Russell Brand.........

[Herr Tubthumper]

I certainly wouldn't disagree with you that the banks needed to be bailed out. But isn't the concern more with the fact that the banks then continued to pay huge bonuses to their CEO's almost immediately afterwards?

If the banks had agreed to pay back what they borrowed from the taxpayer before they paid out any bonuses, I think a lot more people would be comfortable with the situation.

Quite. And they profits they started to re-make after 2007 were as much, if not more, down to various governments proping up economies as they were to any talent within the banks.

 

[aolstudios]

I certainly wouldn't disagree with you that the banks needed to be bailed out. But isn't the concern more with the fact that the banks then continued to pay huge bonuses to their CEO's almost immediately afterwards?

If the banks had agreed to pay back what they borrowed from the taxpayer before they paid out any bonuses, I think a lot more people would be comfortable with the situation.

A pertinent point

 

[dazzer6666]

A pertinent point

Agree entirely with the sentiment, but not all the banks needed bailing out, so there would have been mass walkouts from the bailed-out banks (of good people that had nothing to do with the scandalous stuff), quite probably limiting their ability to ever be profitable (or even solvent) again. Impossible to reconcile really.

 

[attila]

'When I was poor they said I was bitter. Now that I'm rich they say I'm a hypocrite'.
Not a fan of Brand, but he does make some important points, and that was a fairly spot on riposte, IMO.

Not as good as the reply from Italian 1994 World Cup manager Arrigo Sacchi who, when asked whether his understanding of and credibility within the game was compromised by his never having been a professional player, said
'I never realised that in order to become a jockey you have to have been a horse first'

 

[Buzzer]

'When I was poor they said I was bitter. Now that I'm rich they say I'm a hypocrite'.

Nice soundbite but as with most of Brand's utterances, doesn't hold water. When he was poor what was it he was saying that the rich (presumably) said he was bitter about:

That the poor need more help? That some people have far more wealth than they need? That the tax system favours the rich? That it's obscene that some people spunk money on £400 a head meals whilst some families struggle to get by on Tesco's stripey brand food?

If so then if, as it appears, he's now got the lifestyle of those he was allegedly bitter about then yes, he's a hypocrite.

 

[attila]

Nice soundbite but as with most of Brand's utterances, doesn't hold water. When he was poor what was it he was saying that the rich (presumably) said he was bitter about:

That the poor need more help? That some people have far more wealth than they need? That the tax system favours the rich? That it's obscene that some people spunk money on £400 a head meals whilst some families struggle to get by on Tesco's stripey brand food?

If so then if, as it appears, he's now got the lifestyle of those he was allegedly bitter about then yes, he's a hypocrite.

Personally I think the whole 'celebrity culture' sucks, precisely because it drags people, however well meaning, into that vapid, greedy world. Nice to bump into you the other day

 

[Buzzer]

Personally I think the whole 'celebrity culture' sucks, precisely because it drags people, however well meaning, into that vapid, greedy world. Nice to bump into you the other day

You're not wrong. Nice to see you too. And keep off the chips!

 

[Hastings gull]

Oh come on. I bet many suburban types secretly envy Brand's good looks, wit, attention, drug taking, shagging, cash and general life of chaos, fun and danger. I'm sure many bored housewives think of him as their clapped out overweight husband climbs into bed and falls asleep.

Good post. Liked it! I am sure that my wife does not think like that when I get into bed . .

 

[Mr Bridger]

You're not wrong. Nice to see you too. And keep off the chips!

We're they on his shoulders?

 

[El Presidente]

None of this would be happening if

1: Brand didn't have a book to sell.
2: The senior management of the banks had an ounce of decency and sense of social responsibility.

 

[rogersix]

on getting any sense out of you, yes.

sitrep (just for my benefit), what you're labouring to get through to me is;
thatch and bliar were in cahoots with the bank robbers, and this is just how it is. any thoughts
of creating a meritocratic/moralistic society are idealistic tosh and ought to be abandoned.
is this the vague notion? sort of just give up and dont even bother to pretend.
i think i can feel myself growing up

 

[Lower West Stander]

The world is, I believe, still turning after Lehman and Bear Sterns went to the wall.

There's a world of difference, IMO, between the people who work at banks with a 9-5 role, and 'bankers' whose contempt for those they work for and with led to the $700 billion bailout in the US, and the huge costs incurred here too by the UK taxpayer. It would have happened irrespective of whether you vote Labour or Tory too, so cheap political point scoring by some on this thread is way off the mark.

And it will happen again.

I don't agree with a number of points you've made on this thread but I totally agree with this one. The fact was that before the 2008 blowup banks were making shitloads of money which was nicely plumping treasury coffers. It really did not matter what government was in charge - no one was going to get in the way of banks at the time because they were so profitable.

It is a very sad fact that the 2008 crisis had nothing to do with politics and everything to do with money. And when the next collapse happens - it will be for exactly the same reason.

 

[Guinness Boy]

sitrep (just for my benefit), what you're labouring to get through to me is;
thatch and bliar were in cahoots with the bank robbers, and this is just how it is. any thoughts
of creating a meritocratic/moralistic society are idealistic tosh and ought to be abandoned.
is this the vague notion? sort of just give up and dont even bother to pretend.
i think i can feel myself growing up

I'm saying that capitalism is slightly less shit that socialism. About 90% of the world agrees with me. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_socialist_states

 

[London Irish]

None of this would be happening if

1: Brand didn't have a book to sell.
2: The senior management of the banks had an ounce of decency and sense of social responsibility.

Read the book - he's a true believer, whatever you think of his solutions

 

[bWize]

Brand comes across as the poster boy for the devil to me. Wouldn't be surprised if he's tucked up with the establishment and being used as 'the peoples person'

He isn't what he seems in my view.

 

[vegster]

And it will happen again.

I don't agree with a number of points you've made on this thread but I totally agree with this one. The fact was that before the 2008 blowup banks were making shitloads of money which was nicely plumping treasury coffers. It really did not matter what government was in charge - no one was going to get in the way of banks at the time because they were so profitable.

It is a very sad fact that the 2008 crisis had nothing to do with politics and everything to do with money. And when the next collapse happens - it will be for exactly the same reason.

Mind you it is getting harder for the banks . I think we have rumbled all the Libor fixing and mis selling so they might actually have to work for their money.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

We're they on his shoulders?

 

[El Presidente]

Mind you it is getting harder for the banks . I think we have rumbled all the Libor fixing and mis selling so they might actually have to work for their money.

The latest wheeze is to identify trades as they are made and using even faster connections to arbitrage them before they are completed to make very small gains, which are multiplied millions of times. Ker-ching

 

[8ace]

I'd love to be custard cousins with Russel Brand and sling one up Katy Perry.

 

[rogersix]

I'm saying that capitalism is slightly less shit that socialism. About 90% of the world agrees with me. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_socialist_states

so your point is financial regulation = socialism
as you're au fait with these matters, a little advice please,
what is the minimum amount i need to blag to avoid any legal recourse?