Don't tell that one to the Marines Sen. McCain, tell that to your wife Cindy and you'll quickly figure out how many couches you have to sleep on. How much did she make last year? I know the beer co. isn't getting a federal bailout but this type of populist bather reeks of desperation. But then again, so did the Sarah Palin thing. Just keepin' it real

Beltway Greg

I don't think they should get paid at all.

Obviously the talent they were attracting in the past wasn't too hot with money, so how could it get worse?

The current talent on Wall Street flat out sucks.

I know one thing, I would not have sold adjustable-rate mortgages with prime as low as it was during most of the Bush administration. There is no way for that not to go off the cliff. (I still have my adjustable from 1885 - prime was high, so it almost always adjusts down - it's 5.5% this year. I figure the money I've never spent on refinancing is now worth around $200,000.)

I would take a $400,000 job.

Any bailout should start with the homeowner. Payoff all questionable loans to make the banks whole and transfer the outstanding homeowners mortgage to a government managed service organization to refinance and collect the mortgage payment. It works for me, it works for the homeowner but not the bankers! They don't want the loans paid off - they want an infusion of $700 million! Don't do it!

At least he is talking about the ridiculous amounts of money being made by CEO's. At the very least, shareholders need input into executive pay scale and benefits. The good ole' boys club needs to be terminated.

why do i have to pay tax dollars for people who live above there means i work 2 jobs put my kids threw school shit i mays as well just foreclose but the money i save to retire would be taken away welfare maybe

Piece of wisdom, but it is only an opinion.
The government cannot dictate in this area, but the corporate boards sure can. In this case, McCain is speaking for Joe Sixpack and it is about time. Corporate America has gotten into "pay well", not "pay well for positive result", for too long. Time magazine should have a new venue - they could call it "most incompetent of the year". It would give the readers hundreds of choices. We could also have a "Benedict Arnold award" and reserve that for politicians.

Is there anyway we can get unbiased reporting on network news shows? I suggest we start with ABC and boycott. I for one will take ABC off my tv by blocking it. I can do without the VIEW, the reality substandard shows, the game shows, the sports. I will watch these on CBS and NBC, and then I will boycott NBC and all they offer. CBS will be next. I have resisted cable for all the obvious reasons, but will view FOX online. Join me. Any reasonable person observing how they are treating the Republican candidates with bias and giving us pablum reporting on the Democratic candidates would agree that they are not reputable news or programming people.

It is absolutly ridiculous that executives receive any compensation when their company is going under. I am an owner of a $5mil company, and when things get slow, like now, I cut my pay and I always make sure my people are paid and my suppliers are paid. Republicans and large corporations need to do the same! Not one dime of taxpayer money should go to executives, especially if their company is in trouble- obviously they did not do a very good job!!!!

Some of these comments are ridiculous. "The government can't dictate CEO pay and bonus money?" Why not? They want someone to bail them out so they won't go under. Well it is time to make them pay for these handouts. "Don't do this because you may lose CEO talent and they may elect to instead be a doctor?" Trust me, the money is better as a CEO and if they want a big salary, then it should be earned. How many patients want to go to a flunkie doctor that has lost patients on the operating table? And do not compare McCain and his wifes' business to a bank which insurers the depositors investments. Jeez, people wake up! Our economy is so friggin' bad, that our once democratic government is acting as a CEO to get us out of this mess and we know what will happen now; look at Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac. Look at our budget deficit over 100 billion dollars a month and a 9 trillion dollar national debt and this last 1 trillion dollars to be added on in the next month! Our free enterprise system has been shot to hell because of greed on wall street and in Washington. We do not even have free health insurance in this so called great country. God help us when Medicare and Social Security go belly up in the next 20 years. I think we had all better be looking for a country like Canada where everything has not gone beserk in government. Who the hell would want to be the next president?

I like McCains way of thinking. These executives who receive astranomical salaries and bonuses should be downgraded to lesser jobs and put in someone who can handle it. For years these fat cats have been paid too much money and for what? Bonuses should only be given to deserving people who do performances above and beyond their jobs. That's the way businesses that I have worked for do.

It is so sad that our country is where it is at and when you look at who's to blame...there are the homeowners who overextended themselves, the builders who went crazy building homes, the banks who gave loans our irresponsibly and the market for how they handled the resale etc. Americans need to start becoming responsible for their own personal debt and then hold the companies responsible for mismanagement. It is time we quit pointing fingers and look in the mirror to help instead of complain about this situation. Hard work and standing together will get us through this.

Little Johnny McCain is grasping at straws that Sarah Palin has been throwing his way. Afterall, she is the reason why anybody listens to this little peckerhead anyway. Never mind that she is a racist white trailer trash speaking in tongues religious whacko! America loves not too intelligent fake leaders who they can relate too. The white overweight Walmart crowd says Sarah is the new white Oprah Winfrey, and they worship her because she told them she is on a Mission From God!

MAYBE IF EVERYONE KNEW THAT McCAIN IS REALLY AND TRAITOR TO HIS FELLOW SERVICEMEN ( SANG TO THE VIET CONG TO FAVORABLE TREATMENT ) AND CALL THE US DEVILS FOR THERE INVOLMENT IN VIET NAM. BUT IT SEEMS HIS WAR RECORDS HAVE BEEN SEALED BY THE US GOVERMENT FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON,, BUSH SR AND BUSH JR. LITTLE COVERUP FOR THERE FELLOW PROPGANDA MINISTAR

What a great story ref: Cuomo gets Citi to buy back.....

Nice to hear facts, lets do some work to not allow our money to be given to these crooks, without stipulations, only to be used to refi bad loans, not to be used for any other general fund. What is up in Washington. Does anyone know a site that posts all Senators and Rep voting records. This should wake up everyone. Lets not just vote. Lets educate ourselves in who we are voting for, and not listen to our ________ party leaders.
I think this nation is very close to the boston tea party. Stick your head out the window and say We are sick and tired of being had.

If you think this is bad, check out this information on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Al_y3g77ZsA

Stop letting them fool you about talent. It's who you know that gets you to the top. If you can balance your checkbook you can run a company. You don't spend more than you have and you don't borrow more than you can pay back. It goes for big and little companies. The CEO's get paid toooo much. Way toooo much. Some of that should go to the little person on the bottom of the ladder.

how about this if your co. is part of this bail out the CEO of any bailed out co. should be forced to resign. and why should they get top dollar is it fair to give the next person in the line of a failing and bailed out co. 400,00.00 dollars just because thats the most a fed emplyee is making pay them $#!T for causing this $#!t in the first place