The Good Ole Days

The financial crisis of 2008 was a scary time in the U.S. Although the early half of Gen-Y had a hard time getting a job after graduation, a large portion of millennials didn’t really suffer feelings of despair, since most were still in their teens and early 20s. We didn’t have to experience first-hand our asset values melting like soft-serve on a hot, sunny day. As for bankruptcy, job loss, and car repossessions — not our style, not our time.

In order to correct the mistakes that precipitated the financial crisis of the Great Recession, the government passed the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, effectively appointing referees to call out the banks when they step out of bounds or commit a foul against the consumer. In the five years since the Dodd-Frank Act became law, financial stability has increased, but the effects of heavy regulation are starting to seep through the cracks. Unfortunately, those unintended consequences may hinder economic growth, which has been harder to find of late than a politically correct statement from a billionaire real estate mogul with a combover — but I’m not naming names.

Continue reading “Is Financial Regulation the Answer?” →