"fair is fair" ok, but how will your fair solution affect things?

I appreciate the sentiments of this C-J editorial with the same title. But it is marked by a typical inability to imagine unintended consequences of government policy.

It's a long story. But interestingly, it was a "maximum wage" law after World War II that led to health insurance being provided by companies. As a subsidized form of compensation, it drove up the cost of health insurance and health care over time, causing most of our problems in that arena.

"This is America. We don't disparage wealth. We don't begrudge anybody for achieving success. And we believe that success should be rewarded. But what gets people upset -- and rightfully so -- are executives being rewarded for failure. Especially when those rewards are subsidized by American taxpayers."

Somebody say amen to President Obama's message affirming a commitment to capitalism -- but let's also applaud his notion that strings should be attached to the public money that bails out bank executives whose firms have come begging Uncle Sam for help.

Uhhh...first, this ain't capitalism (at all).

Second, the C-J'ers are correct that the govt certainly has the right to attach strings along with subsidies. But one must still be concerned about the practical implications of those strings.