I DON'T THINK TIM GEITHNER WOULD OR COULD HAVE MADE THIS SPEECH

Geithner used to be the president of the NY Federal Reserve Bank, among many other positions, and was pretty much a neo-liberal, unlike the current president.

Enhancing Financial Stability by Improving Culture in the Financial Services Industry

October 20, 2014

William C. Dudley, President and Chief Executive Officer

Remarks at the Workshop on Reforming Culture and Behavior in the Financial Services Industry, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, New York City

http://www.newyorkfed.org/newsevents/speeches/2014/dud141020a.html

In recent years, there have been ongoing occurrences of serious professional misbehavior, ethical lapses and compliance failures at financial institutions.  This has resulted in a long list of large fines and penalties, and, to a lesser degree than I would have desired employee dismissals and punishment.  Since 2008, fines imposed on the nation’s largest banks have far exceeded $100 billion.²  The pattern of bad behavior did not end with the financial crisis, but continued despite the considerable public sector intervention that was necessary to stabilize the financial system. 

 

I reject the narrative that the current state of affairs is simply the result of the actions of isolated rogue traders or a few bad actors within these firms. ... That is, the problems originate from the culture of the firms, and this culture is largely shaped by the firms’ leadership.  This means that the solution needs to originate from within the firms, from their leaders.