http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/03/19/gop/index.html

Yet again, the phony outrage is rampant from the GOP and the media isn't doing anything to question it.

Does anyone else here see AIG and think of this AiG instead?

It's been amusing me since they took over as Man U sponsors...

i say let em run with it all the way into their own endzone. defending AIG bonuses! the dems aren't even gonna know where to start when they're putting together their attack ads in 2010. might as well just go ahead and be pro-Hitler and anti-puppy.

the re-pubies have just completely taken leave of their senses and it's really really fun to watch.

re-pubies! i thought of that myself. it's gonna go viral, i bet.

They're just showing their true colors.

As the folks back home used to say, what do you expect from a pig but a grunt?

http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/07/oink.gif

Guys, ok so what if the Republicans had something to do with the AIG bonuses on the stimulus bill. Big deal! Chris Dodd and Tim Geithner knew about this as well and Dodd even admitted fault. There is enough blame to go around for both Democrats and Republicans for this AIG Bonus thing. Bottom line is Obama signed the stimulus bill without even maybe reading it like the article said from Salon so he is the main person to blame because he is the president. I blamed George W. Bush (because he was the president at the time) for the whole housing crisis even though Barney Frank knew about it and Bush did nothing about the housing bubble.

My conclusion is the president and whoever the president is at that respective time takes crap when things are going bad and people love the president when things are going good.

I don't like when the Democrats and Republicans point fingers at each other when both party's each have responsibility because both party's have some blame to go around.

Guys, ok so what if the Republicans had something to do with the AIG bonuses on the stimulus bill. Big deal! Chris Dodd and Tim Geithner knew about this as well and Dodd even admitted fault. There is enough blame to go around for both Democrats and Republicans for this AIG Bonus thing. Bottom line is Obama signed the stimulus bill without even maybe reading it like the article said from Salon so he is the main person to blame because he is the president. I blamed George W. Bush (because he was the president at the time) for the whole housing crisis even though Barney Frank knew about it and Bush did nothing about the housing bubble.

My conclusion is the president and whoever the president is at that respective time takes crap when things are going bad and people love the president when things are going good.

I don't like when the Democrats and Republicans point fingers at each other when both party's each have responsibility because both party's have some blame to go around.


we know GWB never took responsibility for one of the many things that went wrong under his command.  Odd how the conservatives want Obama to take responsibility for everything wrong under his command. 

What's wrong here, is the very same people crowing about how awful it is and pointing the finger at the Dems, are the ones who crowed the loudest for it and were appeased in order to get the bill passed. 

Well I would tend to split this baby down the middle...

Some of the healthy banks were more or less FORCED to take government money, basically as a PR move by the Fed.  In those cases, the subjects of executive comp and bonuses should not be subject of government controls.

However, the banks and companies (like GM, Chrysler, AIG, etc...) that asked for, and received, government funds... absolutely, the government has a right and a duty to ensure that the money is not squandered on frivolous salaries and bonuses.

Agreed, Lyric.  Still, I would also agree with Chucky that the GOP shows how hypocritical it is on the regulation of bonuses.

Agreed, Lyric.  Still, I would also agree with Chucky that the GOP shows how hypocritical it is on the regulation of bonuses.


And likewise with the Dems, now that we see that the Administration lobbied for the bonus clause to be put in the bailout bill.

AIG spread the money around to both parties.  The ultimate hedge fund.

And likewise with the Dems, now that we see that the Administration lobbied for the bonus clause to be put in the bailout bill.

AIG spread the money around to both parties.  The ultimate hedge fund.


Touche...

Guys, ok so what if the Republicans had something to do with the AIG bonuses on the stimulus bill. Big deal! Chris Dodd and Tim Geithner knew about this as well and Dodd even admitted fault. There is enough blame to go around for both Democrats and Republicans for this AIG Bonus thing. Bottom line is Obama signed the stimulus bill without even maybe reading it like the article said from Salon so he is the main person to blame because he is the president. I blamed George W. Bush (because he was the president at the time) for the whole housing crisis even though Barney Frank knew about it and Bush did nothing about the housing bubble.

My conclusion is the president and whoever the president is at that respective time takes crap when things are going bad and people love the president when things are going good.

I don't like when the Democrats and Republicans point fingers at each other when both party's each have responsibility because both party's have some blame to go around.


You fail to mention the Republican memo that came out that said blame everything on Dodd.  Dodd is not the whole government. Too convenient of a willing scapegoat.  Wonder when the whole story will surface.

You fail to mention the Republican memo that came out that said blame everything on Dodd.  Dodd is not the whole government. Too convenient of a willing scapegoat.  Wonder when the whole story will surface.
I understand Chris Dodd is not the whole government but he is partly at fault too wether you like it or not. I think like I said earlier the Democrats and the Republicans are both too blame for the AIG thing wether both parties like it or not.

Dodd already admitted his fault to CNN and to Fox New Channel for the adminnment put on the stimulus bill about AIG so why are you sticking up for Dodd when he already admitted to be partly at fault?

we know GWB never took responsibility for one of the many things that went wrong under his command.  Odd how the conservatives want Obama to take responsibility for everything wrong under his command. 

What's wrong here, is the very same people crowing about how awful it is and pointing the finger at the Dems, are the ones who crowed the loudest for it and were appeased in order to get the bill passed. 
Well George W. Bush was the president when this whole financial crisis started so he is at fault wether he likes it or not. Of course Obama is as fault for whatever goes wrong on his watch because he is now the president.

Did I say the Democrats are totally at fault for the whole AIG thing? No.

Obama signed the stimulus bill he could have vetoed it if he didn't like something in the bill.

i think the stimulus bill was too rushed; it went through with this bogus provision like the patriot act did, so rushed no one really read it.

i actually do wish obama had objected to the bonus provision when it had been timely, and this whole thing does kinda make me wonder a little bit whose side he's really on. on the other hand, it's pretty clear that a lot of these executives are so unfathomably greedy that they would refuse the bailout money if it meant they couldn't have their precious millions  ::) so i have a funny feeling not having the bonus provision in the bill might have killed it and then we're looking at nationalizing as the only alternative. i happen to think nationalization is probably the right move but the administration is plainly afraid of getting stuck with this ridiculous "socialist" smear and are shying away from nationalizing for that reason. so i think they may have just felt stuck with the bonus provisions and they kinda just hoped no one would notice.

i was seeing this thing about obama having a press conference tonight and i was daydreaming that he's going to announce that he's taking over AIG and the other failed banks, instituting a round of mass firings of executives and talking to the justice department about launching wholesale criminal investigations. can you imagine?  8) i read somewhere if your plan is to nationalize you kinda just have to spring it out of the blue, you're not going to be able to trial-balloon it or openly speculate about it, from the administration's point of view, because of the press frenzy it'd spark.

I understand Chris Dodd is not the whole government but he is partly at fault too wether you like it or not. I think like I said earlier the Democrats and the Republicans are both too blame for the AIG thing wether both parties like it or not.

Dodd already admitted his fault to CNN and to Fox New Channel for the adminnment put on the stimulus bill about AIG so why are you sticking up for Dodd when he already admitted to be partly at fault?


I'm just saying it can't all be his fault.  I mean come on it's Dodd for God sake.  The guy ran his presidential campaign out of his garage.  One has to wonder how many others.

i was seeing this thing about obama having a press conference tonight and i was daydreaming that he's going to announce that he's taking over AIG and the other failed banks, instituting a round of mass firings of executives and talking to the justice department about launching wholesale criminal investigations. can you imagine?  8) i read somewhere if your plan is to nationalize you kinda just have to spring it out of the blue, you're not going to be able to trial-balloon it or openly speculate about it, from the administration's point of view, because of the press frenzy it'd spark.


I just read this morning that Tim Giethner wants the same authority that the FDIC has to take over troubled banks, but for other, non-bank financial institutions.  Hope he gets it and uses it to break up some of these giants.

I just read this morning that Tim Giethner wants the same authority that the FDIC has to take over troubled banks, but for other, non-bank financial institutions.  Hope he gets it and uses it to break up some of these giants.
that would kick ass. i dunno, though, if you happened to check out the rolling stone article on the bailout; it's really excellent and one of the points it makes is that while people are arguing we need people in treasury and the federal reserve who are connected with these financial institutions like AIG and goldman sachs, really we have the opposite problem: we need people who are independent in treasury and fed, otherwise they just try to defend the institutions and don't do anything for the taxpayers except use us. and geithner is totally tied in with goldman...

It's only socialism if it's helping poor people. 

Doling out millions of dollars from the public coffers to millionaires is STILL free market capitalism.  Thus spake Rush!

It's only socialism if it's helping poor people. 

Doling out millions of dollars from the public coffers to millionaires is STILL free market capitalism.  Thus spake Rush!


Poor people just need to get off their lazy asses and find jobs.  Why should my hard earned money have to go to the poor?  Yada,yada, yada.  So much for looking out for your fellow man. :P

Poor people just need to get off their lazy asses and find jobs.  Why should my hard earned money have to go to the poor?  Yada,yada, yada.  So much for looking out for your fellow man. :P
actually i'd say we're looking out for our fellow super-wealthy bankers quite nicely. i imagine their faith in humanity has been totally restored.  :D

actually i'd say we're looking out for our fellow super-wealthy bankers quite nicely. i imagine their faith in humanity has been totally restored.  :D


Probably, nothing destroys faith in humanity like being called a dirty liberal Commie.

Probably, nothing destroys faith in humanity like being called a dirty liberal Commie.

Hey man, I'm a clean liberal commie!

Well, I do need to do laundry come to think of it....
:-\\

Poor people just need to get off their lazy asses and find jobs.  Why should my hard earned money have to go to the poor?  Yada,yada, yada.  So much for looking out for your fellow man. :P


Yeah, especially at a time when thousands are getting laid off. 

i think the stimulus bill was too rushed; it went through with this bogus provision like the patriot act did, so rushed no one really read it.

i actually do wish obama had objected to the bonus provision when it had been timely, and this whole thing does kinda make me wonder a little bit whose side he's really on. on the other hand, it's pretty clear that a lot of these executives are so unfathomably greedy that they would refuse the bailout money if it meant they couldn't have their precious millions  ::) so i have a funny feeling not having the bonus provision in the bill might have killed it and then we're looking at nationalizing as the only alternative. i happen to think nationalization is probably the right move but the administration is plainly afraid of getting stuck with this ridiculous "socialist" smear and are shying away from nationalizing for that reason. so i think they may have just felt stuck with the bonus provisions and they kinda just hoped no one would notice.
I  don;t think its the socailist "smear" as you say that the government would stay away from nationalizing but Wall Street would hate it though and the Dow Jones Industrial Average would probably drop big time.

that would kick ass. i dunno, though, if you happened to check out the rolling stone article on the bailout; it's really excellent and one of the points it makes is that while people are arguing we need people in treasury and the federal reserve who are connected with these financial institutions like AIG and goldman sachs, really we have the opposite problem: we need people who are independent in treasury and fed, otherwise they just try to defend the institutions and don't do anything for the taxpayers except use us. and geithner is totally tied in with goldman...
Your right on track Tia but I don;t think anybody in Government should be running a Goldman Sachs or AIG. The government should create a firm ala like the FDIC that can take over financial firms if they are in trouble or look over these finanicial firm's books to make sure they are not doing any kinda risky dealings.

Hey man, I'm a clean liberal commie!

Well, I do need to do laundry come to think of it....
:-\\


That qualifies you as one.  Go do your laundry.

Yeah, especially at a time when thousands are getting laid off. 


No one is immune.  Out of work investment bankers are now in line with the average Joe or Jane waiting for a job interview at the mall.

No one is immune.  Out of work investment bankers are now in line with the average Joe or Jane waiting for a job interview at the mall.


The difference between Wall Street and the mall is if you steal sh*t working at the mall you get arrested and fired AND you have to hand it all back!  On Wall Street, you get a pat on the back, a BJ, a line of coke, and a fat raise!
8)