‘FHFA is a toothless tiger’: Comments of the week
July 19, 2018 10:00 PM
Readers weigh in on the Federal Housing Finance Agency's leadership structure, react to a recent data-sharing debate, opine on whether banks should let consumers use their credit cards to buy bitcoin and more.
On the mixed results in consumer lending in the second quarter among the biggest banks:
“Of course there is a credit quality problem brewing. Bankers have never figured out how to have fast loan growth without also creating a large credit quality problem” (via Twitter ).
Related:What 2Q says about the outlook for consumer credit
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On the Federal Reserve outlining how the agency plans to apply enhanced prudential standards to regional banks in the wake of the regulatory relief law passed this spring:
“The Fed has never really been in the bank regulation business, but for the sake of turf protection, they refuse to acknowledge that and allow other agencies to fill the void” (via Twitter ).
Related: Quarles details how Fed may regulate $100B-$250B banks
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On an appeal court ruling that the FHFA's leadership structure is unconstitutional:
“Direct predecessors of FHFA date back to OFHEO created in 1992 in response to savings and loan crisis and the federal home loan bank board extends back to President Hoover. However FHFA is a toothless tiger because they still lack the legal regulations (teeth) that FRB, OCC and FDIC have and are merely an amusing ‘cat toy’ of the GSE's. CFPB is a purely political animal that has done nothing to curb 30%+ credit card rates for ‘consumer financial protection.’”
Related:FHFA, like CFPB, finds its constitutionality in doubt
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On Plaid Technologies’ efforts to publicly blame Capital One after a security upgrade blocked the data aggregator from accessing customer data:
“Plaid got caught behind the eight ball. They needed to be ready to use the new Capital One API and obviously missed the deadline.”
Related:In data dispute with Capital One, Plaid stands alone
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Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg
On acting Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Mick Mulvaney cutting the agency's consumer advisory board to six members:
"Mulvaney is just being literally true to the law. And more power to Mulvaney for reducing the advisory board. Groups over 10 are known to be unwieldy.”
Related:CFPB advisory board 2.0: Far fewer members
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On whether banks should allow consumers to buy cryptocurrency with credit cards:
“Our vote is ‘NO.’ The issue is more about credit risk (due to speculation) than setting a precedent (via Twitter ).”
Related:Should banks let people buy bitcoin with credit cards?
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Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg
On the questions critics would likely raise at CFPB nominee Kathy Kraninger's nomination hearing:
"I'm going to predict Senator Warren will rant and rave (to produce soundbites) about many things... most of which have nothing to do with whether or not Kraninger is qualified to run the CFPB. I'm only slightly less confident in my prediction that Friday will follow Thursday this week."
Related:3 questions to make or break Kraninger's CFPB nomination
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On lawmakers developing a bipartisan package of bills focused on capital formation:
"Much of the damage of Dodd/Frank has already been undone--with Mulvaney at CFPB and new heads of the regulatory agencies with different priorities. Capital standards move up and down over an economic cycle. More needs to be done to free up mortgage lending for regulated commercial banks. But Mr. Haggerty is correct, the democrats can stop any common sense regulatory reform not understanding it is the bank's customers/consumers who are harmed the most."
Related:Next stage of GOP’s Dodd-Frank grief: Acceptance
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