Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Geithner unwilling to ban credit default swaps [naked swaps]
The Hill, Washington, DC ^ | 2009-03-26 | Michael O'Brien

Posted on 03/26/2009 6:35:56 PM PDT by rabscuttle385

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner said that he likely will not ban one of the key financial instruments that led to the collapse of AIG and a number of other institutions.

"My own sense is that banning naked default swaps isn't necessary and wouldn't help fundamentally in this case," Geithner told Rep. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) when asked about the value of the instrument.

Credit default swaps were insurance policies offered by AIG and other companies on bundles of toxic assets, allowed under the assumption that increasing property values would fuel increased value for mortgages. Under those assumptions, the credit default swaps would only rarely have to be paid out.

Geithner said it would be too difficult to distinguish under the law what is a legitimate business risk (or "hedge") versus what constitutes a major gamble.

(Excerpt) Read more at briefingroom.thehill.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aig; cds; financialcrisis; financialwmd; geithner; panicof2009
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-85 next last

1 posted on 03/26/2009 6:35:56 PM PDT by rabscuttle385
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: PAR35; TigerLikesRooster; AndyJackson; Thane_Banquo; nicksaunt; MadLibDisease; happygrl; ...
*Ping*!
2 posted on 03/26/2009 6:36:19 PM PDT by rabscuttle385 ("If this be treason, then make the most of it!" —Patrick Henry)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

A rational, sane President would have fired Geithner long before now. Heck, a rational, sane President would never have nominated Geithner in the first place.


3 posted on 03/26/2009 6:46:07 PM PDT by savedbygrace (You are only leading if someone follows. Otherwise, you just wandered off... [Smokin' Joe])
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385
Here comes bailout $ 20+++++++++++++

It should be pointed out that the republican party is the one that made this. BS, possible.

Gramm attached it to a omnibus authorization bill in the middle of the night.

4 posted on 03/26/2009 6:52:00 PM PDT by org.whodat (Auto unions bad: Machinists union good=Hypocrisy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: savedbygrace

And an ethical President would have thrown the book at him. And Daschle too.


5 posted on 03/26/2009 6:52:30 PM PDT by Repeat Offender (While the wicked stand confounded, call me with Thy Saints surrounded)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385; LucyT
Geithner unwilling to ban credit default swaps [naked swaps]>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

And believe YOU me, Freddie and Fannie are still writing subprime mortgages AS WE SPEAK.

Another bubble is in the making.

This one will stink A LOT more than the first.

Effing liberal leftist idjits.

"A house in every pot. A house is my right."(sarc.)

Anyone who has cash, get it into commodities.

Silver, Copper, whatever, while its still cheap.

6 posted on 03/26/2009 6:55:20 PM PDT by Candor7 (The weapons of choice against fascism are ridicule, and derision. (member NRA)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

At first I thought Timmy was just a crook. Now I think he really was too stupid to figure his own taxes...and is a crook.


7 posted on 03/26/2009 6:57:40 PM PDT by lonestar (Obama is turning Bush's "mess" into a catastrophe.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385; All

Naked swaps of toxic assets and credit defaults....

Is there anyone on FR who can explain what this means, in English?

Thanks in advance.


8 posted on 03/26/2009 7:00:35 PM PDT by fanfan (God, Bless America, please.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Candor7

>>>Geithner unwilling to ban credit default swaps [naked swaps]>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
And believe YOU me, Freddie and Fannie are still writing subprime mortgages AS WE SPEAK.<<<<

The government won’t regulate any of this stuff and then blames business for taking advantage of it.


9 posted on 03/26/2009 7:05:08 PM PDT by keepitreal (Obama brings change: an international crisis (terrorism) within 6 months)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

Geithner said it would be too difficult to distinguish under the law what is a legitimate business risk (or “hedge”) versus what constitutes a major gamble.
**********************************************************
TurboTax Timmy is an ass**** ,, he’s just feeding his buddies.. it’s simple to determine if it is a legitimate “hedge” ,, if they don’t own the underlying security it ISN’T A HEDGE ,, IT’S A BET ,, they don’t have a dog in the fight... Do they all think we’re brain dead out here?


10 posted on 03/26/2009 7:05:35 PM PDT by Neidermeyer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: org.whodat

“It should be pointed out that the republican party is the one that made this. BS, possible. Gramm attached it to a omnibus authorization bill in the middle of the night.”

You missed the memo that said we are only to blame Democrats and GSEs for this debacle.


11 posted on 03/26/2009 7:21:58 PM PDT by Pelham (America, surrendered to the 3rd World by Bush and Obama.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Candor7

“And believe YOU me, Freddie and Fannie are still writing subprime mortgages AS WE SPEAK.”

Unlikely. Fannie and Freddie have never written mortgages, subprime or otherwise. They are strictly a secondary market operator.


12 posted on 03/26/2009 7:27:50 PM PDT by Pelham (America, surrendered to the 3rd World by Bush and Obama.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Pelham

Forgot!!!


13 posted on 03/26/2009 7:31:03 PM PDT by org.whodat (Auto unions bad: Machinists union good=Hypocrisy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: fanfan
It was a Madoff scam, they sold insurance on debt by a different name, based on the sure bet that they would never need to pay off, there was no retained earnings. The people at AIG should be on their way to jail instead of having republicans swoon at their feet.
14 posted on 03/26/2009 7:34:23 PM PDT by org.whodat (Auto unions bad: Machinists union good=Hypocrisy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Candor7

Definition: The secondary mortgage market allows banks to sell mortgages, giving them new funds to offer more mortgages to new borrowers. If banks had to keep these mortgages the full 15 or 30 years, they would soon use up all their funds, and potential homebuyers would have a more difficult time to find mortgage lenders.
Many of the mortgages on the secondary market are bought by Fannie Mae. Other are packaged into mortgage-backed securities, and sold to investors.


15 posted on 03/26/2009 7:37:18 PM PDT by org.whodat (Auto unions bad: Machinists union good=Hypocrisy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: org.whodat
Other are packaged into mortgage-backed securities, and sold to investors.

Thus you have derivatives!!!

16 posted on 03/26/2009 7:38:51 PM PDT by org.whodat (Auto unions bad: Machinists union good=Hypocrisy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385
Geithner said it would be too difficult to distinguish under the law what is a legitimate business risk (or "hedge") versus what constitutes a major gamble.

What an ignorance of well over a thousand years business, banking and insurance history and law!

Of course secondary "insurance" -- or speculation/gambling -- contracts can be outlawed. They were for generations.

It is a perfectly legitimate business of government to specify what type of contracts are legal.

17 posted on 03/26/2009 7:39:42 PM PDT by bvw
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385; a fool in paradise

Wait, I thought that “naked swaps” was something that married swingers did in Marin County, CA?!


18 posted on 03/26/2009 7:43:14 PM PDT by Revolting cat! (Let us prey!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: org.whodat
Gramm attached it to a omnibus authorization bill in the middle of the night.

What are you freaking talking about? Which Gramm attached what?

19 posted on 03/26/2009 7:51:58 PM PDT by VeniVidiVici (Yes, Gorbachev is better than Obama. At least Gorbachev admitted he was a Communist)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: VeniVidiVici

Sorry you have a reading problem, the topic is credit defalt swaps. http://static.uspirg.org/consumer/archives/2008/10/60_minutes_on_c.html


20 posted on 03/26/2009 7:57:19 PM PDT by org.whodat (Auto unions bad: Machinists union good=Hypocrisy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-85 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson