Pity Party For The Financials

The Senate Democrats slipped a provision into the recovery bill that, according to the Washington Post, “limits bonuses for executives at all financial institutions receiving government funds to no more than a third of their annual compensation.”

“This is a big deal. This is a problem,” said Scott Talbott, chief lobbyist for the nation’s largest financial services firms. “It undermines the current incentive structure.”

Aww. Poor babies.

The bonus restrictions would apply to a varying number of employees at each firm, depending on how much money the firm has taken in government assistance. At banks receiving less than $25 million, the limits would apply to only the highest-paid employee. For those receiving $25 million to $250 million, the restriction would apply to the five highest-paid employees. The top five executives and ten highest-paid employees would be affected at firms receiving $250 million to $500 million.

Awwwwwwwww. So sad.

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  • Jeff

    I like it. Now I’m no financial expert, but is the downside of this that greedy execs would choose to let their firms forego assistance, let their instituions tank, and split up all assets amongst themselves, lay off employees, and screw shareholders and investors, rather than take a pay cut for the greater good?

  • GIthePotato

    They ran their companies into the ground, created a housing crisis, dropped the value of everyone’s 401K 50%, dropped the DOW 40% and had the balls to ask for a bailout or they were going to take the entire global economy down with them.Yeah, I am sorry for their loss. Most people would be on the street if they were responsible for anyone one of these things in company. Not in America. We have to pass legislation to wake these spoiled brats up.Adding…How in the hell could the GOP not be pissed at executive pay but and UNION pay? More commercials please.

  • ceu

    greedy

  • SillyGit

    My father no longer calls members of the GOP Republicans. He calls the “The Greed Boys”.I prefer “The Greed Brigade”. They rush in and grab all the money.

  • cminri

    The Greedy Obstructionist Party

  • El Mystico

    Dear Mr. Talbott,Your current incentive structure is bullshit. Also, your clients are failures, and they’ll take what they can get like every other failure. kthx,El Mystico

  • http://nanotyrnns.blogspot.com/ Nanotyrannus

    Didn’t a couple of them at the hearings the other day say “I’d do this for no salary ’cause I love the job” or some such bullshit?They’ll cry about it now, but they will find a way to get around the law. They’ll re-kajigger the definition of ‘bonus’ or call it something else, or bundle it up in some sort of new, improved, impossible to regulate compensation derivative. They’ll get there bonuses even as they continue to lay off lower level staff and employees.

  • bibimimi

    I weep 4 thee, u clown.

  • NorCalNative

    I hate greedy twits as much as the next guy. The problem I have with the financial sector is that it’s difficult to see or know what exactly constitutes a job well done.This country needs a serious reboot on the wages of the middle and lower classes. And, the Royal Elitists need to have their wages come down to more realistic levels that more accurately measure their true worth.

  • http://www.abc.net.au/science/moon/earthrise.htm veralynn

    I understand they are used to a certain level of pay. I got my pay cut and am still adjusting, without the govt handing me billions, I would accept thousands if anyone wants to send my way :) .However, if I have to adjust without govt help, perhaps these guys could adjust.I heard on NPR the other day a reporter for NY Times, I think, he wrote an article about how hard it was for the financial people to adjust to “only” living on the $500,000 limit imposed on them. The reporter, unfortunately, was getting hate mail for defending these people, which he wasn’t. He was talking about how these people were used to paying $8,000 for a mortgage, private schools and their doorman. This would be an adjustment that would be hard for them. He said there was peer pressure to keep up with themselves.That is what it all boiled down to, peer pressure.I remember hearing Brian Williams giving a commencement speech a few years ago. He said, and I am paraphrasing, real life is 8th grade, that is the secret of life….8th grade.

  • eve

    “It undermines the current incentive structure.”a depression would undermine it a lot more

  • http://www.osborneink.com Matt Osborne

    What eve said.Gawd, it’s as if Americans were being asked to sacrifice for the greater good or something. What do those darn Demorates (sic) think, we’re in the middle of a global war or something?? Huh??!!Really, this is silly. After 9/11 we were asked to go shopping, ignore the shredding of the Constitution, and turn a blind eye to wars of choice. For that, we got a nice big ol’ tax cut for the financial class. Now that the global economy’s grinding to a screeching halt, we can’t possibly ask them to give back, because it’s un-American or something. Sheesh!

  • Elena

    I would suggest a wedge of Limbaugher cheese to go along with their whine.

  • Packy

    Hey – Don’t be so hard on ‘em!Have any of YOU tried to make do with several million a year in salary, plus tens of million in bonuses (all the while working hard, running your company into the ground)?No?Me neither.

  • Honesty

    WHO’S LOOKING AT THE COMPENSATION OF THE HEALTHCARE INSURANCE EXECUTIVES?The health insurance companies have played a major role in our current healthcare crisis. They make huge profits and their CEOs make millions, while the rest of us are denied care.ANNUAL COMPENSATION OF HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY EXECUTIVES (2006 and 2007 figures):• Ronald A. Williams, Chair/ CEO, Aetna Inc., $23,045,834• H. Edward Hanway, Chair/ CEO, Cigna Corp, $30.16 million• David B. Snow, Jr, Chair/ CEO, Medco Health, $21.76 million• Michael B. MCallister, CEO, Humana Inc, $20.06 million• Stephen J. Hemsley, CEO, UnitedHealth Group, $13,164,529• Angela F. Braly, President/ CEO, Wellpoint, $9,094,771• Dale B. Wolf, CEO, Coventry Health Care, $20.86 million• Jay M. Gellert, President/ CEO, Health Net, $16.65 million• William C. Van Faasen, Chairman, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, $3 million plus $16.4 million in retirement benefits• Charlie Baker, President/ CEO, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, $1.5 million• James Roosevelt, Jr., CEO, Tufts Associated Health Plans, $1.3 million• Cleve L. Killingsworth, President/CEO Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, $3.6 million• Raymond McCaskey, CEO, Health Care Service Corp (Blue Cross Blue Shield), $10.3 million• Daniel P. McCartney, CEO, Healthcare Services Group, Inc, $ 1,061,513• Daniel Loepp, CEO, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, $1,657,555• Todd S. Farha, CEO, WellCare Health Plans, $5,270,825• Michael F. Neidorff, CEO, Centene Corp, $8,750,751• Daniel Loepp, CEO, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, $1,657,555• Todd S. Farha, CEO, WellCare Health Plans, $5,270,825• Michael F. Neidorff, CEO, Centene Corp, $8,750,751This executive compensation could be used to provide quality healthcare for millions of Americans! THE HEALTH INSURANCE INDUSTRY MUST BE REGULATED AS WELL.If you want to learn more, go to:http://www.insurancecompanyrules.org/learn_more/the_roster/

  • rick390

    The “Grasping Old Putzes” want the middle class to make all the sacrifices. Heaven forbid corporate execs should feel any pain.

  • Packy

    How Daniel P. McCartney makes ends meet is beyond me.

  • SillyGit

    THE HEALTH INSURANCE INDUSTRY MUST BE REGULATED AS WELL.I disagree. The health insurance industry should be shut down and replaced by a not for profit expanded version of medicare. Doctors will not be able to not accept medicare unless they want to work for cash only.The insurance industry has demonstrated that having profit motive in the payment system for health care is a very bad idea. On should not have to fire an attorney to force your health insurance provider to pay for bypass surgery.

  • MZ

    Incentives? The hell?Dudes. You already failed. Any incentives you got, you shouldn’t have. FAILED.How’s this for an incentive: your company continues to exist. Good enough incentive? If it’s not, you certainly don’t deserve a further one.