Reader question: In the following passage from Barack Obama’s speech to Congress on February 24, what does “day of reckoning” mean? “Regulations -- regulations were gutted for the sake of a quick profit at the expense of a healthy market. People bought homes they knew they couldn't afford from banks and lenders who pushed those bad loans anyway. And all the while, critical debates and difficult decisions were put off for some other time on some other day. “Well, that day of reckoning has arrived, and the time to take charge of our future is here. “Now is the time to act boldly and wisely, to not only revive this economy, but to build a new foundation for lasting prosperity.”