In 2004, rule change at SEC set the stage for a credit crisis

You can point your finger at many causes for the country’s current financial woes, but here’s one you may not have heard. During a routine meeting back in April of 2004, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission voted for something that at the time seemed of little significance. The five largest investment banks asked for an exception to a long-standing rule that put limits on their risky investments, allowing computer generated models to determine financial risk. New York Times reporter Stephen Labaton explains the commission’s decision and its implications. Guest: Stephen Labaton, the New York Times