Huffington Magazine Issue 33 | Page 68

CHIP SOMODEVILLA/GETTY IMAGES OBAMA 2.O / FINANCIAL REFORM wish it would just disappear, and they have been working with bank lobbyists to kill it, or at least water it down as much as they can. If he accomplishes nothing else on financial reform in his second term, Obama at least needs to keep fighting to preserve DoddFrank, these advocates said. “Protecting what we have is first and foremost,” said Bair. Bair is hopeful that Obama and the Democratic senators who created Dodd-Frank have a strong incentive to preserve it. Others see Obama’s attention wandering and worry the banks have an even stronger incentive to neuter the law. Two: Finish the Rules Already Congress passed the buck on putting Dodd-Frank’s rules into effect to various regulatory agencies, where they have often gotten bogged down for one reason or another. According to a recent HUFFINGTON 01.27.13 House Financial Services Committee Chairman Spencer Bachus lifts copies of what he calls the “rules” section of Dodd-Frank during a news conference to discuss the bill’s impact.