Wednesday, May 8, 2013

The two Bobs are at it again…


I introduced you to the two Bobs a year ago (Kodak-town andthe Two Bobs).  They are kind of like one of those old cartoons.  You know…  the cartoon character is faced with a moral dilemma and up pops a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other.

It all started a couple of weeks ago.  Bob’s wife – my niece – invited me over for steaks on the BBQ.  While we were munching on hors d’oeuvres, Bob made a comparative statement about job safety that ended something like this “… or else we’d be just like Texas.” 

“What’s wrong with that?” I said.  “Texas is creating jobs!

Bob was referring to the recent fertilizer plant explosion in Texas, which he speculates was the result of lax regulation.  I debated the point but not too forcefully.  (After all, I hadn’t had my steak yet.)  There needs to be some regulation, we agreed.  The question is how much is too much?

On the other shoulder, you’ll find the other Bob, an old friend. I had sent him a news item featuring an opinion by Vanguard founder John Bogle wherein he asserts that our 401K’s should be diversified so that unsophisticated investors won’t take too much risk.  So far, so good except that Bogle also suggests that the government regulate the holdings in these funds. 

It’s an interesting idea.  There is clearly a social cost to 401K investors failing to achieve their retirement goals.  More pressure on social security, Medicare, Medicaid and food stamps to name a few.  Why shouldn’t government require sound investment practices in exchange for tax-advantaged treatment?

I’m sure Bob would agree.  No, not that Bob.  The other one.

As for business regulation, it is legitimate to ask how much regulation is too much.
My answer is simple: when jobs are leaving the state (as they are in NY), it’s too much. Texas is creating jobs because they are at the other end of the pendulum swing (or sitting on the other shoulder if you prefer).

I’m sure Bob would agree.  No, not that Bob.  The other one.

I don’t feel strongly about Bogle’s idea one way or the other.  However, I love a good debate and, since Bob stands someplace to the right of Ron Paul on these matters, a great debate ensued.  What Bob believes is that people should have the freedom to choose -- to be rewarded by their good choices or pay for their mistakes. Bob identifies examples where industries have regulated themselves to the benefit of both businesses and their customers.  It’s a great model when it works.

An example of self-regulation in financial services is the rating agencies, S&P and Moody’s.  They are private companies paid by the industry they are rating.  During the real estate boom, their customers (Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Lehman, etc.) convinced them that Collateralized Mortgage Obligations should be AAA rated.  The banks hired top mathematicians, paying them 7 figure salaries, to develop presentations to the poor dummies at the ratings agencies (5 figure salaries).  We all know what happened next.  Wouldn’t we be well served by a bit more oversight on these activities?

I’m sure Bob would agree.  No, not that Bob.  The other one.

Bob espouses a principled approach. “First, people must learn from their mistakes… One idea that applies here is don't put your money into something you don't understand. Stupidity will hurt. Repeated stupidity will bankrupt you.”

He makes a lot of sense.  However, former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan famously posited that financial institutions didn't need to be regulated because they wouldn't take risks that threatened their own existence. When questioned by Henry Waxman following the credit crisis he admitted that his "view of the world" was wrong.  Little solace for the rest of us. 

I am sure Bob would agree.  No, not that Bob.  The other one.

Bob tells me I have “way too much faith in government”. He would agree if he “thought they'd ever be good protectors”.  As bad as Wall Street has been, the  “government has been massively worse”. Further, the “complexity of today's world” argues “against a central decision-making authority with growing power to confiscate wealth”.

Still, I think some degree of government involvement is necessary.  I mean, weren’t we well served by having federally insured deposits (FDIC) during the crisis?

I am sure Bob would agree.  No, not that Bob.  The other one.

Now, where’s my steak?

WHO WILL LEAD?