Will the big banks make amends?

You can’t change the past, so will you commit to do better in the future?  That’s what consumers are asking the big banks at their annual conference in Chicago.

Concerned consumers have been rallying in Chicago since Sunday in opposition to the financial institutions who have gathered there for the American Bankers Association annual conference.  They’ve held press conferences and meetings about the desperate need for reform, and called out the banks for standing in way of progress in the form of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency.

This morning, protesters delivered a letter to the CEO of Goldman-Sachs, asking that the company make up for the trouble it has caused American homeowners.  They asked the company to donate its entire $23 billion bonus pool for 2009 to “prevent every foreclosure in America in 2010.”

The Chicago Tribune has on-the-ground coverage of the Showdown, including a slideshow of recent photos here.

The Showdown in Chicago officially ends today, but consumer actions in favor of financial reform will continue.  Keep reading this blog for more information about how you can make a difference in the fight for fair lending laws.

(Photo: Florian)