Reply #74: Interesting how you pick GE as your example

[progressive_realist]

Shows you are well aware that GE is the only company from the original DJIA to remain on the list. A historical comparison of today's DJIA to that of a century ago is meaningless, because the components are regularly updated to reflect the dominant companies of the time. It is a comparison of apples and oranges. But you already knew that.

As far as shedding risk, we all know exactly how this will turn out. You can look at the investment bank crisis of the early 80's, or the S&L bailout of the late 80's, or the currency speculation meltdowns of the late 90's to see that large financial institutions almost always find a way to stick the taxpayers with their major losses. Naturally, smaller investors who can't pay off the politicians get shafted in these settlement processes.