VIDEO: “LET’S GO AFTER THE BANKERS!”
Roland and his round table discuss the one issue that Democrats and Republicans agree on — going after the financial sector that is making incredible profits during this recession.
TELL US: What’s the best way to address this issue? More or less regulation of banks and Wall Street?
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I’m glad to see a TV One is providing a platform for our perspective to be heard/shared. Please allow ALL the guests on your panel discussions to speak. It is frustrating and defeats the prurpose if only the loudest, most aggressive panelist is heard. I would like to hear from all the guests during this segment, especially the sistas.
What the President needs is a “Bull Dog”. I am not a big fan of Al Sharpton but if he were on the team of the President, things would get done.
Allow guests to speak, why do you have to be the loudest voice in the show. Let your guests speak, Good Show.
Roland, this was my first opportunity to view your show. I must say I enjoy your perspective on issues and keeping it in layman’s terms. TV One has done a wonderful job with adding this piece to there line-up.
I agree congress needs to come together and put there foot down with the financial sector. For bankers to make such great profits during this struggling financial times is a huge slap in the face to the general public that works extremely hard to make ends meet. What can we do to encourage congress to impose the taxes on the banks if they do not comply?
I am willing to concede there is a learning curve for Obama in his first year of his presidency;nevertheless, he has made some fundamental mistakes as a politician. First of all, he has alienate his base just to keep Joe Lieberman happy. Secondly, he has not taken a stand when it came to holding the banks accountable. The president ran an almost perfect campaign, but he is struggling with governing. If the president and the democrats do not change course, I will not vote for anyone affiliated with the Democratic Party in 2010 and 2012.
The answer t the banks is to enforece the regulations that already exist. One, I would implement immediately is mark to market not mark to make believe in regard to CDO’s(collateralized debt obligations, CDS’(credit default swaps) and all their loans. while this would seriouslyimpact their capital to the point they are insolvent the FDIC can come in and give the deposits to community banks. It would recapitalize them and allow them to loan.
Two, I would immediately delcare force majure in regard on all CDS’. they are essentially insurance contracts on guaranteening interest, principal or both on holders of bonds. they exist at a level of more than one to one. the outstanding amount is several times the GDP of our country. worse they are even written on the sovereign debt of other countries. With the notion of too big to fail in the fore they represent a capital committment bigger than the economy. In short they present a clear and present danger to the country. I am more than willing to bet that England Germny France and Japan would be more than happpy to go along to end the threat to their banks as well. Three, the bankruptcy laws need to be revisited for the purpose of allowing first mortgages to be crammed down in bankruptcy. this would allow mortgage holders for homes that are underwater, i.e. the home is less than the value of the mortgage, to lower their payments, stay in their home and sread the pain around. As things stand now the banks are be bailed out on the backs of the taxpayer as they lose their jobs and benefits and watch the value of their as a rule only real asset diminish in value and the mortgage holder pays full value.
I know the President is to be criticized.But I am tired of the “what he is not doing for black people argument”. Where was this anger during the Clinton and Bush years. Were was the CBC then. Where they pushing the white President as hard.This really gets under my skin. He’s not creating jobs or providing health care for black people ,.please. So, I guess Sara Palin will get the black vote in 2012 because Barack is not doing anything for black people. So, criticize him if you will but criticize the POTUS not the President of black America.Black People we got to do better than this complaining.
Hi Roland. I agree that the bankers are out of control and need strong behind the woodshed actions.
But many in “the” congress whom the bankers, and others, ” own ” need to be exposed publicly and fired.
The President is ONE MAN. Along with all the talk about. Why are WE not standing up WITH OUR President???
talk IS CHEAP! are WE THE PEOPLE as cheap as some of our “so called leaders”
have shown themselves to be????????
Hi Roland,
You said of the President “talk is cheap”, but your talk is cheap as well. It’s the congress that has to pass the bills and the Republican fights all of them. No matter what, the party of No will fight the bill, so the only hope we have is to keep the Dems united.
Unless you have a method which to get jobs for the black community, and congress to support it, you are just another talking head.
Stop talking and do something for your community. Do you think the Republican are going to do something for your community?
People, Just because the president is black that does not mean he should not be criticized if he is not doing what he promised. Remember YES WE CAN, and other slogan like “fired up, ready go.” If things continue to go the way it has been the last year, there should be a primary challenge( Hillary Clinton things will be different this time around).
To all you above you need to start voting Republican and becoming familiar with the Tea Party movement. That’s the change that needs to take place. Take their principles and beliefs and use them to your advantage.
Hi Roland,
I AGREE WITH MARY DAVIS!! You, Sir, are part of the problem! Why don’t you investigate which Black Congressional Black Caucus Members aren’t voting in our best in interest?! You old school talking heads are the reason why the Black Community is projected with such a welfare mentality!
Your guests aren’t providing actionable suggestions, just tyrades! Real power doesn’t tantrum on television. Stop asking Obama to do that. It’s embarrassing.
This is why immigrants with no English language skills and no voice are always better off than us in 5 years’ time! Our “leaders” rant and rave on TV while reigning as Congressmen of consistenly blighted communities and other ethnicities GET TO WORK to feed their families!
Dear Roland
I agree with you about the president the
he bail out the banks but did not do any thing for social securty, We are not getting a raise but them butt heads
are getting millions for not doing anything. Get real president and stop
and start being yourself get down with
like a black man or just a man should.
HELLO ROLLAND YES I’M HAPPY OBAMA IS IN THE WHITE HOUSE,BUT NOW THE TRILL IS GONE,HE IS “NOT” BEING TUFF ENOUGH.I’M A “I” AND I VOTED 4 HIM BUT IF HE DOESN’T START MAKING THINGS HAPPEN SOON I’LL BE VOTING HIM OUT THE WHITE HOUSE IN 2012.HE’S DONE NOTHING 4 THE LGBT COMMUNITY AND WE SUPPORTED HIM TOO. PS I’M SICK OF CONGRESS ALSO
Let me start by saying Roland Martin I love your straight forward attitude. You never bite your tongue, and you tell it like it is, which is necessary to expose the b.s. in politics. However, I have to say I agree with S. Ford you need to give others on your panel a chance to state their opinion. It turns me off when you consistently talk over them, and it’s hard to get a clear understanding of the information being provided.
Roland, love ya bro. But you talk way TOO much! Ha-ha!
Where were you Roland when the Conservatives were destroying the country? I’ll tell you where! You were sitting on your hands at CNN with your mouth shut. The betrayal of you and your media colleagues are responsible for the stolen elections, illegal wars, and the destruction of the economy. So the damage was done long before Obama took office. Now your going to be brave and make him accountable. Why not make those Conservatives you cuddle with on the set the culprit? After all it was their ideology that cause it. But you won’t. CNN would kick your butt to the streets.
Therefore, spare me the wolf tickets man. The country is a mess because we do not have an informed citizenry. That is the result of the cartoon nonsense that is broadcast on our airwaves as news.
Just shut up Roland! You’re about 8 years too late.
Capitalism and Ethics are mutually exclusive. Capitalism is what sold our buuts into slavery and stole our resources in Africa. Bankers are capitalists. Europeans developed this system for their domination. Do waht the Asians are doing – IF YOU CANT BEAT THEM/JOIN THEM. We need to compete. Where are the BLACK OWNED BANKS. Make a list of black owned Banks and we will support only our community Banks. GET THE PICTURE – BLACKS DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO RULE THEIR OWN HOMES NOR THEIR COMMUNITIES. WE NEED POWER. In a Capitalistic society we either compete or perish.
We need to support our own BANKS. Lets fight for something not against something.
The Black Bank Initiative – Find A Black Bank (BlackOwnedBank.com)
“Black Bank Initiative” Featured In American Banker (BlackElectorate.com)
Churches should teach Black economics to save our communities (FCN, 10-10-2003)
Put our energy into supporting our own and we will gain more power to impact our economy. Ther are only TWO(2) black owned banks in Washington. Blacks should support them.
Join Organizing for America if you want something done. Call Congress and tell them what you want. This is how its done.
@Carl
I could not agree more. some think we all should keep our mouths shut, just because President Obama is black (sort of).
Nothing has changed in A/American communities, other than continued unemployment checks. Black Unemployment Sky Rockets.
Mr.Martin himself reported that the administration would offer “no specific
plan targeting A/American unemployment.
The CBC had to “threaten” the administration with withholding health care votes, to get a 6 billion appropriation for their Black constituents.
So that begs the question, what exactly did A/Americans get for that record vote turn out?
As I watched Washington Watch last night, I had to check to be sure the channel was not accidentally on Fox! We have finally gotten a platform for politcal coverage from our perspective but ours is no different than theirs! All I heard was criticism of the president and what he is not doing! You picked some of the most evil e-mails and negative black critics you could find to bash the president. This man has done more in 10 months than Bush did in 8 years! But that is the way we work. We build up only to tear down piece by piece! What a sad commentary on supposedly intelligent people! We need to keep the president and congress on their toes, but all things are not negative! We should not keep our mouths closed just because the president is black but at the same token just becuase he is black we think he should start giving hand outs to black people who once again are coming with this “whoe is me I am black” mentality! I thought this would be different but you need to move Roland to Fox too!
Ms Teresa
When you write “We have finally gotten a platform for politcal coverage from our perspective”
Who is we? From who’s perspective?
Do you mean Black folk?
I have no problem addressing things with the panel about President Obama, however the people on this show are just bashing and roland you are no better. Stop sittiing around thinking the President should be doing only the africian americian communties, hell he is the President of all people in the US not just the africian american. This is not news President Obama said in his campaign that’s who he is, President for all. but since he is black CBC and the panels you have have forgotten that. I can see this crap on all the other Sunday talk shows, I thought yours would be more productive and not so much bashing.
Rik,
Yes. We, black people. The commercial for this show says it’s “from a black perspective”. And Simp, agree with you whole heartedly!
Ms Teresa
So you feel, that Roland’s show is not indicative of the black perspective?
I ask because i do not watch Sunday political shows, so I do not know.
Ms T
I will slightly disagree with Simp. His he should target the 5 largest Black (and Latino) Communities, because the problems are indigenous to those communities. Plus they gave him unprecedented support.
The argument that “he is the President of all people in the US not just the African Americans” is a cop out, because are we not Americans too, are we not to big to fail.
The have targeted A/Americans before, like welfare, Affirmative action etc…Why not now.
That view allows A/Americans to be constantly taken for granted. We don’t demand anything for our votes, so they don’t feel obligated to do anything.
Take note, of how the CBC was able to get that 6 billion from the administration. They played hard ball, and obtained tangible results. What if they had taken the position of “Simp”. Their constituency would not have received anything.
blind support is very dangerous, because once they know you will support anything or remain silent, they do not have worry about you.
Just an opinion
To the folks who suggest that I wasn’t critical of President Bush during his eight years, clearly you aren’t looking at the facts.
First, I didn’t join CNN until February 2007. And when he was wrong, I let him have it.
Second, I was with TV One two years prior to that. And if anyone heard my Perspectives then, they would have heard me take them to task.
Also, for those who think it’s wrong to criticize the president, you are dead wrong. First of all, as it relates to the banks, the president could have imposed conditions on the bank for accepting TARP funds. He didn’t. We interviewed Housing Secretary Shaun Donovan on Washington Watch and he conceded that they didn’t mandate that banks rework loans.
Now we can love the president for his historic win, but the reality is that black wealth is being WIPED OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH due the home foreclosure problem, and the Obama Administration’s own program has only helped 4% of those in foreclosure in the last three months. Yes, 4%. Now who on this board calls that a success?
Sorry, the Obama Administration has let the banks off the hook. And they are sinking those very hooks into the black community, and our wealth is disappearing.
That’s not hating. That’s not bashing. Those are cold, hard facts.
Damn it Roland, I love it, kudos
Nothing personal just the cold hard facts.
These people are just ridiculous with this BS. You can’t say one dam thing rightfully criticizing the President, without somebody questioning your race loyalty, political persuasion or network affiliation.
And as you rightfully state, black wealth (what little there is off it) is eroding faster, then your hairline.
How do the Kool-aid drinkers answer, what you have stated?
Roland and Rik no one said not to keep the president honest! You need to read and comprehend but my goodness the entire show was bashing and you have to agree with that! Like others said, we see this on the other stations! Black wealth was being wiped out long before Obama got into office because we are more concerned with the most expensive tennis shoes our kids can wear and how much weave we can buy as opposed to putting something in our heads and making ourselves put the money in a savings account or some stock! We have to take responsibility for our own wealth and quit looking to the government to do it! Roland must be scalded cause he is yelling!
Roland, you are the media so why don’t you use your show to put heat on the banker, and stop leaving it for just obama you got the power to help, but i bet you won’t i will be watching you.
Tenay, how can WE put heat on the bankers? Aren’t they going to the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT for a bailout? They didn’t come to me. Had they come to me, I would have put it on them.
But POTUS had the power to put some major restrictions on them and he didn’t do it. Tim Geithner didn’t do it. Larry Summers didn’t do it.
You keep talking about not looking to the government, but that’s why has the money! Who is providing cheap money? The Federal Reserve. Who administers bailout funds? The Treasury Department. That’s THE GOVERNMENT.
Uh, hello?!
And Tenay, when we did shows praising President Obama to high heaven, did you complain that it was too positive? Nope. So now we have pointed criticism, and you say that’s not good. Please, you can’t have it both ways.
Ms T merry christmas
My last was not at you. I know nothing about Roland’s program. so I’ll take your word for it.
As far as taken responsibility, I couldn’t agree more. I think far too many look to government, and become hooked.We agree
“Keeping Him honest”, well now here we may part ways. I’m firmly against silent acquiescence. I’m against blind loyalty and support. The administration (specifically democrats) must be forced, even threaten to act, otherwise they won’t, and this administration has stated as much.
Great speeches are no longer sufficient.
Rik,
Merry Christmas to you too and thank you for honest open conversation! Not sure if the government can be forced to do anything, but we can make our voices heard by getting off our sit downs and voting number one and being active in our communities. I have faith in this administration, and I think we need to give them more time to implement the things they want to do. There is a poll taken every day on this president and my goodness, we are acting as if he was elected for a one year term instead of four. Any poll can be tainted but if you keep asking eventually you will get the answer you want, and that is what appears to be happening! We sat back and re-elected Bush and turned a blind eye to that. I would at least think the black community would be more fair and give this president time to work! We partied and danced as we threw him in this lions den and now we are abandoning him and have our lips out instead of getting down and working like he asked us to?! We turned a blind eye to the protesters, tea baggers and gun carrying idiots who would much rather kill him than allow a black man to be the president. We should have been yelling from the roof tops! I pray for him, our country and our people that generation after generation will not continue the loud talking but get to the the loud working! May God bless you my brother!
Roland I can’t believe you, are you telling me that you can’t do nothing but blame obama for something that been going on way before now and you are just now having a problem it, you are full of shit.
Ms T thank you for you blessing
I too I’m a believer in Jesus Christ.
I understand and respect your point of view. We just differ in how to go about it. You appear to advocate patience and support.
To your comments:
“Not sure if the government can be forced to do anything”
Of course they can. With a slim majority, every vote is powerful. Look at what these folks got for holding out.
Its called “Hardball”(partial list). These folks didn’t care about party ideology, reform, obama, reid or pelosi. They had leverage and they used it.
Ben Nelson = $871 billion package
Mary Landrieu = 100 – 300 million
Vermont/Massachusetts = $1.2 billion
Bernie Sanders = 10 billion
CBC = 6 Billion
“There is a poll taken every day on this president”.
Polls do not matter to me. When they are favorable politicians use them, when not, they ignore them.
“I would at least think the black community would be more fair and give this president time to work!”
Why should we wait? Why must we sit back and wait until he gets around to us. Bailouts, health care, war. Next comes immigration and then don’t ask don’t tell. Why should we wait. They have already told you “they will not target the A/American community”. So what are we waiting for? So again I ask this question, and i have yet to get an answer, are we not Americans too.
They can give as welfare but not jobs.
“As far as the Black President and supporting him etc”. Here we sharply disagree. Until i see tangible results
i.e a decrease in black unemployment, increase in homeownership, school vouchers, severely punishing under achieving schools and teachers etc, jailing financial predators. In other words positive results emanating from the inner city. I have no reason what so ever to support him. Further what is good for the nation does not mean, these results we trickle down into the black community.
In my opinion, because he is (partially) Black we do not want to add to his trouble. We don’t want to be another burr under his saddle. We want him to succeed. Well his success and ours are not necessarily mutually exclusive. This nations success and ours are not necessarily mutually exclusive
The CBC went for this race nonsense for 9 months and got nothing for their loyalty and support, N-O-T-H-I-N-G!
Finally they said, “Mr. President what about our constitutes”. The administration said (more less)”what about em”. That slap in the face, forced the CBC to play hardball. God blessem they played hardball.
And May God bless You Too MS T.
Respectfully
Board member please for give me, as i don’t mean to dominate the discussion. But I just came across this piece the best illustrates why i will not support President Obama.
“In a recent interview with April Ryan, from American Urban Radio Networks”
“The only thing I cannot do is, by law, I cannot pass laws that say ‘I’m just helping black folks.’ I’m the president of the entire United States,” Obama said. “What I can do is make sure that I am passing laws that help all people, particularly those who are most vulnerable and most in need,” he said. “That in turn is going to help lift up the African-American community.”
First, how insulting. You can target gays in the military, but not target Black and Latino unemployment.
Second, I’m not stupid, you don’t have to use race based language, rather target the members of high employment communities like East St Louis or South Central L.A. If others get in on it, all the better, but clearly the majority of training and jobs would go to that community.
Third, administrations have always changed the language to accommodate or compromise. See Ben Nelson, so this is nothing new, but for some reason, this is not an option when it comes to A/Americans.
Fourth, watch how the President rightfully spends tons of political effort and capital, on immigration reform. He is right to do so, because he promised them he would. A/Americans demanded nothing and therefor got nothing.
Fifth, can’t make policy for any particular group. yet he plans to address “gays” in the military. The environmentalist, bankers and auto industry appear to be doing ok. But black folk in employment line, that’s a different matter.
Now the good things, he has time to address some issues, the bad thing is he has made it clear that he has NO INTENTION OF DOING SO, But he an Eric Holder can rightfully lecture us on responsibility. No problem there, except I heard it during his election.
Look, I’m just saying it is a very hard job and he has an legislative agenda ok fine. I get it. However it appears A/Americans are not on it.
As time marches on, and days, turn into weeks and weeks to months, at what point do we stop and say. Where are we on the agenda? We may be on the agenda. Then if so, just say it. I know i will take him at his word.
Those that want to exercise patients, what gives you any confidence that he will do anything? is anything on the horizon? do you know something I don’t?
Please, please tell me, you got something more that vain useless pride, something more than racial loyalty, more than the Obama T-shirt and coffee mug.
Rik President Obama cannot make white folks hire us damn. You people think that obama is runing things and you all know better, white folks are still the ones running things and you all know this, even roland martin so put blame where it belone DAMN.
Rik President Obama cannot make white folks hire us damn. You people think that obama is runing things and you all know better, white folks are still the ones running things and you all know this, even roland martin so put blame where it belone DAMN.
Tenay,
Your whining is amazing.
Roland if you cannot tell people the truth about what is really going on than you are just a JOKE and your show should be boycotted
Regarding blackpower:
If anyone had the formula for blackpower, it was the late Amos N. Wilson and his book aptly titled,”Blueprint for Black Power: A Moral, Political and Economic Imperative for the Twenty-First Century”
Recommmended reading for black folks interested in contributing in any way to the improvement of our community.
Roland,
Regarding black power. When will anyone say what we all know is true. Until we address/remedy our black families and the disintegration of moral character we will continue to have these same circular discussions, blaming the white man. Now granted, there is plenty of predatory lending and abusive prejudicial sentencing, but we must get back to some semblance of values. When over six out of ten babies are born to a single-mother we have problems. It has nothing to do with how well a job our mother’s can do alone, but its just not right. You won’t be Bill Cosby if you have the courage to discuss these issues. We keep looking to Washington (Obama) to fix our issues, yet refuse to look at the man in the mirror.
Bottom line, socialism (not the more extreme version, communism) is the mechanism that keeps capitalism in check and for our society, the best way to do so is by government regulation, period. We’re seeing what lack of regulation brings, as we cannot count on the moral standards of corporate entities to be upheld when faced with the more enticing element of making obscene amounts of money. Money usually wins every time…
I’d also like to see more Americans become financially conservative, start saving again and lessening their dependence on credit, but by using the financial institutions who didn’t participate in making poor lending decisions and gambling with the credit derivatives that brought the market and the national economy to its knees.
Roland
President Obama is not going to do nothing about the Banking Industry because he and Congress gave them that money with no stipulation to help us the people. The greed in this industry cause the problems and the Banking industry continue to get richer and the people get higher interest rate, lack of loans, etc…you know the drill.
All of the Congressman and women Republicans and Democratics have their hands in the banking industry pocket books and they are for selve only until there lose election.
None of them really care about what the American people are dealing with everyday, there families (Congress) eating, sleeping, and have money for education (children) but the people that voting them in have nothing and will get nothing.
When you’re in a not good position and have no money to move out from that, you would need to receive the loan. Because it should aid you for sure. I get short term loan every year and feel good just because of it.