I am banning everyone from making these two dumb points anymore about the financial collapse and the ensuing bailout. I'm sorry I have to impose this ban, but people keep making these points when they are so painfully stupid, it hurts me to hear them.
1. Expressing disappointment in the greed of the bankers.
People play within the rules you give them. Humans are almost infinitely greedy by our nature. What were these bankers going to say, "Golly, you know everyone is allowed to take massive risks and reap massive bonuses for their efforts, but no, I have no interest in all that money. I'll just play it safe because one day this might wind up hurting the American taxpayer."
On which planet would anyone, let alone a Wall Street CEO, say that? In fact, they would be fired if they had that attitude. How are you going to tell your board that all the other companies are a making tremendous amount of money but you have chosen not to because you think that risk might wind up in the taxpayers' lap? Not only would you be laughed out of the boardroom, but you would be removed from office.
It is the job of the government to set the rules by which we play this game. They are supposed to be the refs. They are charged with oversight and regulations that do not allow this kind of excessive risk taking. Because if you allow it, people will do it!
Don't you get it? The executives of these companies already took home the money in tremendous bonuses for all the years they showed a profit. They don't give a shit that it was a house of cards. That's your problem, not their problem. They already have the money.
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