In a way, it has become one of the great, unsolved mysteries. What really caused the financial crisis and panics of 2007 and 2008? That was the assignment for the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, which Congress authorized with great fanfare in 2009. The quest for the answer is not an idle pursuit. In fact, it is a vital, burning question that still commands wide public interest. The reason, of course, is because the aftermath of the financial crisis still is a considerable drag on the financial health and economic vitality of the nation.