From NYSE to FSE

After 219 years as the citadel of American capitalism, the New York Stock Exchange was near an agreement to be acquired by Deutsche Börse AG in a deal that would create the world's largest financial exchange. Wall Street Journal Feb. 10, 2011.

It took me a few days to digest the news. I'm still not sure I've wrapped my brain around it. There is very little to say. The headline says it all. For 219 years of the 234 we have existed as a nation, the New York Stock Exchange has too. Does anybody else have a problem with this or is it just me? Call me over-dramatic here, but we've turned a corner in the game called globalization. Is profit bad, no profit isn't bad. But sell history like the New York Stock Exchange off to the highest bidder? Can you do that?

I recall a recent sellout from just down the street there. Wall Street sold us, the American taxpayer, out almost three years ago now to the tune of $1.4 trillion or so right? Has the American taxpayer forgotten about that? Do we care? Is anybody out there in charge of all that keeping track, have they paid us back? I'd like an update...