AIG Bonuses - What do you think...

[amazinblue]

There's been a lot in the news lately about the $165 M in bonuses that AIG is scheduled to pay some of its employees.

My understanding is that the $165 M is due to roughly 400 individuals who were part of the AIG business unit that "got us into this mess in the first place." I'm a capitalist, and can certainly understand where bonuses complement the salary individuals receive. However, if what I've heard is correct - and these 400 employees are the reason for AIG's financial crisis, I do not see the benefit or reason for retaining them - which is the reason I've heard expressed from AIG thus far.

What do you think?

[Wolvrin704]

First of all bonuses should only be paid when a company is doing well and goals are met. Obviously in this case it did not happen so why should they get bonuses.
If however they are contractually obligated to pay the bonuses what can be done?
It does anger me that they are spending about as much in bonuses as they recieved in bailout money.

[chriswebber]

Well AIG is to big to fail, so congress gave them a ton of money with no rules. AIG wrote contracts to pay employees. Congress didn't look into these contracts. I blame congress. Let these execs have their money. Call it a stimulus plan. We gave ACORN how much willingly? Congress screwed up big time, but it's only $165 million? How many billions did we throw at ACORN. Yes, I'm pissed but AIG is just doing what congress enabled them to do. I say we pay AIG and vote out our dumb congressmen. I remember, "We have to pass this else the world will end".

[RealSchool]

"We have to pass this else the world will end".


What Treasury Sec from what administration said this????
Your biased take on events that occured just months ago makes me laugh.

[chriswebber]

Real School,

How ignorant are you? Did the constitution create 2 parties? Yes, that was the Bush Administration that said that. Hence why, I still think that statement is stupid. Amazingly, all your best bud democrats voted for it. They also voted for pay raises for themselves, mortgages for people who can't pay, and a lot of dumb things.
Last time I checked, the legislature controlled the purse strings of the USA. You should know that, you are a Michigan graduate, right? So blame, Bush. It's Bushes fault. I don't care. Bush set the house on fire. Obama then inherited the house and is trying to redo the bathrooms while the rest of the house is burning. I do not care who made this mess, I'm mad at the people that keep making it worse. We have a President with ZERO life experience in business trying to run America. Yeah, we elected a McDonald's manager with a law degree. Wait... a McDonalds manager would have more experience.

Now to clean up his stupid decision, Obama is going to start a regressive tax action that will eventually allow the government to seize the assets of anyone it deems making too much. Put it this way, if the said execs were handling $1 billion dollar funds and were compensated $1 million dollars that is a .001% of a bonus. Used cars salesmen have a bigger bonus.

Obama is a moron of a president. I'm beginning to think that Ivy is nothing special except a bunch of arrogant children paying too much for their education.

[RealSchool]

"Yes, that was the Bush Administration that said that."


Thank you for your first honest comment to date.

[chriswebber]

Wasn't it the Clinton Administration that started Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac? Wasn't it Bush Sr. invaded Kuwait? Wasn't it Reagan who won the cold war? Wasn't it Carter who wrecked the economy. Yes, we can blame past presidents for problems, but that is never going to fix the problems. Let's be critical of the guy who is changing the drapes on a burning house. Let's say President Obama, give the money to the people who earned it, stop the bailouts, stop your agenda. We don't need healthcare, we need a stable economy. We don't need global warming acts, we need secure borders. Stop playing your guy broke it, so we can break it more. It's just stupid. I didn't hear Bush ever say, President Clinton didn't take Osama when he was offered. I didn't hear him get up in a speech and state Clinton could have saved the twin towers by taking Osama. He dealt with what was left. Obama should step up and make good decisions. I cannot wait until 2010.