Watching the MOTUs as their financial services universe shakes and shudders around them reminds me of the five stages of death and dying. There’s lots of denial and anger coming out of the MOTUs, and hints of bargaining, but little sign of depression and acceptance. But it’ll come . . .

Four banks were closed by the FDIC yesterday, bringing the 2010 total up to 90 — a number we didn’t reach last year until after Labor Day. The Fed, meanwhile, seems comfortable with high unemployment and apparently thinks the banks are doing just fine. But one potential financial reform proposal — the Kanjorski Amendment — still remains in play, which would take power away from the Fed and put it in the hands of a systemic risk council, which would be expected to either break up or strongly regulate institutions that pose a systemic risk.

Meanwhile, the FDIC is hiring a new Senior Congressional Relations Manager. Sounds like he or she will have some serious business on their desk on the day he or she walks in the door.

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner seems to have a very odd definition of “turning the page.” He’d do well to look beyond Wall Street, and maybe talk to people like Alan Conroy, the director of the Kansas Legislative Research Department.

Harry Reid stands boldly behind Ben Bernanke’s nomination to continue as Fed Chair, with a statement of support issued by his office late on a Friday afternoon. Yeah, that’s a real ringing endorsement. Meanwhile, the FDIC keeps eating banks and the unemployment in NV continues to grow.