And let's not forget the MANY other people without whose sacrifices the United States would not exist. Though so many modern financiers seem to be primarily selfish, short-sighted scumbags, the Revolutionary War banker Haym Salomon saved the Continental Army when it was on the verge of mutiny because of lack of food, pay, and other supplies. Saloman bankrupted himself financing the Revolutionary War and died penniless -- like so many of the heroes that AlanC mentioned.

It's too bad that so many people have put their short-term selfish goals ahead of the greater good (aka enlightened self-interest), and are willing to do things like shorting and lying about small companies, merely for their own profit. If the heroes of the Revolution were alive today, they would be appalled and horrified by this kind of behavior -- as are all good people.