Free Markets Aren't Free

Yesterday, the Republican "leadership" decided that enough was enough and sought to stymie the momentum in Congress to restrict executive bonuses to companies receiving taxpayer derived money from the bailout.
Mind you this is the same gang that did not want the stimulus to see the light of day.
AIG's Financial Products Group, based in London, was ground zero for the mortgage backed securities, debt swaps and derivatives that we now know are largely responsible for the global financial crisis meltdown.
It has been reported that through this group's actions AIG may have lost as much as $500B USD marketing these financial instruments. AIG alone lost $62B USD in 4Q, the largest loss by any company in one quarter in US history.
How can any company justify giving their so-called "best and brightest" a bonus of any kind. Yes, there were contracts signed, but were they signed on the premise that individuals get paid even at such staggering losses?! I find it intriguing that conservatives, who howl against "socialism" and tout free market principles would be for such a travesty. What they propose goes aganist everything a free market stands for, and what about the underlings who must now be lumped in with their coworkers who mishandled and misplaced the public;s trust.
Ludwig von Mises and Josef Schumpeter are rolling over in their graves right now!