Aba Videos

Derivatives and credit default swaps might not sound as scary as death panels, but they're responsible, at least in part, for our economic meltdown. The Dow might be back up, but most of the country is still suffering from the aftereffects of the bankers' greed. The Showdown in Chicago protests this week attempted to attract attention to the conference, where bankers attended panels with titles like "Strategies for Acquiring Troubled Banks," "NonInterest Income," and "Unwinding Government Intervention," along with a keynote speech by Newt Gingrich.Joining us to discuss whether the American Dream should apply just to rich bankers or to the rest of us are Matt Taibbi, journalist with Rolling Stone and author of The Great Derangement: A Terrifying True Story of War, Politics, and Religion , George Goehl, executive director of National People's Action, Christina Clausen, International Representative, United Food &

Tea party protesters aren't the only ones angry about the bailouts of huge banks under Bush and Obama. In Chicago this week, the American Bankers Association held their annual meeting, and activists from progressive groups and labor unions were there to greet them. The Showdown in Chicago protesters were addressed by, among others, Senator Dick Durbin and FDIC chair Sheila Bair. Is the American Dream something for rich bankers to achieve by taking taxpayer dollars to give themselves ever-larger bonuses, or does that money belong to all of us? And is protesting in the streets and at the bankers' meetings the best way to push for more equitable policies and stronger regulation of the financial industry? Joining us to discuss are Matt Taibbi, journalist with Rolling Stone and author of The Great Derangement: A Terrifying True Story of War, Politics, and Religion , George Goehl, executive director of National People's Action, Christina Clausen, International Representative, United Food & Commercial Workers Union and Change to Win, and Rob Robertson of the Right To The City Alliance and Picture the Homeless.

Recently the war in Afghanistan has taken over the front pages from Iraq, with recent polls showing a majority of Americans think the war is no longer worth fighting.

As the Showdown in Chicago protests at the American Bankers Association continue, this video from the Huffington Post Investigative Fund details the bankers' fight against the proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency--as well as opposition from unexpected quarters. The existing regulators stand to lose money if a new agency is formed, and Republican and some Democratic lawmakers are backing off from the stronger regulations originally suggested.