I agree with Erin. The percentage of CEO’s getting ‘bonuses’ in America is near zero. The ‘bonuses’ for the failed investment houses etc. are obviously outrageous and should be stopped if they took TARP money. The fact is that most of the money paid out was due to incentive clauses because people took reduced salaries with the option to make more if the company did well. Its also a fact that if they don’t get paid the bonuses that New York City is screwed big time on tax revenues. This is what happens, though, when you go begging to the government to save your rear end.

I am no whack job, but if you take TARP, you are open to critique. Also, the point was that Erin was a cheerleader, which I agree with. She is not an objective reporter.

Now if the left goes to far, I will be the first one to speak up. Personally, I would like to see mass socialism since so many people want it. Let them have it, and let them learn the consequences.

Yea I agree CNBC in general are cheerleaders. They know if they ask tough questions they won’t get interviews…as if that is useful for individual investors. They also get hammered by investors when they are “mean” to the CEO of their company. If they were skeptical of all information, and asked tough questions, they could be useful.

Andrew, of course they need to be here, they are fun! I guess if I do my job too well people will complain! I do slam media in my film. In terms of politics, I am no fan of either party and I have friends on both sides. For me, and maybe this is my affection for Rand’s clear thinking, I call it like I see it. For example, Bush just left office resembling nothing like a free market capitalist. Maybe Obama will go even more socialist than Bush, but I am not about to cut the Republican party a break as they are all politics too. To me the right place to be in the political debate today is Libertarian.

MC, I would have to agree, Libertarian or “objectivist” is the right place to be. Unfortunately We normally can vote for only 1 candidate in the election either democrat or republican. I prefer the republican in most elections….unless Ron Paul is running haha then I vote for him!

CNBC is the ESPN of the financial world, or the Entertainment Tonight. They exist to package bits of news (financial for CNBC, and sports for ESPN and Hollywood for ET) in an entertaining, tease-filled method (“Next, find out why parakeets may be the hot new money maker for Google, right after this message”) that is designed to create and hold viewership and sell advertising. Half of them don’t even have a financial or economics education (the old timers, Haynes, Herrera, Pisani) and the half that do are simply bright, mostly attractive female announcers who wouldn’t know how to buy a bond or sell a future. They prove this with their constant gaffes (“Well, the folks at home can’t buy the bonds you’re talking about, so what can they do?” said one airhead, to which the guest responded, “Why can’t they?”).

The show is not really about financial expertise, any more than ESPN will teach you how to hit a curveball or shoot the three pointer, or ET will show you the howto of method acting. It’s simply financial Info-tainment, whose only purpose is to monitor the occasional FOMC day.

The reasoning in that clip is idiotic. I honestly thought she was smarter… or maybe I just wanted her to be.

In my humble opinion – the banks are getting what they deserve. Had they shown some respect for risk, they wouldn’t in the welfare line. Last time I checked, they don’t hand out bonuses to people on welfare. This kind of pressure should motivate them to get their sh_t together and pay back the money.

Ayn Rand is rolling over in her grave. Rewarding incompetence make me puke.

M