That $800 Billion

So what has Paulson done so far with your $800 billion? He’s rewarded his friends, of course. $70 BILLION has gone to executives and staff. The Guardian reports:

Financial workers at Wall Street’s top banks are to receive pay deals worth more than $70bn (£40bn), a substantial proportion of which is expected to be paid in discretionary bonuses, for their work so far this year – despite plunging the global financial system into its worst crisis since the 1929 stock market crash, the Guardian has learned.

Staff at six banks including Goldman Sachs and Citigroup are in line to pick up the payouts despite being the beneficiaries of a $700bn bail-out from the US government that has already prompted criticism. The government’s cash has been poured in on the condition that excessive executive pay would be curbed.

Yes, Paulson’s Goldman Sachs – which didn’t even get bailed out – will get a $11.4 billion gift from the government. Congress is investigating.

Further, as colleague Iain Murray unveiled, “Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JP Morgan Chase, has agreed in principle to be Obama’s Treasury Secretary. Dimon worked hand-in-glove with Hank Paulson over the Bear Stearns bailout.”

So it appears Mr Spread-the-Wealth will continue Paulson’s legacy.