The problem is that the boards of these companies are filled with members that are running other companies and they all scratch the back of the ceo that is on their board. The boards are handing out rewards that are not their's to give. no different than when Congress spends money that they don't earn. How about a simple, un-intrusive regulation, the board must be made up of major stockholders if the company is publicly traded. Then the market forces will ensure executive compensation is at the fair value. It is not class envy that makes me question what some of these guys make, it is cost benefit. If the stockholders vote on pay the guy will get what he is worth and the stockholders will get the rest. If he thinks he is worth more than he can go alookin'.

Doesn't anyone else understand that they are intentionally trying to drive away all the talented, smart employees in order to replace them with dumber, less effective workers.

Then the government can keep the company from repaying TARP money and perpetually retain control of the financial institutions. This is plain as day to me.

Why do you think Dear Leader has decided to implement a "fee" (let's give a tax a new monicker and watch as people suddenly don't mind it so much)? It's to punish those institutions that repaid the TARP. "Fees" that will instantly get passed on to you and me, the consumers.

I am from the former USSR; we left Motherland exactly due to this kind of BS. This is a confederacy of dunces! I can tell you with utmost certainty that we are headed well down the path of Socialism. I've been there and it smells like inflation, long-lines, back-room bartering, bribery and no rule of law.

Welcome to the new America.

Neal, has it occurred to you that the "best executive talent out there" almost brought down the entire world financial system?

Neal, your rants fall on deaf ears because the leaders of these "too big to fail" banks are incompetent a**holes. The are NOT the best executive talent out there and they do NOT deserve bonuses. The damage they did went FAR beyond just paying back the bailout money. We are standing at 10% unemployment and have spent THREE TRILLION DOLLARS trying to recover from their incompetence.

They owe the world and the citizens of the U.S. a LOT more than the money borrowed to save their butts. They need to make whole what they have damaged.

I'm so sick of democrat hypocrisy. Truly, the culture of corruption brings such an overwhelming stench to Washington that an oxygen mask is required.

apply also to the titular heads of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the heads of which got beaucoup bonuses for outstanding performance ... fleecing the taxpayers.

in an effort to establish a world dollar.Bilderberger society

If bankers are BAD - whatabout baseball, basketball, football,american idols, hollywod best, etc?????udfux

But in a rare moment, I agree with the Senators. If you received taxpayer money to bail your sorry keisters out and kept you in business then no mega bonus' for you. I'm just as outraged at this as I am when I see someone in line at a grocery store with an iPod in their ear, cell phone in their pocket, kids playing with a Nintendo DS or PSP, gold jewelry and fancy clothes and buying junk food only to pay for it with their family first card. Welfare is welfare no matter how you slice it and neither way should it be abused in an way.

I'm sorry, Tea Bagger.
I am not worthy. A mere Tea Partisan such as me surely cannot get something past you. You obviously have a firm grasp on the entire Tea Bag
movement.
As for debate, I am certainly not up to the task, not with my pesky ties to reality and such. Nope--I’m no match in an argument with a smart populist who is not so constrained.
I’ll also not mention the goat thing again, as I am certain you can ably sniff out the difference between a real goat and...well, one of those.

Two points
1) I have no pity for companies that lobbied for a bailout to stand-up their failing companies. If the company was failing, LET IT FAIL! That's what capitalism is all about. These people who want "fairness" in society are the same people that push that humans evolved using the premise of "survival of the fittest." According to evolution theory, human evolution stems more from our evolved brain, combined with other physical advantages including opposable thumbs, giving us the knowledge and and abilities to use tools and thus survive; Our evolution was much less about our physical stature, strength, speed, or agility as in other animals. How then do the "fairness" proponents discount the survival of the fittest method of competition in the marketplace and redistribution of wealth? Some may argue that it is due to our inherent morality that we help our neighbor; Arguing morality is not the issue being put forth.

2) Those companies that did NOT want the bailout and were forced into accepting government money should not have any barriers standing in the way of progress. When has regulation, higher taxes, or following government advice ever lead to financial growth other than further government spending? I am no history major, but I don't think Japan's booming economy is because government spending caused growth; This is of coarse sarcasm because Japan has been in economic decline for some time now even though their government has thrown billions of dollars, or trillions yen, at the problems.

In the end, the bailout should never have happened. It only promotes further sucking at the teet of the American tax payer, and We the People are sick and tired of it. People complain about the Wall Street "fat cats", but what about the Pennsylvania Avenue and Capitol Hill "fat cats"? When are we going to put a cap on their income?

You are truly knowledgeable and a stalwart when it comes to debating. CLAP CLAP CLAP

I know people like Boss and Webb resent my boss. But if they bankrupt him, that would probably put me in a pinch too.

Tea Bagger? I'd say the name actually fits in your case. I'd give you the goat, but I'm afraid you might enjoy it.

Yes, we conservatives dont know that bonuses are meant for employees when the business does well, but we do think that they are a way to spend tax payer dollars. I mean rather than hiring new employees w/ that money, or helping out small business(both liberal philosophies), I think that money should go to giving bad businessmen more money!!! Who will join my tea party. I think the only people who should profit off of this are the ones who got us in this mess to begin w/. Come and be a tea bagger also!

Democrats look at their ideas and policies in a vacuum. Raising taxes is an example. When they raise taxes, the producers are a) going to hold back on production b)go to another jurisdiction where the tax and regulation burden is lighter, or c)any combination of a) and b).

However, Democrats think, that when they raise taxes, everything else will continue with the same amount of inertia. They don't realize that many if not all of their idea are that unbalanced force that stops the inertia which is the economy and business.

But then again, politicians are reactive and almost never proactive...

I was expecting one of the goat scenes from the movie Waiting, but ET is funny as well.