On Ponzi Schemes

There are no pictures to describe this. Bernie Madoff got sentenced today, to 120 years in prison for his massive Ponzi Scheme. Yes, it was wrong, yes, he hurt many people and was cold blooded, but if he is getting 120 years, there are others that should 500 years.
For those of you who do not know what a Ponzi scheme is, here is a guide. You sweet-talk somebody into giving you his money and promise great returns. You give great returns, but out of that money. Your client is now enamoured with his investment and puts more money into it and convinces his friends, family and relatives that this is a great investment. More money floods in and the returns are paid out of the new money coming in. All is well until you are found out or your house of cards collapses due its sheer weight. There is no investing and the fund grows because of all the new money coming in.
There are two other Ponzi schemes out there that we have all fallen prey to. The first one is investing in Mutual funds. Those of you who have them know all about what goes on. Promises, promises. "The market always goes up in the long term." "Invest and hold for the long term." The only people here making any money are the brokers, the fund mangers, and the Mutual fund companies. The investor gets the dregs and takes the big hit when the markets fall. This is a scheme, and always has been. I have been in this market for 25 years and have never made money, in fact have only ever lost money.
The other Ponzi Scheme is even bigger and more insidious. It is government deficit spending. The deficit and debt of the nation continue to go up, and at the tax payers expense. There is a never ending source of revenue, your pocket, and future generations will pay the piper so why worry about it.
Joining Bernie in jail, should be the presidents of the Mutual Fund companies and our politicians.