As a new part owner of a major insurance company, some thoughts...
I wish I had trained to be a failed CEO, so I could get a multi-million dollar golden parachute after driving a company into the ground and having the feds pick up the pieces.
After 9/11, not a single person at the top levels of the CIA was fired for doing such a horrible job with our intelligence. Similarly, no one in the corner offices on Wall Street is being shown the door and held responsible for the financial crisis -- unless they're given a big check first.
With no economic training at all, could you or I have done worse than these Wall Street jokers who were supposed to be the Smart Guys when it comes to finance? If they can't keep their heads above water when they get so over-levaraged, it is any wonder regular Americans get so behind with credit card debt?
Thanks, Phil Gramm, for starting the deregulation of the financial world 9 years ago. I wish you were my economic adviser so I could fire your ass -- or am I just another one of those Americans you call a "whiner"?
If the money markets don't right the ship soon, we'll have to choose between making a withdrawal from Bailey Savings & Loan or asking Mr. Potter for a loan.