The Audacity of AIG

Hello, America.

Judging by the rampant coverage on CNN and other cable news channels, I can make a safe bet that all that needs to be said on the following subject has already been said by one person or another; however, I cannot leave you without putting in my two cents. Three letters and a lot of ill feelings have been flying around this week. That’s right: AIG.

As usual, for those of you who are out of the loop, I’ll do a quick recap. AIG executives are under fire this week for doling out more than $165 million in bonuses months after accepting more than $170 billion in federal assistance.

By the way federal assistance = your tax dollars. See the issue?

According to CNN.com, President Obama took responsibility for the debacle Wednesday saying, “”I know Washington’s all in a tizzy and everybody’s pointing fingers at each other and saying it’s their fault, the Democrats’ fault, the Republicans’ fault. Listen, I will take responsibility. I’m the president.”

I just have one thing to say. Besides being an unacceptable error in the language of the stimulus bill, I feel like anyone who speaks English with any degree of comprehension knows that the word, “bonus,” implies that you’re doing a good job. Since clearly that isn’t the case, why in the world did AIG executives feel that they deserved bonuses? I mean, really. These people are congratulating each other on being the masters of the universe while the bulk of the American people are struggling to keep their homes and their jobs.

Truthfully, I don’t think we’ll ever get an answer to that question. It’s just another illustration of the insatiable greed that got our country in this position in the first place.

I just know one thing. I better get my money back…or else.

~ by micheledb on March 20, 2009.