TPM Muckraker

Posts on “Nancy Pelosi: September 2008” in September 2008

House Dems' Bailout Plan

A source just sent us a copy of the working draft of the bailout plan circulating, as of about two hours ago, in the House.*

Based on our quick look, it includes a strong provision for congressional oversight, limits executive pay, and would allow bankruptcy judges to adjust mortgages in order to help homeowners, among other items. In other words, the major Democratic priorities.

Things have been changing so quickly on the Hill -- even before McCain's dramatic announcement -- that there's no telling what's occurred in the intervening period.

The source, who's a well-connected Democratic lobbyist, added in an email to TPMmuckraker that "the deal on the "bail out" is 98 percent done. Treasury has capitulated on almost every point. A draft is circulating on the Hill now. No one needs McCain to help do the remaining 2 percent."

Late Update: As we should have mentioned earlier, the draft plan also contains a provision designed to "maximiz[e] taxpayer benefits" by requiring that the Treasury "obtain warrants" (i.e. stock futures) if it makes a direct purchase of a company. That's intended to ensure that taxpayers get a share of any future profits, and it's another element Democrats have been insisting on.

*Ed. Note: A well-placed Hill source subsequently tells us that this version has actually been circulating for a couple of days, and that while it's still mostly operative, it is not the latest iteration of the alternative to the Bush plan.

Source: Pelosi Focusing Bailout Plan on Exec. Pay, Bankruptcy

According to a senior House staffer, Speaker Nancy Pelosi is likely to insist that any Wall Street bailout bill contain two specific items from the Democrats' wish-list: limits on executive compensation, and a measure to protect homeowners by allowing mortgages to be renegotiated in bankruptcy proceedings.

Things may not go smoothly on those fronts, however. House Republicans have signaled their firm opposition to executive pay limits. And the Blue Dogs, a faction of fiscally conservative Democrats, may be "uncomfortable" with changing bankruptcy laws, said the staffer.

There are a number of Democratic proposals circulating right now aiming to attach strings to the Treasury Department's $700 billion Wall Street package.

In the Senate, the draft legislation being offered by Banking Committee chair Chris Dodd appears, which would give the federal government an equity stake when it helps banks with debt, (and which Paul Krugman describes as "a big step in the right direction) appears to be the most prominent.

But in the House, things are a bit more chaotic. Rep. Barney Frank, who chairs the Financial Services committee, has circulated his own proposal, which is slightly closer to the Treasury Department's own, though, like Dodd's, it aims to limit executive pay.

Rep. Brad Sherman this afternoon released to TPMmuckraker an outline of his own plan, which goes further than either Dodd's or Frank's.

And an unlikely coalition of conservative deficit hawks and liberal populists may be taking shape to oppose any bailout at all.

Pelosi's office did not immediately respond to a request for further information.


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