Poll Indicates Americans Are Ready for Financial Overhaul

President Obama and his allies won’t have an easy time as they attempt to do some major renovations of our financial system, but according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, they at least have the support of the majority of Americans.  —KA

The Washington Post:

About two-thirds of Americans support stricter regulations on the way banks and other financial institutions conduct their business, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Majorities also back two main components of legislation congressional Democrats plan to bring to a vote in the Senate this week: greater federal oversight of consumer loans and a company-paid fund that would cover the costs of dismantling failed firms that put the broader economy at risk.

A third pillar of the reform effort draws a more even split: 43 percent support federal regulation of the derivatives market; 41 percent are opposed. Nearly one in five—17 percent—express no opinion on this complicated topic.

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Flickr / The Truth About Credit Cards

Financial institutions’ credit card practices and policies represent one area of concern for Americans—and politicians.