End the Fed? Populist Policy Advocate on the Banking Crisis and Who's to Blame

Also, the SEC is set to pay mystery whistleblower a record $279 million

Friday Q and A: The Federal Reserve is front and center in the government’s response to the current banking turmoil. Just like in 2008, the central bank is poised to lead the clean-up and tighten rules for lenders – even as its own policies and supervisory lapses helped fuel the problems. That dichotomy doesn’t seem to bother too many people in the Wash…