Just a few comments on the "baby-sitting" issue.
A DEC with 20 years airline experience and 10 years as captain will (almost) always be a better overall commander than an F/O with 10 years total airline experience.
Granted, the cosmetics of company SOP's and certain local knowledge will be to the F/O's advantage in comparison with the new DEC, but overall, the old guy will be the more suitable Commander, simply because he's more experienced.
DECs are the future, accept it. For financial reasons as someone rightly illustrated, but also because it makes sense to recruit the necessary overall experience to a growing company. You don't see doctors applying for nurses jobs.
Those that see themselves as "baby-sitters", I think your comments reflect on your lack of suitability as future Commanders. Sadly.