(Yes; image-pun intended...)  

Is there any hope that it can be strengthened?  Who knows?  All this is so fluid, and may be voted on at the first of the week.  It looks unlikely that any truly meaningful financial reform will pass into law; the forces are so stacked against it--and us.  Fraudulent Big-banking  has become acceptable on a massive scale, the little dust-up with Goldman Sachs notwithstanding.

Simon Johnson, the dear, is still trying to rally the troops to get the Brown-Kaufman Banking Act Amendment included in the Dodd bill.  It seriously addresses 'too big to fail', which the Dodd bill addresses, but doesn't actually fix.

  Johnson believe that there's a miniscule chance that if Senators hear from their constituents, they might actually take advantage of the Goldman Sachs stories in the news, and put the Amendment to an up-or-down vote.  His larger point is that with a vote, we would be able to see how various Senators voted at the very least.  At most, if the amendment passed, it could potentially do a lot for our financial future.

  I am so out-of-steam on this issue; crap: I haven't even made the calls.  Lethargic in the face of political reality, and that's a stupid place to rest. 

 Johnson posted this update on his Friday (I think it was) blog to make it really simple for us:

 Update: The Progressive Change Campaign Committee has a petition that takes you to a page with your senators' names and phone numbers, as well as a script to use when calling them.

 I feel like Eeyore: 'Well...ya might as well make the call...though it probably won't help....'    ;-)

And I have no idea on the status of Blanche LIncoln's Derivative's Reform; depends who you read, and I may be done reading.  For now.

But if you make the calls AND sign the petition, you are automatically entered for the drawing for the Wall Street Bull's Balls when they castrate him. 

Also:  the Petition Link and phone call help doesn't remind you to ask your  Senators TO SUPPORT AN UP OR DOWN VOTE on the Amendment;  so that (hint, hint) we can see WHO VOTES WHICH WAY.