Three years ago, Congress, at the behest of America's lendors, passed a sweeping bankruptcy reform law that made it harder for you and me to file bankruptcy. They cited abuse as the reason for the legislation.

In retrospect, it seems that what really happened is that lenders knew what was coming. They knew that the liberalization of lending requirements under the Clinton administration was going to come back to haunt us, just as Clinton's funding cuts for New Orleans' levee system would wreak havoc later. (To be fair, Bush also cut funding, but the world only blames Bush.)

Anyway, now, bankruptcies filings are climbing. Don't you think it's ironic that banks that didn't want you or me to file bankruptcy are now filing bankruptcy? Do you think they are intentionally abusing the system?