(Guest post by Ken of
A Red Dot in a Red State)
The President, Congress, and the Media are whipping up the American people into a National Hissy-Fit over AIG’s “bonuses”. Barney Frank wants their names, or he’ll subpoena AIG for them. Chucky-Cheese Schumer has promised to get the money back “one way or another.” The Media is running almost non-stop viewer statements of angry Americans who are apoplectic over these bonuses. I have never seen anything like it (more here). The closest was Congress and the Media beating up on the oil executives over “windfall profits” made at a time when gasoline cost over $4 per gallon.
It is obvious that Tim Geithner, Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, and the President knew about the pay structure of AIG. And these “bonuses” are a part of their pay structure. These are not some monetary version of the “cherry on top”, but are in fact an agreed upon portion of AIG’s payroll. Taxes will be paid on this money, well over a third, and probably half, of this money in fact will return to the Treasury (not the “American Taxpayer” – we will never see a dime). But, in the grand scheme of things – so what?
Congress agreed to bail out AIG. All they needed to do was suspend Mark-to-market accounting that drained AIG’s cash, but instead they handed the insurance giant a few huge checks. Congress did it without strings. Additional funding was provided for in the Stimulus Bill, and provisions included to exempt AIG (and other bailed-out corporations) from restrictions on meeting its payroll obligations. We fought and fought against this bill, however, it passed. Ironically, many – if not most, of the people who supported the Stimulus are now joining in this National Hissy-Fit.
Pardon me for a moment while I say…WE TOLD YOU SO!
Anyway, there is only ONE reason why the President and Congress began this Hissy-Fit. Class warfare. This was absolutely orchestrated and the Media, along with millions of Americans, fell for it hook…line…and sinker. Il Duce wants the average American to be beyond angry at bankers, Wall Street, and companies like AIG. He wants you to be angry at oil companies. He wants you to be jealous of Americans who earn more money than you.
He is playing you like a fiddle my friend.
Obama’s next step will be to subtly change his language to produce a distinction between those who work with their hands for a paycheck, and those who use intellect, or assets, to make a living. Bankers and Wall Street executives are a perfect target. The average American has no idea how the financial market works, nor can they comprehend the amount of money that flows through their hands. It does not matter how much these people work, or sacrificed to obtain their position. It does not matter how much education they have. It does not matter that these people are needed. It does not matter that they are our fellow citizens. To Il Duce, they are the enemy of the common worker, “the people”, and therefore, the State. The original Il Duce, Benito Mussolini, felt the same way and played the same game.
Socialism, and its evil twin Fascism, require that there is a distinction between workers and “the elite”. This distinction becomes a weapon to nationalize our financial institutions. It allows the criminalization of those who took risks with their assets, made loans, or created the widget everyone bought. With criminalization comes seizure of their “ill-gotten” assets to “return them to the American taxpayer.” When that happens, we will no longer be in a Representative Republic. Will will be in a Socialist State. Life in this country will be irrevocably altered, for the worse.
We need to wake up. WAKE UP! Stop giving in to these divisive hissy-fits. Call them what they are and fight to keep our country free. Please, don’t let me, as my last act of defiance before being arrested as a political dissident, type the words…”I TOLD YOU SO!”
