... or, why evil exists.

There have been a spate of "where's my bailout" posts. As much as I wish to join in, I really can't. I'm doing okay, which leads me to feel wrong if I were to try for a slice of the pie along with others not doing as well as I am.

I agree the common person ought have a 'bailout' as well - a loan forgiven, or at least terms re-negotiated. $700 billion, hm? We have less than 1 billion citizens, so that's $700 per person.

I can even see the arguable necessity to keep some of these institutions afloat. Were some to go under, they may well take out huge chunks of the fiscal foundation with them, causing some 'domino effect' of other failures.

All well and good. So why are the CEOs still receiving generous salaries? Why are companies still footing the bill for executives to 'pal around' at expensive establishments? Why are we still hearing about 'golden handcuffs' and 'golden parachutes?'

Greed. Pure and simple greed. One might make the excuse (or is it explanation?) that a certain standard of living is necessary to provide the services a CEO does. Even if I say that is true, why such an astronomical standard of living? Why not, say, a generous two-fold salary of the company's line managers?

Why this greed? I don't know. I'd love to hear theories, however.