04-07-2011, 01:03 AM
(04-06-2011, 11:02 PM)username Wrote: And honestly, I'm sick to death of people pointing at the "greedy" wall street firms for the burst in the housing bubble (and those questionnable loans). Puleeze, the investment firms are regulated (or are SUPPOSED to be regulated) by the SEC among others (there are several state and federal agencies that are supposed to oversee mortgage lending). Were the brokerage firms/banks doing anything illegal at the time? Newp. Were they greedy? Maybe but they weren't operating outside of the law. Did stupid people sign up for outrageously risky loans that they might not be able to afford to repay. Yep.
The problem with the Wall Street firms is that they operate as a cartel, with profits 100% gov't subsidized and losses 100% socialized -- which is indicative of mercantilism rather than capitalism.