AIG Executive Retention Bonuses

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

AIG Executive Retention Bonuses

Am I incensed that We the People are on the hook for AIG executive bonuses? Yes! Am I incensed that AIG is living up to their contractual obligations? No! Consider the following:

Politicians were responsible for worsening -- if not creating -- the financial crisis.
Politicians were unwilling to take responsibility for the financial crisis, choosing bailouts rather than bankruptcy for businesses that politicians set up to fail with their social agenda.
Politicians knew about the AIG bonuses a year ago.
Politicians specifically included an amendment to the bailout legislation to allow companies to meet contractual obligations such as bonuses.
Now politicians, e.g., Barack Obama, act all offended, trying to gin up righteous indignation against a company that is now 80% government owned and operated, in an attempt to obfuscate politicians responsibility in all this.

The amount of the executive retention bonuses amount to .001 of the total AIG bailout! I'm concerned about the nationalization of private industry, not about how a minute fraction of the boondoggle is spent!

Next election, I suggest we try to elect politicians who aren't complete retards.

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The Only Question You Need

"Which article of the Constitution gives government the authority to do that?"

If more and more people start asking this question, I think most of our worst political problems, in all branches and all levels of government would go away by themselves, almost overnight. When a reporter asked Nancy Pelosi that question about the healthcare bill, her deer-in-the-headlights response was, "Are you serious?" Well, we are serious, and politicians should be afraid to step out of their offices without a credible answer to that question. It is the only "litmus test" that we need.

It really takes so little effort, that it is at least worth a try. The beauty of it is, this really should appeal to honest people from anywhere on the political spectrum.

Uphold and Defend

Big government and bad policy, usurpation of authority not granted in the US Constitution is human nature. Republicans and Democrats are both guilty. We the People must realize that this is not a partisan issue, and demand that all of our politicians follow the Constitution.

The US Constitution is still the official specification for the United States of America.
It guarantees equal justice for all, and protects your life, liberty and prosperity.
Any regime that distorts or disregards its original intent is untrustworthy and dangerous.

Presidential Quotes

The policy of the American government is to leave their citizens free, neither restraining nor aiding them in their pursuits. ~ Thomas Jefferson

With respect to the words general welfare, I have always regarded them as qualified by the detail of powers connected with them. To take them in a literal and unlimited sense would be a metamorphosis of the Constitution into a character which there is a host of proofs was not contemplated by its creators. ~ James Madison

I think we can say that the Constitution reflected an enormous blind spot in this culture that carries on to this day and that the Framers had that same blind spot. I don't think the two views are contradictory to say that it was a remarkable political document, that paved the way for where we are now, and to say it also reflected the fundamental flaw of this country that continues to this day. ~ Barack Obama

Every word [of the Constitution] decides a question between power and liberty. ~ James Madison

Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. ~ George Washington

Do You Still Have All of the Liberty That You Were Born With?

Think back to when you were growing up. What things could you do then that you can no longer do now? What things did you have the liberty to decide for yourself that is now a mandate? How many federal, state and local laws were passed since you were born? How many new bureaucracies and agencies have been created since you were born? How many new regulations have they imposed? How many tax increases have you seen in your lifetime? How many new government programs have replaced your ability to do it yourself? (more...)

Kakistocracy Report

Tuesday, March 17, 2009