Wall street wants another bailout. Just might get it.

[myreality]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/busine...d1394&hpid=z14

Americans were angry when Wall Street’s greedy and risky behavior triggered a global financial crisis in 2008. They were angrier still when the government had to borrow and spend hundreds of billions of dollars to rescue mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the largest banks and the insurance company AIG. They were outraged when they found out that executives at those enterprises were continuing to receive big salaries and bonuses.

So just imagine how it outrageous it would be if some Wall Street sharpies went to court to argue that they didn’t benefit enough from the bailouts and that taxpayers should pay them tens of billions of dollars more.

In fact, they did. And, according to legal observers, they just might prevail.

“Lawsuits of the Rich and Shameless” is how the comedian Jon Stewart dubbed it.

Federal district court judges in Washington and New York initially dismissed both challenges. Their opinions noted, somewhat pointedly, that the Wall Street plaintiffs were not only unharmed but actually came out better off as a result of the government rescues. Yet both groups have now found a more sympathetic hearing a stone’s throw from the front gate of the White House, at a little-known brick courthouse called the U.S. Court of Claims.

There, Greenberg is asking the court to award him and other AIG shareholders at least $23 billion from the Treasury. He says that’s to compensate them for the 80 percent of AIG stock that the Federal Reserve demanded as a condition for its bailout. Judge Thomas Wheeler has repeatedly signaled his agreement with Greenberg. A decision is expected any day.

Sooooooooo, who wants to bet that some politicians are going to get a few kick backs from this?

[Krazy]

I shouldn't wish death on people, but yeah, fuck these assholes. I hope they die bloody.

[Harajuku]

Must be time for the big wigs to remodel the houses they bought with the last "bailout" money. Pfft.

[Aristio]

I shouldn't wish death on people, but yeah, fuck these assholes. I hope they die bloody.

I always wanted to be a political assassin if I didn't already have kids. These people would have been a target.

/badass off

[thetruepandagod]

I think we should give them what they ask for.

[Kyreth]

In pennies. Loaded on a dump truck. Deposited on their heads while they stand in the bottom of a large pit.

$23 billion in pennies should be enough to cover the plantiffs with interest.

[Prim]

Anyone born in the 80s could tell you that plan wouldn't work.

[Melena]