After it was revealed that Wall Street executives rewarded themselves with nearly twenty billion dollars in bonuses for their 2008 performances, President Obama admonished that such behavior "is the height of irresponsibility. It is shameful. And part of what we're going to need is for folks on Wall Street who are asking for help to show some restraint and show some discipline and show some sense of responsibility." Although the majority of Americans may agree with President Obama's assessment, Senator Christopher Dodd perhaps more closely reflected the public's true sentiment when he observed that "'this infuriates the American people.'"