My thoughts on AIG

I have been wondering the last couple of days what it is exactly about the AIG scenario that is really just getting under my skin. It’s not that I disagree and think that the executives at AIG deserve their bonuses. Call me crazy but I don’t think failure should be rewarded and Hello! AIG! You failed! You had to take bailout money to stay afloat. You are one big organizational failure. Why in the heck are you paying the executives who put you there and why in the heck have they not been fired already?

I finally realized today what is really driving me crazy though as I heard Harry Reid’s indignation at how dare AIG pay bonuses and President Obama declare that every legal means will be used take those bonuses back. Hypocrisy. Everyone is guilty of it to some extent or another and I am no exception but our elected government officials are shoveling the stuff by the truck full. Disregard the fact that the bonuses were not a surprise. Language was put into the most recent bailout stating contracts before a certain date would be honored which included those executives who are to receive these bonuses. It was not a mystery, many of these politicians are on AIG’s payroll by the way of campaign contributions. The sudden indignation of our elected officials is sickening in how fake it is. A few months ago it was important enough to secure these bonuses for these executives to actually make it law. To actually write legislation requiring that they receive their money according to their contract. And now suddenly when it looks bad the champions of the people stand up for us and say HOW DARE THEY! AIG YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED. TAKE YOUR BOW AND SHOOT YOURSELF IN THE HEAD ALREADY! (Oh wait sorry, the guy who told them to kill themselves was only joking, and I don’t think he specified shooting in the head; guess I got a little carried away, my apologies, I was only joking) These same government officials who are spending my great great grandkids money without restraint. Who are so concerned about their pet projects and bringing home the bacon to their individual districts that they rape the American people in their lust for power. These same officials who took their pay raise despite the overwhelming failure of their fiscal policies and oversight.

Once again we have a perfect example of how the government cannot run anything without messing it up. It is the government who is now running AIG and it is the government who is to blame for AIG executives having contracts that guarantee them bonuses despite the absolute failure of their management. Just think about the implications for a moment. The moment AIG took bailout funds the government controlled them. Don’t believe me all you have to do is look at the current example. AIG cannot do anything without the government’s permission. Every action, every decision is scrutinized and as soon as one misstep is made the hammer falls and the wrath of the people comes down. The same goes for any other company that has taken bail out funds. Just look at all of those companies sending their management to Vegas. Oh wait, their not sending them to Vegas because that would be irresponsible right President Obama? It’s a good thing you stopped those evil companies from going to Vegas. Everybody knows the Vegas economy is just fine and the last thing they need is more visitors. All of those union workers who voted for you sure do appreciate how much embarrassment you saved them at having to host those evil companies who would have spent millions of dollars. We want to stimulate the economy but not the Vegas economy right? Thankfully we have been reassured that this control will not last. They only want to step in, save the day, and then they will step back and allow the companies to continue on their merry way. I am so relieved.

And now they have the perfect scapegoats for their failure, those evil AIG executives who dare to take their contractual bonuses on the tax payer’s dime.

Here is what I have to say about it. AIG keep your bonuses, your contracts are valid and if the government tries to take them away then take it to the courts. Let this issue of contract law and the government’s right to void or not void a contract go through the court system. And for the sake of the American people I hope you rake them over the coals, chew them up and spit them out. Because the day our government can go in and pick and choose which legally binding contract is valid or not valid based on what gets them re-elected will be a scary day for not just our economic system but our country and our rights as citizens. Oh and by the way AIG executives, you all should have been fired in the first place. This never should have been an issue and you should have been chewed up and spit back out by the bankruptcy courts and divided up between companies that are not as big of a loser as you are. Too big to fail… what a joke.