Really? This is nothing if not ominous.
U.S. Seeks Expanded Power to Seize Firms
The Obama administration is considering asking Congress to give the Treasury secretary unprecedented powers to initiate the seizure of non-bank financial companies, such as large insurers, investment firms and hedge funds, whose collapse would damage the broader economy, according to an administration document. ~washingtonpost.com
My first thought upon hearing this was that this is the deathknell of our democracy. First, go after the money. Total and complete political meddling.
Besides seizing a company outright, the document states, the Treasury Secretary could use a range of tools to prevent its collapse, such as guaranteeing losses, buying assets or taking a partial ownership stake. Such authority also would allow the government to break contracts, such as the agreements to pay $165 million in bonuses to employees of AIG’s most troubled unit. ~washingtonpost.com