Quote Originally Posted by Fisherking View Post
Your government owns the banks. Our banks own the government.
Nah, that's not what modern government ownership is about.

The government does not "own" corporations like the old days of nationalized industry, nowadays they're simply another investor. While the business minstry has ownership, actual decision for the companies are not made by politicians, but by people appointed to do so.

I don't think complete ownership is beneficial. But owning shares which generates income for the state? Of course that's beneficial.

In regards to the bank bailout, I believe the momey given should've been treated like a bid, and the government given the appropriate amount of shares. If that would've meant all the shares(I don't really know what a US investment bank is/was worth...), then the state would've been given complete ownership, which it could then sell off again when the situation stabilized and people wanted to buy the shares.