If they were really free marketers... they would still be saying that "they deserve what they get" (i.e. bankruptcy and unemployment). Instead they get administration positions...

Follow Jim Rodgers advice.. Become a farmer.

If there can exist such a thing as "systemic risk", doesn't that mean that the system is systematically incorrect?

Nice work !  PLEASE ride this horse for all it's worth - the more people that know, the better.

I do not have an issue with the Top dogs making the big bucks, BUT when these big corparations are laying off people and the top dogs are still getting raises there is an issue.

In a small bussness the owner will give up often not get paid before they lay any one off.  When the small guy does lay some one off it is becuse he cant afford to make a living and keep his company going.

In a large company the CEO will still get out landish bonuses big pay raised and more perks while laying off the employees or will lay them off to protect himself in getting raises.

For a company to survive and an economy to survive the need to cut it off at the top becuase it is the people on the bottom that keep the market going.

I have a suggestion.  When its time for the layoffs to come around, companies should start at the TOP.  You'll save a lot more money per person laid off and layoff fewer people.  

Solid management should be a hugh priority when looking at any company as an investment.  The better the mgmt. the better the investment over the long run.

There is far more talent out there than what the market thinks. Exec compensation has been run up arificially by the "boards" that give the CEO's treasure chests built on the premise of what some other guy got. It goes round and round, spiralling upwards until its so common that it becomes normal. On top of that, the gold is delivered even when these "geniuses" fail miserably. Until the stock holders can gain real control over the boards and subsequently the CEO and the excec compensation, these over-compensated lard azzes wil continue to feed at the trough until they burst. Well run companies have other top level talent avaible to step in if needed without missing a beat. But give  me a break when any one thinks these dorks are thh only ones that can get the job done. There are far more bright leaders out there and some can do a better job than the so called "geniuses".

I hate to point out that ideas like this have been around for  the last decade.  It's only now that the ecconomy is in the toilet that we pay attention.  

Seriously, these bigwigs can't follow the most basic budgetary advice: look at your expenses to a) see if they truely have the value placed upon them or b) if there are cheaper alternatives.  During GM's run to bankruptcy I read that GM's CEO made 14 times his Toyota counterpart (in '07 at least).  That says to me that as far as exec pay goes, we don't shop around for better deals.  We almost think it a privilage to overpay and disregard performance for the guys at the top.  Heck, I'd be will to let it slide if one of these banker or car company jokers would stand up and say "I SCREWED UP" instead of constantly blaming unions, the goverment, or anything else for the business failure.  But nah.  personal responsibily is for other people, I'm sure my failures are all someone else's fault for not doing exactly what I wanted them to do and making my life easy.

Free market works, vote with your feet.  If you don't like the way the company is being run don't buy their stock or bonds.  It's that simple.  Eventually the board will put it together and make the appropriate changes.