October 1st, 2012 1 Minute Read Issue Brief by Nicole Gelinas

Wall Street and Dodd-Frank: The Right Questions to Ask the Candidates

Over the past few months, President Barack Obama and his challenger, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, have sparred on economic issues ranging from taxes to labor.

But they have been quiet on one issue that is central to economic growth: the importance of a financial system that is subject to competitive, free-market forces, as well as to the rule of law. Wall Street, after all, provides capital to all other industries in the economy and to consumers; if Wall Street is not working right, the rest of the economy is not working right.

Both men should explain to voters whether they think that Wall Street is healthier than it was in the years leading up to the 2008 financial crisis, and, if not, what they would do to fix it.

READ FULL REPORT

Donate

Are you interested in supporting the Manhattan Institute’s public-interest research and journalism? As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, donations in support of MI and its scholars’ work are fully tax-deductible as provided by law (EIN #13-2912529).