"[Some] seem to think that [civilization's] advance has brought on too complicated a state of society, and that we should gain in happiness by treading back our steps a little way. I think, myself, that we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious. I believe it might be much simplified to the relief of those who maintain it." --Thomas Jefferson to William Ludlow, 1824. ME 16:75

Yes...too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious. Too many CEO's with multi million dollar salaries sitting pretty while you and I and Bob and Sue and Leroy and Lelanie and Miguel and Chen, and Chen's granddaughter, and her daughter's daughter will all be paying for the mistakes and gross incompetence of the parasites (living off the labor of Chen, and you, and me).

For what little it's worth, I think Jefferson would be appalled at the...incest that happens regularly between the captains of industry (perhaps better re-monikered the captains of investment or rats of the sinking ship) and the government. I've been reading extensively on this subject, and it seems that everyone and god thinks that the bailouts are "the right thing to do".

WRONG

The right thing to do is: jail, baby, for all those CEO's, and restitution to the company and to the people they essentially defrauded. The right thing to do is to stop letting the BANKS set their own policies. The BANKS got themselves into this mess in the first place, so it's only right that they take a hit as well. Do I really care that the bank holds a note that says your house is work $200K when it is really only worth $150K? No, I don't, but the bank does. The bank isn't going to, even if you are facing foreclosure, or bankruptcy, adjust the amount of your loan to reflect market value. The bank is going to hold your feet to the fire as long as possible, and hope they can nickle and dime you to death before you walk into their local branch and fling your house keys at the brand manager's head. If Congress were honorable, they would have insisted that the banks downwardly adjust the principal in true hardship cases. But we know they aren't, and they like their little kick backs and "after I retire from Congress" board positions, and vacations, and all those little PAC monies that they aren't allowed to have.

So Wall Street, and our continued lack of common sense regulation in existing and emerging markets, has led us down the garden path into a recession/depression. Retailers are already moaning about the poor holiday season. Boofreakinghoo. Cry me a river. Produce something someone wants, or lower your prices, or STFU. Imaginary hype isn't going to get it.

I'll be glad when reality re-intrudes and we all come down off this high we've been on. Perpetual growth...ya know...