I’d say Mozilo wasn’t as interested in altruism as he was in turning a profit by tweeking credit scores so that he could sell more and more mortgage securities.
What I like about “Atlas Shrugged” is that not all businessowners are heroes in the story. Some are looters. It does seem the companies who drove us into this “subprime mortgage crisis” fall into the category of looters.
The businessmen in the book who are looters have one thing in common. They rely on government. Orren Boyle got a $200 million government loan to create Associated Steel. Jim Taggart wants government protection from competing railroads.
Our current looters seek government backstopping for their endeavors, like mortgages to people who shouldn't have them. That isn't capitalism.