Why didn't I pay more attention in economics?

I was transfixed this morning on the congressional hearings regarding the 'bailout' of Bear Stearns. I put scare marks around bailout because everyone this morning seemed to go to great pains to say it wasn't a bailout. Maybe because I'm getting older ( and thinking more about how I'm going to buy a house and take care of my family) but I'm paying more attention to how our financial institutions work and who has oversight. As I learn more, I'm becoming disenchanted and even angry about how investors got screwed while the top executives (for the most part) get out unscathed.