WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Over the years banking groups haveattacked credit unions in one way or the other, whether it bethrough legal action, lobbying or sound bites, but of late theattacks coming from banker groups has been particularly intense.Why now? Do banking groups simply use credit unions as a lightningrod issue to show members they're fighting the good fight? Are theymore concerned now about the competitive threat credit unions pose?Is it because the Credit Union Regulatory Improvements Act is onthe table? Credit Union Times hopes participants in its latestonline voting poll can shed some light on the increased bankersattacks. The new poll question reads as follows: What's behind theintensified attacks against credit unions coming from bankinggroups? * Timing, given that a favorable CU bill, CURIA, has beenintroduced, * Banking groups like to use CUs as a lightning rodissue to unite members, * Credit unions' expanded powers makes thema more competitive threat, * Bankers concerned about growing numberof large asset CUs, * With flourishing CU assets, they believetiming is right to argue to Congress that CUs were created to servepeople of modest means.