Friday, January 30, 2009

Finishing Sixth Is Not Too Shabby

That is, if you're an investment banker. In 2008 these bankers received bonuses totaling $18.4 billion. This is the sixth highest amount of bonuses in history. Does this really make sense when, in 2008 these firms lost almost twice that? Furthermore, we're talking only cash bonuses here. Who knows what stock options were given?

The overriding question is where the money to pay the bonuses came from. If you lose $33 billion, can you afford to pay $18.4 billion? I guess you can if the money comes from we suckers, the taxpayers.

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