http://wonkette.com/404602/aig-using-taxpayers-150-billion-to-annoy-comedy-blog

I, for one, am tired of them taking my hard-earned money and then telling me that they will do what they damn well please with it.  Company officials say that they will recoup much of the cost from product sponsors, so they apparently have a solid revenue stream.  If they can afford to waste $343,000 on a conference, they can afford to pick themselves up out of debt without any help from the taxpayers.  Wanton spending is one way they got themselves into this mess, they need to do what other Americans are doing and cutting back on everything.

The execs say that things like this are necessary for their business, maybe so.  But in hard economic times, we have to change some things around.  A meeting can be held anywhere there is a room large enough, and I’m thinking there are plenty of conference rooms at AIG’s headquarters.  And, they should require that all the attendees actually attend the meeting, not work out at the spa while others attend meetings, as Art Tambaro, president of AIG’s Royal Alliance Associates allegedly did.

There are plenty of Americans who have over-extended themselves that would love a bailout of their own.  I wouldn’t mind an extra $100k to pay off all of my debt.  American families are having to do without new cars, new clothes, vacations, electronics, etc.  We are having to cut our budgets, change our lifestyles, and do without.  We are watching our retirement accounts driven into the ground.  We should ask no less of the companies coming to us with their hands out, begging.

It is time for the feds to cut AIG off – now.  No more bailout for AIG, or any other entity who is behaving as irresponsibly.  Cut them off and demand immediate restitution.  Cut them off and demand the resignation of their CEO and other top managers, without golden parachutes and bonus packages.  Bailing out this company is offensive to me and to Americans.  They are spitting in the faces of those they are begging from.

Cut them off, break them up, and sell them off.

Needless to say, I’ll be watching this one.

For more information, see the ABC news article.

Days after AIG received $85 billion from the Federal Reserve, AIG spent $440,000 entertaining executives. Now, they’ve paid $86,000 for a hunting trip in England just after they recieved another $37.8 billion in taxpayer funded loans. According to AIG execs, though, these trips were already planned months before any bailout or loans and therefore were necessary and allowable.

Big Deal. How many families have had to put their vacations on hold just to make the mortgage payment, put gas in the car and food on the table? How many of these families have seen the main breadwinner suddenly unemployed. I’m sure the mortgage company didn’t say “Go ahead and take your vacation. By the way, here’s a loan to help you fuel your car and buy groceries, use it in Hawaii. Pay it back when and if you can.”

This is just another example of how these huge companies are laughing at Main Street America.

Maybe a different kind of retreat is in order. I’m thinking a bit of time as guests of the federal or New York penal systems may help out. I understand they have an excellent fitness program as well as massages (if you find the right roommate).

An interesting Fox News article can be read at Fox News.