Bin Laden: Laughing All the Way at the Banks

by Jacqueline Leo

It doesn't take a terrorist to bring the U.S. to its knees. All it takes is a few greedy executives, a Congress that looks the other way even when the warning shots are fired, and a society that wants to believe that you can get something for nothing--like a house.

Yes, we've seen it all before: The S & L scandal of the 80's that sent the markets reeling and drove the economy into recession; the tech bubble of the 90's that burst when Y2K came and went without a data wipe out. But this is different. Back then, our share of the world GDP was about 50%. Today, it's 25% as global economies grow and thrive. Back then, workers had guaranteed fixed pensions along with social security. Today, they have 401K's, which are vulnerable to market swings. Back then, we weren't looking at a humongous deficit fueled by war, unbridled wasteful spending and entitlements that threaten to rob the next generation of Americans of their future.

So history keeps repeating itself. But just like the athlete that has had one concussion too many, America may not recover so easily from this last fall. Adding to the outrage, the people who put us in this mess are likely to walk away scot-free.

Who are they? Some of them run America's largest banks and insurance companies. Others are everyday people who decided that money does grow on trees. Still others are elected officials who knew there was a problem but did nothing to stop it.

Well, if you're mad as hell and you don't want to take it anymore, you can do something about it. Send the perps to Stupid Jail. Vote on the length of their sentences. And whether or not they are eligible for parole. Every week, we'll find showcase a new contender--someone who we indict, but who you may decide to acquit....or not.

Let me know who you think should be next. Add you nominations below. And thanks for participating.