BP and Shell have been raided by agents of the European Commission on suspicion of rigging oil prices for over a decade. Rigging petroleum prices could prove to be even more lucrative than rigging LIBOR.

What can you say about former Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division Lanny Breuer that has not been said about any mob lawyer?

Breuer is without a doubt a ruthless self-dealer who would do anything for money. But unlike Bruce Cutler, Breuer prostituted himself at the expense of the public interest. Mob lawyers may be sleazy but there is nothing nefarious about their institutional role – even gangsters are entitled to a defense. Breuer on the other hand worked within the system to undermine its ability to meet its most basic stated commitments – equal justice under the law. Under Breuer and Attorney General Eric Holder that fundamental commitment substantively became justice for some.

Within one week Republicans are going to grab the national spotlight on two huge issues that should be the realm of the party who stands up for the little guy. That party used to be the Democratic party. How can they let this happen?

On Friday, at the CPAC convention, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Richard Fisher is going to call for breaking up the big banks in the wake of a failed Dodd-Frank bill.

Every day we see a new outrage of some form or another. And it really makes no difference what side of a topic you are on – the outrage is there for all. Of course, one person/side’s outrage may be the other sides’ well deserved schadenfreude.

As if more evidence was needed that Wall Street has rigged the game in its favor, the IRS is going to allow the banks that engaged in a massive nationwide program of mortgage fraud to write off their settlement.

Afghanistan has long been known for a few things: the place not to get involved in a land war; opium; and of course, corruption to an almost staggering degree.

Well, when a nation with such a history gets involved with a nation like America whose elite can really make a buck off of desperation — the obvious happens.

Bankers big and small don’t understand why people hate them. And will continue to hate them. Hint: it’s the fraud and corruption.

Jeff Connaughton has authored a powerful, and chilling insider’s perspective on the financial crisis and the pathetic governmental response to it. The second part of his title sums up the result and the first half explains why Wall Street always wins. Many, perhaps most Americans are likely to agree with both parts of Connaughton’s title so this book will not transform the public’s view of the issues. The public largely has this set of issues correct. Connaughton gives the readers unique access to the facts because he had a front row seat to many of the key discussions and he has the analytical abilities and expertise to explain the significance of those facts.

Banks make money by cheating people. Jamie Dimon runs a bank. Complete the syllogism.

The Democratic Platform seems to have missed the central point of the banking mess: the Obama administration did not investigate the disaster, and didn’t indict anyone for the crimes that led to the Great Crash. In fact, the administration specifically refused to follow up on criminal referrals from the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission regarding one of the Goldman Sachs mortgage deals, saying as it always does, that it stinks, but isn’t a crime.