September 30, 2008
The quote below is from the article at:
http://www.forbes.com/home/2008/09/29/mark-to-market-oped-cx_ng_0929gingrich.html
Chief economist Brian S. Wesbury and his colleague Bob Stein at First Trust Portfolios of Chicago estimate the impact of the "mark-to-market" accounting rule on the current crisis as follows:
"It is true that the root of this crisis is bad mortgage loans, but probably 70% of the real crisis that we face today is caused by mark-to-market accounting in an illiquid market. What's most fascinating is that the Treasury is selling its plan as a way to put a bottom in mortgage pool prices, tipping its hat to the problem of mark-to-market accounting without acknowledging it. It is a real shame that there is so little discussion of this reality." (Emphasis added.)
If regulators on their own--or Congress, if regulators fail to use their discretion--can fix 70% of the financial crisis by changing the mark-to-market accounting rule, we should change the rule first before attempting to pass another reevaluated bailout package.
Please do not allow the Congress to destroy what remains of America's free market system that made this Grand Old Republic the greatest country in history!
Thank you for your considerations,
Ray Walker
Jefferson City, MO