Should it go both ways?

[mawilson 2,133]

If the American people are gonna bail out ailing corporations, should corporations also have a responsibility to do right by the American people when times are good?

If this is an actual partnership, should corporations start doing their part?

Discuss.

It's wrong to bail out corporations, period. It's the end of capitalism as we know it.

If banks cannot exist safely without a deposit guarantee that is ultimately underwritten

by the taxpayer, we might as well keep them in permanent public ownership.

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

But AJ - insurance companies have the best corporate bonuses for screwing people over . . . . . sigh . . . . . . what great employers

Yes, I've worked for one for many years now. The bonuses are nice.

so YOU are part of the problem!

[akdiver 3]

If the American people are gonna bail out ailing corporations, should corporations also have a responsibility to do right by the American people when times are good? If this is an actual partnership, should corporations start doing their part?

You mean, like providing jobs for people to earn wages, producing products and services for people to buy with those wages, and by paying corporate taxes?

[kaydee457 13]

should corporations also have a responsibility to do right by the American people when times are good?

gay jokes aside, I'm not sure what you mean by this?

Well, when an insurance company lets a cancer patient die because they've done the math and figure they'd rather face a lawsuit than pay for treatment. That's not doing right by the American people and yet it happens all too frequently. But when that company is in trouble, our money is used to bail them out.

Where's the fairness in that?

If we exist to serve them in their time of need, then I think it should be reciprocal. Where are they in our time of need?

AJ, the "them" is us............

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

should corporations also have a responsibility to do right by the American people when times are good?

gay jokes aside, I'm not sure what you mean by this?

Well, when an insurance company lets a cancer patient die because they've done the math and figure they'd rather face a lawsuit than pay for treatment. That's not doing right by the American people and yet it happens all too frequently. But when that company is in trouble, our money is used to bail them out.

Where's the fairness in that?

If we exist to serve them in their time of need, then I think it should be reciprocal. Where are they in our time of need?

AJ, the "them" is us............

Sure, to an extent. But there's no denying the fact that some corporations (again, I'm thinking of insurance companies here) game the system to maximize their profit even if it means dealing with their own customers in bad faith. They screw x number of policyholders out of a benefit in the belief that only a certain percentage of those x policyholders will sue and that fighting/settling those smaller number of lawsuits is cheaper than actually giving out the benefit in the first place. They do it all the time. Is a little good faith from corporations we bail out with our money too much to ask?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

If they're bailed out to the tune of billions then the public should own those companies lock stock and barrel. It doesn't work like that of course - but certainly given that we are indirectly investing in these companies - we should see a return on that investment and this should be enforced through regulation.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

If they're bailed out to the tune of billions then the public should own those companies lock stock and barrel. It doesn't work like that of course - but certainly given that we are indirectly investing in these companies - we should see a return on that investment and this should be enforced through regulation.

[almaty 19]

If they're bailed out to the tune of billions then the public should own those companies lock stock and barrel. It doesn't work like that of course - but certainly given that we are indirectly investing in these companies - we should see a return on that investment and this should be enforced through regulation.

total agreement

[ginger1981 0]

If they're bailed out to the tune of billions then the public should own those companies lock stock and barrel. It doesn't work like that of course - but certainly given that we are indirectly investing in these companies - we should see a return on that investment and this should be enforced through regulation.

But wouldn't that be communist

[chri'stina 190]

should corporations also have a responsibility to do right by the American people when times are good?

gay jokes aside, I'm not sure what you mean by this?

Well, when an insurance company lets a cancer patient die because they've done the math and figure they'd rather face a lawsuit than pay for treatment. That's not doing right by the American people and yet it happens all too frequently. But when that company is in trouble, our money is used to bail them out.

Where's the fairness in that?

If we exist to serve them in their time of need, then I think it should be reciprocal. Where are they in our time of need?

I agree. I don't know how one would enforce it but if they expect to get help they should also give it. I think maybe what the government is doing is disconnected in their(companies) minds as the American people doing it. Who knows.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

should corporations also have a responsibility to do right by the American people when times are good?

gay jokes aside, I'm not sure what you mean by this?

Well, when an insurance company lets a cancer patient die because they've done the math and figure they'd rather face a lawsuit than pay for treatment. That's not doing right by the American people and yet it happens all too frequently. But when that company is in trouble, our money is used to bail them out.

Where's the fairness in that?

If we exist to serve them in their time of need, then I think it should be reciprocal. Where are they in our time of need?

I agree. I don't know how one would enforce it but if they expect to get help they should also give it. I think maybe what the government is doing is disconnected in their(companies) minds as the American people doing it. Who knows.

Regulation would be one way of ensuring a return - though would really depend on the company. Another way might be to provide some sort of repayment to the treasury (basically the bail-out money would be a loan) the repayment of which would be used to provide tax relief to the public.

Edited September 18, 2008 by Paul Daniels

[almaty 19]

If they're bailed out to the tune of billions then the public should own those companies lock stock and barrel. It doesn't work like that of course - but certainly given that we are indirectly investing in these companies - we should see a return on that investment and this should be enforced through regulation.

But wouldn't that be communist

'ginger 1981" is a charter member of commies for christ...

brother stevie: chairman and dictator of the proletariat