Institute for Policy Studies

Millions of Americans who once viewed themselves in vague terms now see the world divided into two sharply defined groups: the 99% and the 1%. But the line isn't so clear cut, and many of the wealthy have been reaching across it for quite awhile.

The top five executives at each of the 20 banks that accepted the most federal bailout dollars averaged $32 million a piece in personal compensation from 2006 through 2008, according to the findings of the 16th annual Institute for Policy Studies' "Executive Excess" report. The institute calculated...