Bernie Madoff's mistake is that he screwed over other rich people.

I like (as in don't like) how that's the excuse for every counter example. Just like how Martha Stewart only went to jail because she didn't play golf with the right people.

Agreed. Great wealth and connections didn't seem to help Raj Rajaratnam of Galleon (a billionaire) avoid prison for insider trading. Or Rajat Gupta. Or the ~60 other wealthy hedge fund managers and their associates who have been convicted in the investigation. (Or, for that matter, Michael Milken.)

In 1980s hundreds of banksters went to jail in loans&savings scandal. US went to the dogs: 1. Militarily: terrorism as tactics is just effective (especially cost-effective). US looks like it is trying to kill a fly using a machine gun. Good luck! 2. Politically: corrupt to the core. As weak as never before. 3. Economically: capitalism is really not about being in debt. It is about capital accumulation via savings. Currently, the US is the biggest debtor in the History of the World. 600% gdp - that's our total debt.

Is your comment related to mine or was the reply link just conveniently placed?