I get it. We're all infuriated about the AIG bonuses. Our moral indignation has never been higher. But here's a memo for everyone, left, right, and center: you're getting played.
Back in the Roman Empire, the emperors knew that all they really needed to do to keep the people happy--and thus, to keep themselves well supplied with peeled grapes and concubines--was to make sure the people had food and amusement: Bread and circuses. If the people weren't overly hungry, and had something to distract them, the emperors knew they could get away with really anything they wanted for as long as they wanted.
For instance, they could get their veni, vidi, vici on across all the way up to Hadrian's Wall, regardless of whether there was any real need or point to doing so. And if such shenanigans had any unintended consequences, such as overextending Rome's power to the point of bringing down the entire empire, well, the next fellow would have to clean up the mess.
If that sounds familiar, it should. It's every Republican administration since, let's see, at least Nixon.
Flip, for what this has to do with AIG.
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