Now newly expanded, Financial Fiasco digs deep into the foundation of the economic meltdown, revealing how it was the product of conscious actions by consumers, as well as decisionmakers in companies, government agencies, and political institutions. An easily accessible work written for general readers, Financial Fiasco tells the compelling story of how ate-cutting by the Federal Reserve inflated the real estate market and fueled increased risk-taking in the financial markets; how new government policies to promote home ownership blasted air into the credit bubble; how new financial instruments, credit-rating requirements, and accounting rules intended to prevent cheating backfired; and much more. Financial Fiasco guides readers through a world of irresponsible behavior, warns that many of the "solutions" being implemented repeat the mistakes that caused the crisis, and offers guidance on how to move forward.