TEXT C The Supreme Court’s recent
decision allows regional interstate banks to do away with one restriction in
America’s banking operation, although many others still remain Although the
ruling does not apply to very large money-center banks, it is move in a
liberalizing direction that could at last push Congress into framing a sensible
legal and regulatory system that allows banks to plan their future beyond the
next court ease. The restrictive laws that the courts are
interpreting arc mainly a legacy of the bank failures of the 1930s. The current
high rate -- higher than at any time since the Great Depression -- has made
legislators afraid to remove the restrictions. While legislative timidity, is
understandable, it is also mistaken. One reason so many American banks are
getting into trouble is precisely that the old restrictions make it hard for
them to build a domestic base large and strong enough to support their
activities in today’s telecommunicating round-the-clock, around-the-world
financial markets. In trying to escape from these restrictions, banks are taking
enormous, and what should be unnecessary, risks. For example, would a large bank
be buying small, failed savings banks at inflated prices if federal law and
states’ regulations permitted that bank to expand through the acquisition of
financially healthy banks in the region Of course not. The solution is clear
American banks will be sounder when they are not geographically limited. The
House of Representative’s banking committee has shown part of the way forward by
recommending common-sensible, though limited, legislation for a five-year
transition to nationwide banking. This would give regional banks time to group
together to form counterweights to the big money-center banks. Without this
breathing space the big money-legislation should be regarded as only a way
station on the road towards a complete examination of American’s suitable
banking legislation. Which of the following best expresses the main idea of the passage
A.The current banking law must be interpreted by the Supreme Court to be useful to today’s banks. B.Although there are currently many bank failures, the nature of banking has not really changed that much. C.Money-center banks currently have too much power as compared with the regional banks. D.Because current laws are not responsive to contemporary banking needs, banks have been forced to take needless and dangerous risks.