What Obama and Barney Frank need to focus on is the nefarious practice of Bankers being compensated through restricted stock or stock options. The basic premise of equity compensation is that Manager interests are aligned with shareholder interests through this practice. This theory is flawed for the following reasons
1. The actual cash value of payments in shares are never recognised in the Financials of the company. Share payments are recognised as part of the capital account and not in the operational earnings, as a cost.
2. The amount paid is not a fixed expense amount. Instead, it is a share of the company.
3. You cannot give away the farm to align a managers interest with the owner. To provide an analogy, if I pay my housekeeper, a share in my property so as he does not damage my property, eventually he will own my house and I will be the housekeeper.This is the same concept.
