Comments on: AIG’s Dysfunctional Managers and their Bonuses

By: Historical perspective

Historical perspective — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 11:32:54 +0000

What we are witnessing through this political issue is one of the greatest concerns that our founding fathers expressed when they created this political system. They were most concerned with the potential for unscrupulous politicians who would whip up the masses to allow them impose their will a minority and deprive that group of their liberty. They were well aware that these corrupt politicians could easily deprive others of their property and/or their liberties with the full consent of the majority. In essessence using the “rule of law” to cover their trampling on individual rights. Our founders clearly understood that the fatal flaw with democracy is that it will tend to become a totalitarian state over time as one “populist” issue after another takes away our liberties. That was why they designed a constitution with limited federal authority and the maximum protections of life, liberty and property (all of which our government including the courts of chosen to ignore over the past 70 years).

We are now witnessing one of greatest fears of the founders coming true as we watch these current politicians use this trumped up issue to impose a full taking of ones property without just compensation as is required by the constitution. And the media is aiding and abetting this travesty by falling in line with this phony narrative of these corrupt politicians by continuing the story narrative of how these “executive bonuses” are a tragic misuse of taxpayer dollars while at the same time missing the larger issues of how our government is rapidly running down the path of totalitarianism disquise as “populism”. Yes it isn’t our bonuses that are being taken away by government today – but if we allow this outrageous actions to become “law” it is only a matter of time before we are all ensnared by this totalitarian trap.

By: seven

seven — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:26:00 +0000

Creating and targeting a scapegoat doesn’t fix very much.

I wonder how Obama will write into a law a back dated provision? I also wonder how they expect to tax the employees that are not in America. No one mentions how high the percentage of workers is that are not even in this country and under the IRS.

By: e

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:06:12 +0000

This is the class warfare that’s been pedaled, planned and provoked. Anger the people enough that they’ll demand change without looking at the consequences.

Watch your rights become abridged under the guise of fairness and social justice. Do not let this expansion of Federal government stand.

By: Bart

Bart — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:22:49 +0000

Right on cue!!! The Democrats are starting to come out in defense of Dodd. One by one, they are circling the wagons and along with a willing press, his tale of woe will be regaled by all and in the end, it will be blamed on others. His fellow Democrats have started to slowly shift blame to Geithner and everyone else on the committee trying to implicate them as the primary initiators of the provision and Dodd being misled.

The so-called “watchdog” of our freedoms, the free press is anything but a free press anymore. With few exceptions, the press is in the pocket of a liberal, Democrat controlled congress and White House. When one dares to venture into questioning of a Democrat or Obamaite, the kid glove handling is sickening. If the situation were reversed and it were a Republican or Bush supporter, blood and guts would be strewn across the front pages and would be the lead-in story on every news broadcast with maybe one exception, FOX News.

By: Tilo Reber

Tilo Reber — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 03:15:04 +0000

Here is another view on the same subject.

http://mysticminutiae.blogspot.com/2009/03/congress-conducts-weekly-inquisition.html

By: The Historian

The Historian — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:37:18 +0000

BIG FAT FAILED FANNIE IS JUST LIKE AIG
This is just plain wrong!

http://greensrealworld.blogspot.com/2009/03/big-fat-failed-fannie.html

By: Tom Perkins

Tom Perkins — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:24:52 +0000

“Is a member of Congress actually advocating suicide as a solution for a crisis caused by a lack of government regulation?”

Does not equal the correct:

“Is a member of Congress actually advocating suicide as a solution for a crisis caused by government regulation?”

And unless you can show that guy voted against attempts to reain in the GSE’s, you still don’t have the point you wanted to make.

By: seven

seven — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:51:53 +0000

6. Old Soldier:

Am I the only one who is far more alarmed

No not at all.

this is exactly how Russia operates. They impose retroactive taxation of a punitive nature.

They can break contracts at will.

The White House is setting itself up to decide which contracts are enforcible.

Ugly Obama has the nerve to even suggest a charge on soldiers insurance after they enlisted understanding the VA covers their health. Tax planning days are over. We will wake up daily with surprises on what is or is not taxed.

Obama is crazy enough to tell a HMO they are now covering hospitals in Iraq? that is not part of their payor agreement.

On the other hand, This may all be showmanship.

By: uburoisc

uburoisc — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:24:31 +0000

The bonuses do not matter, I repeat, they are irrelevent and are intended to distract you from what does matter: all the billions AIG sent out the back door to banks, mostly foreign, whose losses are being covered by the US taxpayer. You are looking in the wrong direction, it’s not the stupid bonus payments that matter. I even think the bonus was a set-up to make sure the counterparty list received less attention.

By: Old Soldier

Old Soldier — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:18:11 +0000

I hope none of the AIG employees return a sent – call their bluff. The Constitution specifically forbids bills of attainder and ex post facto laws. A big slap-down from the Court might wake them up.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.articlei.html#section9