So let Me get this straight. AIG isn't American General Insurance but American International Group?? I have been confusald on this the past 7 months or so. So they aren't one and the same or not??

Larry

You have been confused for a lot longer than that. If you can't figure this one out on your own, it's time to put off your college plans and start wearing your special little helmet again.

A start.

Eliot Spitzer: Everybody is rushing to condemn AIG's bonuses, but this simple scandal is obscuring the real disgrace at the insurance giant: Why are AIG's counterparties getting paid back in full, to the tune of tens of billions of taxpayer dollars? The AIG bailout has been a way to hide an enormous second round of cash to the same group that had received TARP money already.

I think Geithner will not be Sec. of Treasury much longer. WE own 80% of AIG so forcing them to pay back $165 million is a meaningless gesture and most folks know it. Sorry Tim, too little, too late.

We need a new secretary from outside Wall St. and the Fed. Reserve. No more wolves guarding the chicken coop, we had enough with Bush. President Obama, I hope you are listening.

AGREED Danni. I hope you are right about Geithner, too.

"In addition, we will deduct from the $30 billion in assistance an amount equal to the amount of those payments."

So AIG will only get $29,835,000,000. Wow, this administration is going to really show them.

Mitt is available if you really want to start fixing these problems....

did he stomp his little foot too?

Like who Danni?

Don't just bitch. Offer suggestions.

We need a new secretary from outside Wall St. and the Fed. Reserve. No more wolves guarding the chicken coop, we had enough with Bush. President Obama, I hope you are listening.

#4 | Posted by danni at 2009-03-

what a nice way to end the day

I agree with you wholeheartedly

see now....dont you have the same warm feeling running down your leg that I do....LOL

bottom line for me on this whole affair

should have never sent them one friggin penny in the first place...

Don't just bitch. Offer suggestions.

And that goes for the rest of you.

Thanks Wis!

The funny thing is that, if the bailout to AIG was justified in the first place, we just forced them to give back $165m after they paid out $165m in bonuses, which is $330m less that they could have used to do what the bailout was intended to accomplish.

Hysterical.

#4 | Posted by danni

Danni listened to Ruuush...Danni listened to Ruuush...

"which is $330m less that they could have used to do what the bailout was intended to accomplish."

"Don't just bitch. Offer suggestions."

I suggest Hagbard.

"Danni listened to Ruuush..."

I don't EVER listen to Rush or any of the right wing liars. I think for myself though I am continually accused of just defending ANYTHING Obama or the Dems do.

But the way I read it, Hagbard left off 165 million.

It appears that the TS is dinging them double PLUS the amount the gave in bonuses.

So is AIG out 330 Million or 495 Million?

I suggest Hagbard.
#15 | Posted by danni

I could kiss you.

I know, I know.

It appears that the TS is dinging them double PLUS the amount the gave in bonuses.
So is AIG out 330 Million or 495 Million?
#17 | Posted by Manypaths

You've got it right, MP.

Before I was laughing. Now I'm close to tears.

And no, I do not want the job.

I don't EVER listen to Rush or any of the right wing liars. I think for myself though I am continually accused of just defending ANYTHING Obama or the Dems do.

#16 | Posted by danni at

so i guess that leaves cnn and air america and what other leftwing "TRUTH squad"

what the new york times or katie???

sometimes you are SO funny

have a good day young lady...

WHAT A SCREAM

HEY TIM

I ORDER YOU TO PAY YOUR FUCKIN TAXES AND THAT INCLUDES THE YEAR THAT YOU DIDNT PAY PENALITIES LIKE THE REST OF US AND THE YEAR THAT YOU GOT BY WITH NOT PAYING ONE PENNY BECAUSE OF THE TIME GONE BY

how about you doing that and THEN we might give a shit about you telling them this...

"I don't EVER listen to Rush or any of the right wing liars. I think for myself though I am continually accused of just defending ANYTHING Obama or the Dems do." #16 | Posted by danni

Close Danni. You defend EVERYTHING Obama or the Dems do!

You watch WAY too much news man.

It is amazing how much better things become the instant you give that shit up. All of it.

No News is Good Gnews!

"You defend EVERYTHING Obama or the Dems do!"

You need to read the thread before you put your foot in your mouth. How does it taste?? Did you keep your shoe on??

Close Danni. You defend EVERYTHING Obama or the Dems do!

#23 | Posted by KBM

I think Geithner will not be Sec. of Treasury much longer. WE own 80% of AIG so forcing them to pay back $165 million is a meaningless gesture and most folks know it. Sorry Tim, too little, too late.

We need a new secretary from outside Wall St. and the Fed. Reserve. No more wolves guarding the chicken coop, we had enough with Bush. President Obama, I hope you are listening.

#4 | Posted by dann

Is that you ass in your hand KBM?

Looks a lot like it.

No News is Good Gnews!
#24 | Posted by Manypaths

Great Space Coaster reference!

Danforth for Treasury Sec'y!

(And RightIs for new host of "Mad Money"!)

"You defend EVERYTHING Obama or the Dems do!

#23 | Posted by KBM at 2009-03-18 01:17 PM"

Can't Read Flag

Danni--we agree on Thimmy needing to leave--

But I don't see Obama doing anything.

Bush waited too long on some of his people --to give them the polite boot.

Gonzo, Brownie, Rummy..

Since the national debt is now 11 Trillion--Obama is going willy nilly on his policies of social engineering and will continue to spend and NEVER address the banking problem that put us here.

We need a new secretary from outside Wall St. and the Fed. Reserve. No more wolves guarding the chicken coop, we had enough with Bush. President Obama, I hope you are listening.

#4 | Posted by danni at 2009-03-18 12:53 PM | Reply

Word.

We need a new secretary from outside Wall St. and the Fed. Reserve. No more wolves guarding the chicken coop, we had enough with Bush. President Obama, I hope you are listening.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Citigroup's chief economist is being tapped for a job at the short-staffed Treasury Department, which is at the center of the Obama administration's efforts to battle the financial crisis.

Lewis Alexander will become a counselor to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, according to a government official who spoke on condition of anonymity because a formal announcement has not been made. Alexander will work on domestic finance matters, the official said.

Alexander had worked at the Federal Reserve and also served as the Commerce Department's chief economist in the 1990s.

I'm gonna go with...no. He ain't listening.

They can't do anything about the bonuses--not Thimmy, not congress, not Obama.

But they are doing great for the PR that AIG is receiving--great for future business!

Nice to hear from Eliot again... Though the author is who he is, he has an excellent point...

This whole thing is starting to look like the biggest heist in world history...

The named entities in this article are all linked together in triplicate... any loss to one could potentially be a loss to all.

How could college educated, and some of the worlds most highly paid professionals not see the big glaring SINGLE POINT OF FAILURE here?

My guess is that it was all done on purpose...

I have always viewed Wall Street as a scam in one way or another... I used to think that somewhere, there were five or six guys sitting around a table laughing it up... "Let's manipulate this today... We'll make a quick buck!"

I once read a book on the turn of the century... Kennedys, Rockefellers, and Rothschild... The Actual JP Morgan and the like... All planning the future of the world together.... There are still people with that kind of power in this world...

If you had one billion dollars in your account, would you be willing to temporarily lose 45 percent if you knew you could grow your fortune to one hundred billion?

Who wouldn't?

Make tons of money by manufacturing a bubble...

Then.... Watch as the bubble bursts and appear horrified as 45 percent of your money drops away...

When the market hits rock bottom.... Take the remaining money and buy up everything in sight.... Increase your holdings as the market rises..

The market was at 14,000 with nowhere to go really.... You can't double or triple your money while holding 100 percent in a 14,000 market.

However....

If you are willing to lop off 45 % and ride it down.... You will still have enough left to buy up lots and lots of stock... Not only will you end up with your Billion back, the potential would be almost limitless until the market gets to 14,000 again...

If you bought ten thousand dollars worth of bank of America stock last week... You made ten thousand dollars last week on it!

WAKE UP PEOPLE!

I wish we could ask Eliot if this could possibly be the biggest heist in world history.... Come on Eliot...

But the $183 BILLION, FOGETABOUTIT

This is utterly ridiculous, supposedly paid out of future profits.

Geithner and Bernanke are pieces of shit.

Bashthis... Newsworthy flag.

see now....dont you have the same warm feeling running down your leg that I do....LOL

I thought she wore depends.

Where is the 2 trillion dollars the fed gave out?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Beullar?

Beullar?

Anyone?

"Geithner Orders AIG to Pay Back Bonuses"

Geithner, Got a minute? SHUT UP!

-- Barack Obama

Anyone?

#39 | Posted by Shawn

$2 trillion plus another 3 trillion went to the reserves of several banks.

you hate Bush so much, it makes you stupid

you hate Bush so much, it makes you stupid

Posted by Eddie

A stupid person is one who refuses to acknowledge facts and runs around spouting jingoism instead.

Speaking for myself, Bush had my support until he lost it over a plethora of historically inept blunders - current financial meltdown only the last in a line below invading Iraq, ruining our reputation around the world, and making us less safe (consensus opinion among 17 U.S. Intelligence agencies - NIE's).

On AIG (Fed, TARP) Paulson, Martinez, Shelby, and Cantor (R) all opposed any restrictions on salaries or compensation at bailed out companies in September last year when TARP was enacted. Now they're among the loudest decrying what they themselves supported now that the camera lights are on.

On AIG (Fed, TARP) Paulson, Martinez, Shelby, and Cantor (R) all opposed any restrictions on salaries or compensation at bailed out companies in September last year when TARP was enacted. Now they're among the loudest decrying what they themselves supported now that the camera lights are on.

Operation: Grand Stand
1. Single out and crucify one that you don't care about (Madoff).

2. Have congressmen posture a lot in front of the cameras over chump change while ignoring the trillions the fed gave out and refuses to account for.

3. Have another show trial in front of congress where some industry leaders pretend to be contrite while being censured in some meaningless way.

4. Congressional hearings chaired by the the congressmen who took the biggest bribes from the same fuckers on the 'hot seats'.

5. A lot of meaningless regulations that won't actually do anything except to tighten fed control of the financial institutions, and hopefully make the public feel safer so that they will ignore the next round of even larger bailouts to cover the corporate real estate crash.

Pigs at the trough.

I doubt if anyone listens to Geithner even his "partner", Barney Frank.

Well apparently you people do.

Ooops.

Reminder: Don't respond to imbeciles...

"We will impose on AIG a contractual commitment to pay the treasury from the operations of the company the amount of the retention awards just paid," Geithner wrote. "In addition, we will deduct from the $30 billion in assistance an amount equal to the amount of those payments."

HEE-FRICKEN-LARIOUS!

I can see it now..

Geithner: "OK guys, gather around, here's the plan. We give you guys $30 bil and make you pay 1/2 of 1% back as punishment for screwing up and everyone thinks we are slapping you around."

Fat AIG Cats: "Oh, Timmy, your so smart"

Geithner: "Hey! I am the only one capable to get us out of this! Barry said so himself!"

Fat AIG Cats: "HA HA HA..oh...shhhh, shh,sh. OK Timmy. Hee hee hee"

Obama is having a Brownie moment today!! With --

Thimmy--Thurbo Thimmy..

MURPHY

You're wearing out my scroll button. Stop it! LOL

I just applied for citizenship to New Zealand.
Do they have any bailouts in NZ

So to make sure that this is clear. Chris Dodd (who was forced to admit that he did it) put a provision into the recent mass spending bill making the payouts to the AIG execs legal. Obama, who promised at least 5 days for the general public to read any and all bills before he signs them into law, rushes out and signs this bill into law without ANYONE having time to read it calling it imperfect.

Now, we're supposed to believe the fake rage coming from Dodd, Obama and turbo Tim? So this is what "change" looks like huh?

Does this mean our santimonious elected representatives will forgo pay raises & perks of their jobs to save money? We all know the answer to that. I'm not defending AIG but from this Congress & this administration, it REALLY smacks of hypocrisy in the worst way all this indignation.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA and when you think the AIG payouts can't get any better...

On AIG (Fed, TARP) Paulson, Martinez, Shelby, and Cantor (R) all opposed any restrictions on salaries or compensation at bailed out companies in September last year when TARP was enacted. Now they're among the loudest decrying what they themselves supported now that the camera lights are on.

Now that Rush has gone on record defending the AIG execs, watch for the aforementioned Repugs to change their tune once again.

#44 | Posted by reinheitsgebot at 2009-03-18 07:52

AU on the first part..I guess you missed the news that tim gaithner was in on all of those meetings and when he says that he didnt know about these bonuses he shows he is either a liar or incompetent
well we know he is a liar...THATS WHAT A TAX CHEAT DOES...

and rein....I have said all along that this money is compared to the bailout is like the change you find under the sofa after guest leave..you might have enough to buy a coke at work but you wont be able to pay the light bill...

and remember...CHUCK SCHUMER just a few days ago

ITS JUST A LITTLE PORK...THE PUBLIC DOESNT CARE ABOUT THAT.. and if I am correct that LITTLE PORK THAT WE DONT CARE ABOUT was a shit load more than thes bonuses...

Chris Dodd should resign NOW. He's an asshole for his role in the AIG scandal and it's time to be accountable.

SAM....keep up

he said on fox and others just last night

the treasury department told them to put it in

and the treasury dept is run by gaithner
and HIS BOSS

THE PRESiDENT OF THE UNITED STATES...

remember the outcry when the ag was a man named gonzalez
and the hearings on capitol hill??

so will those be in the future on THIS matter.

I highly doubt it.

13 firms receiving bailouts owe back taxes
Rep. John Lewis: Two companies owe over $100 million apiece.
Banks and other firms receiving federal money were required to sign contracts stating they had no unpaid taxes, Lewis said. But he said the Treasury Department did not ask them to turn over their tax records.

Another day, another trillion dollars the fed gives out to its cronies. But remember everyone: it's all about the million dollar bonuses...