WASHINGTON - October 27 - Today, thousands of Americans are gathering on the streets of Chicago to march against financial service industry excess that has cost the American taxpayers trillions of dollars, destabilized the economy and undermined the stability of millions of US households.

In response to the public outcry against excesses in the financial services industries, dubbed "The Showdown in Chicago", the following statement was issued from Heather McGhee, director of the Washingtong, DC, Office for the public policy and research center Demos:

Today's exercise of citizen democracy shows that the American people recognize who's lobbying against their financial security. In opposing or trying to weaken the regulatory reforms that would prevent another crisis, financial institutions are lobbying against safe homeownership, against secure retirement, and fundamentally, against a better financial future for our children.