As much work as bankers do to influence the performance of their individual institutions, the fact is government controls the big levers which ultimately dictate the performance of the industry: capital requirements, interest rates, loan loss reserve methodology, taxation, and regulations governing interaction with consumers and safety/soundness. While the largest players in almost all industries have long benefitted from cozy relationships with government, it's the small and medium-size players that feel the tugs and pulls like a marionette.