Well, Howdy. The feds are initiating a $5 billion lawsuit against Standard & Poor's for giving AAA ratings to what were worthless securities offered by the too-big-to-fail banks.

Aren't other SEC sanctioned credit agencies such as Moody's and Fitch equally guilty? Also, aren't the too-big-to-fail banks more responsible for the failure of so many businesses and job losses?

And what about the plush-bottom executive officers of these too-big-to-fail institutions? Are these officers too-big-to-jail, or can they at least be penalized?

Reckless endangerment by individuals may cause them to be jailed or fined, but reckless endangerment of the nation's economy is apparently OK. Why isn't our government big enough to break up these too-big-to-fail institutions, jail or penalize their executive officers and provide effective structural safeguards to prevent these greed-heads from further disruptions to our country's financial security.

Plaudits to Senators John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) who introduced in the Senate the "Banking Integrity Act of 2009" (S.2886), which would have reinstated Glass-Steagall Act Sections 20 and 32.

BILL PETRIE, Richland