You are right they won't do anything. (4.00 / 3)

Financial oligarchy owns Washington. It is time we start working on a Plan B. We do need to start letting our money do the talking.  One way to do that is stop doing business with financial conglomerates.  It is possible.  Credit unions are a good start and small community banks.  

RebelCapitalist - Financial Information for the Rest of Us.

---

by: RebelCapitalist @ Wed May 06, 2009 at 14:01:55 PM UTC

I like your sprirt, but .... (0.00 / 0)

... in reality I don't know how effective that plan would be when they are able to rob us via the treasury.  Or more accurately, since their gov't is hopelessly in debt, via inflation without any facade of representation.

Z

---

by: Z @ Wed May 06, 2009 at 14:21:32 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Time to de-privatize (4.00 / 1)

"Government flood insurance" is purchased at insurance brokers.  Cut out the middle men and save taxpayers lots of money.  Less to spread around as bonusses.

Next, take student loans away from the banks.

Maybe if behavior has consequences, behavior will improve.

---

by: David Kowalski @ Wed May 06, 2009 at 14:58:23 PM UTC

Update from AIG (0.00 / 0)

per the AbcNews Link David posted above..  AIG has commented on the new number "UPDATE: AIG spokeswoman Christina Pretto says, "Congress asked us for additional information regarding all performance compensation paid to employees around the world. We have provided details on some 374 variable performance plans for work done by lower level employees last year. These are not new payments and are not part of AIG's corporate executive bonus pool, which we reported in March was approximately $120 million."  

So the question from the congressional rep was more inclusive..  I have got to say as a mid-level IT guy I hope that my "bonus" which is really negotiated compensation at risk.. never get's included in the Officer bonus pool... that would stink.. I am thinking that there are plenty of good employees at AIG that are as much "in a pickle" as anyone else... and in the end, if the money get's repayed why should these employees get hammered.
Chris Stephens

---

by: ChrisStephens @ Wed May 06, 2009 at 16:09:48 PM UTC

Human shields (0.00 / 0)

Seems as though the new idea about how to diffuse anger and resentment from average US citizens about seeing their tax dollars go to give bouses to already well-paid executives that pretty much created the financial meltdown is to cover themselves in a layer of the kind of people you correctly highlight and make themselves look like victims, as well.

In a war, they'd call these people "human shields".


"It sounds wrong...
     ...but its right."

---

by: SpitBall @ Wed May 06, 2009 at 17:34:36 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I think ... (0.00 / 0)

You may not agree, David, but if this isn't more of the same (Bush/Cheney) from Obama and his Administration then I guess I really am clueless.  I think Chris Hedges recent article (The Obama Brand) has it exactly right!!

---

by: Gloughlin42 @ Wed May 06, 2009 at 18:18:51 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

The media only allows one outrage card per incident. (0.00 / 0)

---

by: NeonBlack @ Wed May 06, 2009 at 19:49:56 PM UTC

No big surprise on the increased AIG Bonuses (0.00 / 0)

Even though AIG says the increase was due to inclusion of "lower level" employees, the bottom line is this. As long as corporations continue to pay out bonuses while driving the business into the ground, we will continue to see heavy government involvement. It's like an open invitation of incompetence and such actions are playing right into the hands of our new socialist government.

Mortgage Buyer

---

by: bopster @ Wed May 06, 2009 at 19:51:27 PM UTC