As much fun as armchair psychiatry is, I think it's much simpler: They bet a lot of (in large part borrowed) money. They lost their bets. They are in a position to get the state to cover their bad bets, so they use it.

What's not to like about it from their perspective?

After all, stealing from the taxpayers is a lot easier than proving in a court of law that the guy who sold you a gamy promotion did something that is considered legally blameworthy.

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.