Finally...a Republican Senator's Idea

eulessismore · March 17, 2009

Ok, ok, in many ways I'm like many of the stereotypical democrats, always hating on the greedheaded corporate execs, never liking a Republican Idea. Now, here's one I emphatically endorse:

Grassley to AIG execs: quit or suicide.

And by the way, I really think he meant what he originally said. Fire away!

KingDL1 · March 17, 2009

Ok, ok, in many ways I'm like many of the stereotypical democrats, always hating on the greedheaded corporate execs, never liking a Republican Idea. Now, here's one I emphatically endorse:
Grassley to AIG execs: quit or suicide.
And by the way, I really think he meant what he originally said. Fire away!

You know it is just not that simple, I am sure many people have contracts and could sue the crap out of this company if they are not paid. I have to figure they should be able to sue some of these Senators running their mouths as well. I don't know all the details but I am sure several of these executives had nothing to do with this mess. This seems to be a band wagon effect, as if the company can just stop paying its contracts, without fear of legal reprisal.

Here is some simple math for all the hooplah we are talking about $165 million in bonuses from AIG when the government gave them $170 billion in federal bailout funds, that means they used 00.097% or less then 1/10th of one percent of possible federal money on bonuses. Maybe someone should talk to Obama, and the democrats about how they are pissing away money.

By the way I realize unemployment is high right now but there are always millions of Americans out of work even in the best of times.

Here is another congressmen running his mouth!

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They are talking about up to 3 million dollar bonuses, this congressman is grandstanding and just being a douche. Maybe the congressman should understand contracts? I hope he gets sued, but this congressman needs to think ahead and should have tied strings to this money if he was worried about how it was spent, maybe he tried I don't know. These two Republicans seem to be looking for headlines, and if you ask me he yelling at the wrong people.

While I will agree with the general sentiment that I would like the money to only be used for solving the problems and then there is reality where the problems lie in the legal details.

Edited March 17, 2009 by KingDL1

UNTflyer · March 17, 2009

They have to pay those bonuses, or they get sued. If they get sued, they'll end up paying the bonuses anyways, plus punitive damages. This is why government should not be in the business of running business... they get too caught up in the emotion and try to appeal to voters.

The bailout money had no strings attached... there were no conditions. And now the government has the nerve to be upset over this? Our government, who spends $800 on toilet seats? Our government, who wanted to build a Bridge to Nowhere, has the audacity to lecture people on being fiscally responsible? Our government, who is $54 trillion in debt?

oldguystudent · March 17, 2009

I understand the contract aspect completely. I just want to know how I sign up for a job that pays me a million dollar bonus when I run the company into the ground. That's pretty sweet.

yyz28 · March 17, 2009

Everyone is missing the point here... The amount being spent on bonus' is a tick on the ass of the entire bailout. The whole bailout was a bad idea in the first place. It would be nice if government would take a little responsibility here...

...but don't hold your breath.

LongJim · March 17, 2009

It would be nice if government would take a little responsibility here...

They won't, because they know we will not hold them accountable by voting them out of office. Because, in general--we don't care enough about our country to do it. We're too concerned with running in circles screaming "Liberal!" and "Conservative!" at the top of our lungs every 5 minutes to really examine the big picture for what it is: A sham and a joke of a political system.

Censored by Laurie · March 17, 2009

They won't, because they know we will not hold them accountable by voting them out of office. Because, in general--we don't care enough about our country to do it. We're too concerned with running in circles screaming "Liberal!" and "Conservative!" at the top of our lungs every 5 minutes to really examine the big picture for what it is: A sham and a joke of a political system.

REALIST!!

Cerebus · March 17, 2009

They won't, because they know we will not hold them accountable by voting them out of office. Because, in general--we don't care enough about our country to do it. We're too concerned with running in circles screaming "Liberal!" and "Conservative!" at the top of our lungs every 5 minutes to really examine the big picture for what it is: A sham and a joke of a political system.

You want to run for Governor? You have to be better than the yahoos that are going to come forward. I think you might be as good as... dare I say it... Governor William J. Lepetomane.

LongJim · March 17, 2009

You want to run for Governor? You have to be better than the yahoos that are going to come forward. I think you might be as good as... dare I say it... Governor William J. Lepetomane.

That's pretty rarefied "air", for sure.

UNT90 · March 17, 2009

They have to pay those bonuses, or they get sued. If they get sued, they'll end up paying the bonuses anyways, plus punitive damages. This is why government should not be in the business of running business... they get too caught up in the emotion and try to appeal to voters.
The bailout money had no strings attached... there were no conditions. And now the government has the nerve to be upset over this? Our government, who spends $800 on toilet seats? Our government, who wanted to build a Bridge to Nowhere, has the audacity to lecture people on being fiscally responsible? Our government, who is $54 trillion in debt?

Exactly. This is just a different version of the old deny and counter-accuse tactic being used by congress to keep the American people's anger focused elsewhere while they continue to spend our grandchildren's children's money.

These congressmen have the gall to call out AIG after all the freakin earmarks that they obtain for their district/state?!?! Please. As far as I am concerned, all of congress should set the example. Take a bow and resign. Maybe with a completely new culture in congress, there may be a slight chance for real change.

eulessismore · March 18, 2009

Everyone is missing the point here... The amount being spent on bonus' is a tick on the ass of the entire bailout. The whole bailout was a bad idea in the first place. It would be nice if government would take a little responsibility here...
...but don't hold your breath.

But you know what? They were amounts of money that people can understand...like, hey, with $165 million, we can pay for as nice a stadium as we want, all at once. Seriously though, one good result may be that further bailouts (I read somewhere that AIG has gotten six so far) MAY be more difficult. It would have been the best thing, and still may be, for these corporate welfare cases to go into Chapter 11 bankruptcy; at that point, all those alleged "contracts" would have been invalid, and the alleged "investors" would have just had to line up to take their turn at the trough.