As the Dow dips below 10,000 on the first week after securing a $700 billion bailout, many are left scratching their heads. Wasn't cutting open the economic veins of the nation and pouring our life's savings (and those of our children and grandchildren) into the trough supposed to stem these losses? Ah, that's only true if Wall Street deigns to take our money. Fears are mounting that many Wall Street banks and financial firms will refuse to participate in the US government's $700bn bail-out package, leaving global markets and world economies in a perilous state for months to come. 'There is a growing feeling that banks ... might instead decide to tough it out,' said Thomas Caldwell, chairman and CEO of Caldwell Financial, a $1bn-plus fund manager. If you're not a tycoon of trade, your head may be spinning as you try to ponder why these executives, after screaming for help, would refuse the largest bailout in history. The answer is simple enough. One of the least attractive elements is a section designed to curb executive pay at banks that participate in the bail-out package. These include limiting stock-related pay and banning 'golden parachutes' for executives. 'I think this hodge-podge of regulations and rules will be enough to put many [chief executives] off participating,' Caldwell said. Well that's completely understandable. Wall Street CEOs are willing to "tough it out," watch the market fall to record lows, and put their companies at risk of utter collapse -- because accepting the bailout would mean limiting their personal pay. What's the economic health of the world next to a having the funds to buy the latest personal jet?