate of growth of the national workforce.

Fed in hot water over secret bailouts

The Fed bailed out Bear Stearns without authorization from Congress or informing the public.

Fraud on Wall Street: Where has SEC been?

In the wake of recent confirmation that Lehman Brothers' balance sheet was bogus, the Securities and Exchange Commission has announced it will look into the accounting practices of two dozen other financial firms.

On the Brink, In Fed We Trust, Too Big to Fail, and How Markets Fail

Four books offer insight into the 2008 financial crisis that shook the US economy.

Suing the SEC for lack of regulation

The SEC did nothing to stop Lehman Bros. from using questionable accounting tactics. Should they be held responsible?

Dodd financial reform bill goes too far

Senator Dodd's financial reform gives regulators too much leeway to crack down on the financial industry.

Lehman debacle: one of greatest crimes ever?

Lehman Bros. used accounting trick amid financial crisis – and earlier

Failed investment bank Lehman Bros. used an accounting trick at the end of each quarter to make its finances appear less shaky than they really were, says a report from an examiner.

As Athens protests, Germany scoffs over Greece debt bailout

Protesters took to the streets of Athens on Thursday over government austerity measures. But anger is also growing in Germany at being asked to finance the Greece debt bailout.

Underreported money supply may be disguising hyperinflation

The annualized M1 money supply may be growing at three times the rate the Federal Reserve is reporting.

Even in the heart of the Olympics, a foreclosure

Whistler Blackcomb, site of the Olympics' Alpine ski events, is set for foreclosure auction Feb. 26.