The capital markets must reward for success and punish for failure. When the risk is taken away or even failure rewarded, then the markets are so distorted that there can be no efficient application of capital.
Our system was (is) so distorted that fools are saying the solution is spend, spend, spend!
I almost choked when I heard that the Pres thought that loss of jobs at an RV plant was a crisis. I wonder he didn't stop by a Hummer assembly plant on the way back.
Don't get me wrong. Any loss of valid employment is sad. It's just that we, as a civilization, need a serious dose of Values Clarification.
If you don't understand ENTROPY, and cannot appreciate that FINITE is now measured in generations, not centuries, you are part of the problem.
As an engineer, I think there are long term solutions. I just don't think the political process can allow them to be discussed, much less implemented.