Apply Compensation Recovered from Financial Sector to Rebuilding Our Infrastructure

The purpose of the financial sector is to manage and encourage the nation’s flow of capital for beneficial uses. To obtain this service the nation has dedicated trillions of dollars to the industry. The sector, however, has lost or wasted a significant portion of these funds in a constant search for its own profits. This mismanagement has resulted in a major catastrophe for the nation and great harm to the lives of millions of citizens. Minimum operation was only partially returned to the completely disgraced system by the Government providing large injections of funds and guaranteeing the solvency of the major banks.


If the principles of capitalism had been applied at least six major banks would have been allowed to fail. The Government, in a tough decision to make, concluded that such widespread failure would present such a shock to the economy that we would enter a full fledged depression equal to or worse than any every experienced. They were in a position where they had to support incompetence to prevent a greater negative.

I cannot judge the wisdom of this decision. A complete breakdown was avoided. The banks are now making profits as usual but the nation still struggles with massive unemployment and lack of investment. Because of the recession and the associated loss of revenue we cannot even find the political courage for essential investing in the nation’s infrastructure.

In July 2110 the Dodd-Frank bill was passed to correct many of the financial sector operations which lead to this catastrophe. Having been saved by the Government intervention you would think that the industry would be despite to make amends and correct its’ errors. Instead it is spending large sums with lobbyists to prevent the laws effective implementation and to allow continuing with their operations and profit motivations unchanged.

There is no business sector that is held in less regard by the public than financials. The financial sector morally owes the country serious compensation to even allow it to continue to exist as currently structured. This is compensation that could be directly applied to infrastructure improvements and the associated employment.

The country needs it now.