That the free market, left to its own devices, becomes an exploitative, greedy profit machine. It pillages and plunders the very customers necessary for their own success. Thus, the government must subsidize our demand for goods and services whether or not businesses can profitably provide them. Besides, banking remains one of the most heavily regulated industries in the country. Government-imposed regulation increases costs, which banks pass along through consumers.
Nothing is free, and neither are government-imposed mandates.
For example, the government may hold up a bank merger unless the bank agrees to lend a certain amount to urban borrowers. Do it, say the Feds, or forget the merger. But asking a bank to alter lending criteria may trigger more defaults. Less interest paid to depositors or higher fees on services offered, including the use of automatic-teller machines. But, hey, as long as Senator Alfonse D'Amato insists on passing out free stuff, I've got some beefs.