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Forums / Politics

The AIG bonuses

62 durable postsStarted 2009-03-16Latest 2009-03-23
#67632Post 1 of 62

[url]http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/16/AIG.bonuses/index.html[/url]

[url]http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7945774.stm[/url]

makes my blood boil

what is the legal position? presumably if the contract to receive the billions didn't stipulate - cant be used for bonuses - then they don't have any recourse whatsoever?

#1182665Post 2 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

Quite outrageous considering they've received multiple bail-outs. Whether bonuses are deserved for some employees is irrelevant considering it looks bad to the public. Glad to see Obama on the offensive and holding them accountable.

#1182753Post 3 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

It really is obnoxious, and even if they are legally within their rights to dole out these "bonuses," it's hard to understand who in their right mind thought this would be a good idea.

One frequent justification I hear is that these bonuses are not really "bonuses" as we normally think of that term being used -- that they are a significant, and expected part of executive compensation. If, in fact, that's the case, they ought to consider changing the pay structure until the company gets backs on its feet, because this is a PR nightmare.

The other thing, though, is that if you're getting a multi-million dollar bonus this year, it probably isn't the first time you've received a bonus like that, and you're probably doing pretty well and aren't living paycheck to paycheck, to put it mildly. Maybe you defer that compensation until a time when your company isn't relying upon the American taxpayer to save your ass. Just a thought.

#1182840Post 4 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

fuct...

actually read this before getting out of bed this morning on from my blackberry...damn you google alerts :evil:

#1182853Post 5 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

Should of let the bastards go bankrupt in my opinion.

#1182865Post 6 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

well if they cant take those bonuses away, they should put those executives on the spotlight and ask them to turn the bonuses down, maybe theyll have a bit of shame on them.

#1182875Post 7 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

[quote=ddr;722972]Should of let the bastards go bankrupt in my opinion.[/quote]

amen to that!

#1182901Post 8 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

did you hear about the exec in the uk who recently had his £8m pension approved - by the government - he was one of the top dogs at Royal Bank of Scotland which had to be bailed out more than most to the point where it is virtually state owned. fookin unreal....

[URL]http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/minister-agreed-pound8m-pension-bonus-ndash-and-im-keeping-it-1633387.html[/URL]

#1182916Post 9 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

[quote=ddr;722972]Should of let the bastards go bankrupt in my opinion.[/quote]

some reports actually have come out that they are indeed too big to fail...not so much for what they are worth, but for what they have written on insurance-wise and the like...it may be in the "unfathomable" range.

I'm willing to bet that they are holding that as collateral so they can just keep getting money whenever they feel like it...

#1183054Post 10 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

There is a valid question to be asked of us and the politicians that are now expressing outrage over this -- to paraphrase a commentator that I think is spot on much of the time, [URL="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cenk-uygur/fake-outrage-by-politicia_b_175315.html"]what were we expecting[/URL]?

These bailouts were set up with minimal oversight, and with limits on executive compensation removed. We basically put our trust in the very people whose greed, self-interest and short-sightedness got us into this mess, and relied upon them to not be greedy or self-interested. Surprise, surprise, they had an opportunity to take more of our money without consequences, and they took it. Why exactly are we shocked by this?

I heard another question asked by a CNN viewer this morning, and I think it is a valid one. If, in fact, these are bonuses that "must be paid" as the apologists maintain, how would AIG have paid them in the absence of a government bailout?

#1183060Post 11 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

I have said it a thousand times on here that your country is being robbed. Plain and simple. No indictments No Justice for this economic meltdown.

Nevermind what is going on over at Citi. Citi's CEO is getting $11 mil in bonuses.

#1183088Post 12 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

most of it is to pay off the CDS bets as well...not so much the actual ones written, but all of the speculative ones too that had no merit to begin with..

[url]http://www.portfolio.com/views/blogs/market-movers/2008/12/10/aigs-speculative-cds-bets[/url]

#1183131Post 13 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

I had wondered how this money was spread out, and now we have a somewhat better idea -- 73 people got in excess of $1M. Credit where credit is due, these guys have some ginormous balls.

[url]http://tiny.cc/ElCMZ[/url]

#1183246Post 14 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

Our new president puts it pretty well:

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDGN0Hk301Y[/YOUTUBE]

After viewing this I couldn't help but imagine what Bush's reaction would have been if this would have happened on his watch...:lol:I can hear his bullsh*t now...

#1183255Post 15 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

I would like to see two things happen, that would be invaluable in getting this money back, because legally, I'm not sure that there are a lot of options:

  1. At least one of these people has to announce that he/she is going to give the money back.
  2. The names of the people that received these bonuses need to be released.

Right now, there is ZERO pressure on these folks to do anything other than sitting back and comforting themselves with massive piles of cash. For people that already have enough money to live very comfortably, an extra million or two probably isn't worth becoming an absolute social pariah.

That would be my completely naive hope, anyway. Probably unrealistic to think it would make a difference.

#1183271Post 16 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

they're not gonna get to keep the bonuses. congress is gonna tax them back if they don't surrender them on their own...

[URL]http://www.calgaryherald.com/Congress+vows+back+bonuses/1399186/story.html[/URL]

congress actually did something...wow.

#1183287Post 17 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

Ummm, no they didn't. Lookee what I found:

[URL]http://porkulus.butasforme.com/?p=110#bonus[/URL]

It's actually IN the TARP plan (that "no one read" and was "rushed through") that any company getting TARP money is prohibited to get extra money, but, BUT "the prohibition required under clause (i) shall not be construed to prohibit any bonus payment required to be paid pursuant to a written employment contract executed on or before February 11, 2009, as such valid employment contracts are determined by the Secretary or the designee of the Secretary."

Oh, ok. Only the newest employees and executives can't get bonuses now. Whew.

#1183403Post 18 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

^ | huh? congress says they will tax the individuals who received the bonuses for the full extent of the amount they received. as in a tax levied on those specific people for 100% of the bonus. what does that have to do with TARP?

#1183488Post 19 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

Congress talks tough because it's politically safe to do so, but I'll be surprised if they actually have the guts to go through with it.

#1183576Post 20 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

why wouldn't they? it'd make whoever spearheaded it look like a champion of the common man. it'd be the easiest re-election they ever won...

#1183585Post 21 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

I wonder how many of the politicians took money from AIG in the past??

Also will Obama ever talk without a teleprompter?? At least Bush shot from the hip.

#1183608Post 22 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

[quote=day_for_night;723579]^ | huh? congress says they will tax the individuals who received the bonuses for the full extent of the amount they received. as in a tax levied on those specific people for 100% of the bonus. what does that have to do with TARP?[/quote]

Double-speak...nothing new, but it was passed in that bill that bonuses were essentially allowed to any company that got TARP/bailout money. They can attempt to tax all they want anyway; I'm sure many won't need to pay back much if their tax structures are solid.

Makes me wonder if this hullabaloo is to cover-up something else either currently going on or about to i.e. funnel some more money elsewhere...

#1183950Post 23 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

We finally learned it was the Treasury department under Geithner according to Sen. Dodd that allowed the AIG employees to get their bonuses. That was really tough information to get out of Treasury and the White House yesterday. No one came forward for awhile to admit they had approved the bonuses.

Geithner should face criticism and ultimately so should Obama who he works for. They weren't exactly forthcoming with all the information either. And neither was Dodd. I assume they hoped this would go away, but the public and media were too upset by this.

#1183970Post 24 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

[quote=runningman;723777]At least Bush shot from the hip.[/quote] Yes, and look how great that worked out for us all. :roll:

#1183974Post 25 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

[QUOTE=runningman;723777] Also will Obama ever talk without a teleprompter?? At least Bush shot from the hip.[/QUOTE]

:lol:Come on running are you really going to make a comparison between Bush and Obama's speaking ability? lmfao, everyone is infallible, especially given the amount of sleep these guys get. Politicians don't write most of their speeches or briefings or press conference statements.

#1183980Post 26 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

I can't even bear myself to look at this thread...these bonuses are such Bullshit!

#1183984Post 27 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

[quote=runningman;723777]I wonder how many of the politicians took money from AIG in the past??

Also will Obama ever talk without a teleprompter?? [B]At least Bush shot from the hip[/B].[/quote]

because that's close to where his fuckin brains were.. how many stupid things shot from his mouth... talking about OB/GYN's not being able to practice their love on women? lol

yeah, teleprompters are a bad idea..

Obama needs one, he's so pissed off, he probably would just let loose and tell these greedy ignorant fuckers where to go if he didnt have a teleprompter

#1184005Post 28 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

ya right he doesn't know how to speak without one. I haven't seen one speech without a tele.. I think that is pretty sad coming from a guy that went to Harvard. Not very impressive IMO. Anybody can read from a tele.

#1184070Post 29 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

[quote=runningman;724248]ya right he doesn't know how to speak without one. I haven't seen one speech without a tele.. I think that is pretty sad coming from a guy that went to Harvard. Not very impressive IMO. Anybody can read from a tele.[/quote]

I've seen him in person multiple times, most of the time without a teleprompter. He uses the TP for really big speeches.

#1184073Post 30 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

[quote=runningman;724248]ya right he doesn't know how to speak without one. I haven't seen one speech without a tele.. I think that is pretty sad coming from a guy that went to Harvard. Not very impressive [B][SIZE=6]IMO[/SIZE][/B]. Anybody can read from a tele.[/quote]

lol.. the more you post the more irrelevant those three letters really are.. sorry, but my god you come out with some CRAP :roll:

#1184099Post 31 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

[quote=runningman;724248]ya right he doesn't know how to speak without one. I haven't seen one speech without a tele.. I think that is pretty sad coming from a guy that went to Harvard. Not very impressive IMO. Anybody can read from a tele.[/quote]

ROFL.

It is posts like these that make me laugh so damn hard because you are such an ignorant person.

Too funny.

Obviously, you have never seen youtube videos of him speaking in gymnasiums or library's because those he does not use a teleprompter. Like someone said earlier, he only uses those at really big speeches.

Also, what is the difference between having the speech on a piece of paper or on a teleprompter? It is the same thing. Bush had speechwriters, Obama has speechwriters, what is the difference? Just because Obama can read what is in front of him without talking like a 9 year old, you slam him? Are you serious?

Why is this even being brought up? You really are grasping for straws aren't you?

#1184124Post 32 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

^^hehe this thread is too funny...its like a slam running man thread part 18

#1184195Post 33 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

the golden rule is don't say anything bad about Obama or the Obama Lovers will appear. Bashing me because I think it is stupid that he uses a teleprompter for every speech.

#1184197Post 34 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

guys runningman is a troll...honeslty. ignore his comments.

and it looks like they're going forward with the tax. [URL]http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/19/bonus.bill/index.html[/URL]

#1184305Post 35 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

[quote=Shpira;724377]^^hehe this thread is too funny...its like a slam running man thread part 18[/quote] I'd like the record to state that I am innocent and took no part in this one. :lol:

#1184322Post 36 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

^blatant encouragement, booooooooo!

day for night is right miro, lol

#1184704Post 37 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dPA3b08yfE[/YOUTUBE]

#1184969Post 38 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

[quote=runningman;723777]I wonder how many of the politicians took money from AIG in the past??

Also will Obama ever talk without a teleprompter?? At least Bush shot from the hip.[/quote]

lol. the decider was very good at public speaking, reading upside down and the internets.

#1185003Post 39 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

you guys (the Obama vipers) should have your own theme music when you come in to bash me..

#1185009Post 40 of 62

Re: The AIG bonuses

you reap what you sow.

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