Nearly 70 top executives at three companies bailed out by the taxpayers during the 2008 financial crisis -- AIG, Ally Financial and GM -- were ordered to take pay 10% cuts by the federal government, and the CEOs had their pay frozen at 2011 levels.
Last week's broadside from an ex-employee didn't help Goldman's image, but all the to-do ignored the public's real issue with the firm.
Bankers worldwide are expecting smaller bonuses this year. Still, they will be hard pressed to find much sympathy as their base salaries were boosted -- in some cases doubled -- this year to compensate for the lower year-end bonuses.
Though most Americans wish that Congress would rein in excessive pay on Wall Street, that won't happen while the huge campaign contributions keep flowing. And the financial industry's big money shell game drains away something more precious from our society than money -- it siphons off talent.
Historians will look back on Washington's bailout of GM and Wall Street as the right move. That's because it's now clear that the costs of doing nothing would have been far higher, and it turns out that taxpayers may suffer only limited losses on this economic Hail Mary pass.
Investment banks are working around new regulations restricting them from putting their own capital into short-term investments: The Wall Street institutions are sidestepping the Volcker Rule by making direct purchases of securities, companies and properties, which are considered longer-term investments.
Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett extracted onerous terms from Goldman Sachs when he saved it from a potential meltdown. Two years later, Wall Street is healthy again, Goldman wants Buffett out of its hair, and he's looking at a $3.5 billion profit on that $5 billion lifeline.
Investors received another sign Friday that the U.S. economy is continuing to heal: The 2010 U.S. budget deficit came in at a smaller-than-predicted $1.29 trillion. Though it was still the second-highest deficit on record, the numbers reflect growth in tax revenues, and thus in the economy.
There are people around the world rubbing their hands with glee at America's supposed collapse, pundits who say this nation is so bankrupt that it has become irrelevant. But author, venture capitalist and DailyFinance columnist Peter Cohan says don't write America's obituary just yet.
A sweeping financial overhaul bill was passed by the Senate Thursday aimed at preventing a repeat of the crisis that recently hobbled the U.S. economy. Before becoming law, it must be merged with the House bill passed in December.
Republicans have stopped a U.S. Senate bill aimed at reforming banking industry regulation from moving forward. Proponents of legislation that would reduce risk in the banking system and increase consumer protections will now have to draft a new bill that can garner the 60 votes needed.
