Corporate bail-outs

[outsider]

If we as a nation will bail out these huge corporations through tax dollars, or loans from the fed which translates into higher national debt, why can't we do so by the US Treasury owning shares in these companies instead?

If these companies are perceived to be viable in the future it would make some sense to help them. It would make more sense to invest in them the same way the public would invest in them and to make a return the same way the public would make a return on them. Sadly I think we would end up owning far more of these companies than would be good for a government entity to own but any dividends returned would be well used to pay down the national debt rather than increasing the national debt.

If we are going to keep bailing these people out we should be able to get something back from it I think.

[TheZenMan]

Fuck bail-outs.

It's not possible to remove failure from the equation and expect progress.

Let them fail, let them learn. If they do both, then they'll grow.

If not, they just fail.

It's like giving kids trophies for 18th place, and telling them that everyone's a winner...even though they just fucking lost.

[Kewl]

If we as a nation will bail out these huge corporations through tax dollars, or loans from the fed which translates into higher national debt, why can't we do so by the US Treasury owning shares in these companies instead?

If these companies are perceived to be viable in the future it would make some sense to help them. It would make more sense to invest in them the same way the public would invest in them and to make a return the same way the public would make a return on them. Sadly I think we would end up owning far more of these companies than would be good for a government entity to own but any dividends returned would be well used to pay down the national debt rather than increasing the national debt.

If we are going to keep bailing these people out we should be able to get something back from it I think.
Do these corporations come with a tag that says do not wash with colors & viable in the future? I don't think the gov't needs more things to be pointed at and blamed for. Plus to take any dent into your national debt you'd have to put a lot of effort into managing these investments. They wouldn't be able to just point and shoot.

[TheZenMan]

Do these corporations come with a tag that says do not wash with colors & viable in the future? I don't think the gov't needs more things to be pointed at and blamed for. Plus to take any dent into your national debt you'd have to put a lot of effort into managing these investments. They wouldn't be able to just point and shoot.

But the government is to blame for this, and many, many other things.

Specifically, it's bloated size and ever expanding nature. Until that's addressed, seriously addressed, it's just going to get worse.

[outsider]

Fuck bail-outs.

It's not possible to remove failure from the equation and expect progress.

Let them fail, let them learn. If they do both, then they'll grow.

If not, they just fail.

It's like giving kids trophies for 18th place, and telling them that everyone's a winner...even though they just fucking lost.

I totally agree. I'm just saying that since they are being bailed out that there should be a chance for returns on it same as if a bunch of private investors dumped money into these companies.


Do these corporations come with a tag that says do not wash with colors & viable in the future? I don't think the gov't needs more things to be pointed at and blamed for. Plus to take any dent into your national debt you'd have to put a lot of effort into managing these investments. They wouldn't be able to just point and shoot.


Well it is the fault of the government, and sadly by proxy us, that these companies are still around even though they have for all intents and purposes failed. If I blow all my money and rack up a huge debt I'm not going to get bailed out, I might be able to declare bankruptcy but I'm not going to be given money to maintain a way of life like these companies are. If we throw 80 billion at these companies and do it at a below standard interest loan we lose money eve when they pay it back. If we buy shares and they turn it around we get money back.

[TheZenMan]

I wasn't disputing, just adding.