From the Newark, N.J. Star-Ledger — Originally published Thursday, Feb. 12

… If it had its druthers, as demonstrated by the grilling a House committee gave eight of the nation’s biggest bankers yesterday, Congress wouldn’t trust these guys with Confederate currency, never mind another $350 billion from the bank bailout fund.

The mistrust is mutual. The bankers, their testimony suggests, don’t trust our sages in the capital to get it right …

… Financial market mavens insist Washington, however well-meaning, doesn’t know what it’s doing or, worse yet, what’s really going on in the financial community. …

Some House Democrats want to know, down to the dollar, what the bank CEOs did with the billions they’ve already gotten. Can’t be done, say the bankers. Money is fungible and all goes into the same pot: it can’t be tracked that closely. A likely story, say Democrats.

… Trust perishes in such a climate and, with it, public confidence that the country’s political and financial leaders will do the right thing for the country …