Bailout, Schmailout, Top Guys Getting Top Dollar

Filed in National by on December 23, 2008

I’m sure you all read about how the executives of various bailed-out banks were still being well compensated. (Note, in this author’s mind, the fact that these guys are not in jail yet is still mind boggling). I didn’t write anything about it because I had difficulty expressing my outrage toward American capitalism and especially the hubris of these executives. Well, I am glad I didn’t because Dana Garrett did it better than I could have.

It’s a wonderful myth that capitalism rewards success. But when the stakes are high, even when a bust is known to lurk just around the bend, failure is amply rewarded as well under capitalism. That’s because the elan vital of capitalism is wealth accumulation per se and not wealth accumulation through success as this story illustrates.

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A Dad, a husband and a data guru

Comments (3)

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  1. Unstable Isotope says:

    These bank execs are really making me sick. Why are we talking about how much autoworkers make? Our country really has screwed up priorities. I want to see these execs hauled in front of Congress and defend rewarding incompetence.

  2. cassandra m says:

    And many of those back execs are being paid from bailout funds. In the meantime, Congressional repubs are worried about how to make UAW workers make a couple of dollars less per hour.

  3. RSmitty says:

    In a matter of accuracy, but NOT of defense, the numbers used in that article were attributed to 2007, not 2008 or post-bailout. That said, it remains indefensible.