2 more banks go belly-up (CNNMoney.com)

[eppur_se_muova]

Regulators close down Franklin Bank, a Houston bank with $5.1 billion in assets, and Security Pacific Bank of California, with assets of $561 million, raising the tally of failed banks this year to 19.

By Catherine Clifford, CNNMoney.com staff writer, and Tami Luhby, senior writer
Last Updated: November 8, 2008: 9:18 AM ET

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The tally of failed banks in 2008 rose to 19 as the government announced that a Texas and a California bank had been shuttered Friday night.

Franklin Bank, a Houston, Texas-based bank and Security Pacific Bank, a Los Angeles, Calif.-based bank were shut down by state regulators Friday, marking the 18th and 19th bank failures this year.

Franklin Bank (FBTX) had total assets of $5.1 billion and total deposits of $3.7 billion as of Sept. 30, 2008, according to a statement on the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s Web site.

Security Pacific Bank had total assets of $561.1 million and total deposits of $450.1 million as of October 17, 2008, according to the FDIC.
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more: http://money.cnn.com/2008/11/07/news/companies/bank_failure/index.htm?postversion=2008110721

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. and this icing on the cake:

"Ironically, Lewis Ranieri, the 61-year-old co-founder and chairman of parent Franklin Bank Corp., is credited with inventing mortgage-backed securities two decades ago, the AP reported, back when he worked at Salomon Brothers, where he is a former vice chairman."

[lib2DaBone]

2. No.. this could not have happened....

As you know... George Bush and the Republicans control all Economic Information coming out of the White House. George Bush says the economy is fundamentally sound and things are a "little Sluggish". So it is.

Bring back the Fairness Doctrine and let Obama clean up this Republican mess.

[tuckessee]

3. Friday news dump.

It's only a trickle now but just wait until the cascade of failures start.

Go buy stocks and useless items, people, for only mindless consumer spending can save us now.