What about the shotgun marriage of BoA and Merrill? The heavy hand of The State was all over that deal, which sends a chilling message to foreign investors.

I think people in the US have less to fear from creeping socialism that from outright fascism. The cornerstone of fascism is the merging of corporate and state interests, and isn't that exactly what we're seeing today?

those are two busted companies who went to the government for help. if the government had not given them billions of dollars, both would be out of business by now. as far as i am concerned, once you accept taxpayer money, then you lose the right to self-determination. as a taxpayer, i want the government to exercise whatever control over those companies is necessary to straighten them out, break them up, or do whatever needs to be done to preserve and return as much of that money as possible to the taxpayers.

if the government had not stepped in, both boa and merrill would be out of business by now, so they and their executives have nothing to complain about. if their bondholders lost some money, or their executives don't like their pay packages, that's too bad, because in a free market environment they would already have lost everything. healthy companies that can stand on their own are not subject to government control.

i am more concerned about the reverse, i.e. control of government by the corporations. when goldman sachs is given nearly $13 billion (funnelled through aig) and then reports strong earnings, there is a real problem with the appearance of the government deciding who wins and who loses.