The rest of this is populist silliness.

Jaibones on November 11, 2008 at 3:31 PM

No, this has nothing to do with lavish spas in general. This has to do with lavish spas and a company that should be bankrupt and would be without our money.

There is no reason in the world why they couldn’t keep a low radar and do business somewhere that doesn’t cost thousands of dollars. As I’ve said repeatedly, the whole world knows their economic situation. This isn’t about keeping up a front.

It’s more like Cinderella getting a dress made out of the same material used to make clothes for the naked emperor.

If AIG is a business that can be saved, then customers will be willing to meet them without being bribed into it with a nice resort.

I want to see some heads roll

Greenhelmet on November 11, 2008 at 1:12 PM

Yep, me too. And Revolutionary France did have a few good ideas – they managed to rid society of a great many bouches inutiles….

Unfortunately for us, as stock markets worldwide collapse, AIG is like Nero playing the fiddle as our 401Ks burn in a drunken orgy….

I want to see some heads roll

Greenhelmet on November 11, 2008 at 1:12 PM

There it is – welcome to Enlightenment France! Good grief.

libertarianuberalles on November 11, 2008 at 10:55 AM

Well said.

Every American taxpayer should be livid about this!

canopfor on November 11, 2008 at 12:15 PM

Disagree, canopfor. There is only one issue for us to be concerned – how quickly does AIG recover their stability, repay the loans, and learn the painful lessons of this mortgage market.

The rest of this is populist silliness.

It’s kind of like the mother who gets a bunch of child support money and goes to have her hair and nails done and buys a new dress …

scalleywag on November 11, 2008 at 11:21 AM

No. It’s not. It’s nothing like that at all.

Bugler on November 11, 2008 at 10:03 AM

I spelled out my reasoning, Bugler. Feel free to address those points, rather than just snipe.

Is there anyone on this planet who believes we’ve seen the last of AIG’s “requests” for more money confiscated from U.S. citizens? Anyone? Bueller?

Hmmm…no takers. We’re agreed, then: AIG will be back for more. Next question: When they do come back for more, on what basis could the government possibly refuse them? If they were “too big to fail” when they got $40B and they were “too big to fail” when they got another $150B, won’t they still be “too big to fail” when they come back for half a trillion?

They are not “Sarah’s People”.

DarkCurrent on November 11, 2008 at 1:19 PM

“Parties” are necessary. Expensive ones are not.

As I said earlier, everyone in the world knows AIG’s situation. Throwing lavish parties to pretend they’re not the beggars they are does nothing for them except cause the sentiment seen in Greenhelmet’s comment.

If it can’t function without wasting money on spa retreats and large bonuses to executives who were so incompetent that they needed this bailout in the first place, then yes, we should give it the death penalty and choke it to death.

Esthier on November 11, 2008 at 1:04 PM

No bonuses should be paid, but this thread isn’t about bonuses.

This so-called “party” sounds like a sales event typical of the industry (I’m not in the industry so I could well be wrong). If that’s the case and is indeed required to be competetive, why are we complaining? On the other hand, I guess this is why we shouldn’t nationalize companies/industries in the first place. We as a group (the tax-paying new owners) generally don’t have a clue as to how to manage our investment.

Now should we allow it to try and function as a competetive business and perhaps succeed, or choke it to death to ensure failure?

DarkCurrent on November 11, 2008 at 12:25 PM

If it can’t function without wasting money on spa retreats and large bonuses to executives who were so incompetent that they needed this bailout in the first place, then yes, we should give it the death penalty and choke it to death.

some companies should fail. AIG is one of them.

blish on November 11, 2008 at 12:34 PM

Sure, some companies should fail. Many companies should fail. But do you want a company you’ve just invested in (by force or otherwise) to fail?

Since the Liberal Democrat’s caused this
financial mess,

Republicans need to say no to every single
bailout,and let the Liberals screw this up!

Either way,Democrats and the MSM will blame
Bush,and the Republican Party!!

drinking coffee and working out at the spa while other attendees were in conference rooms for seminars.

PARTY!

Still they have a long row to hoe before they catch up with government thieves like Raines, Johnson and Gorelick.

PattyJ on November 11, 2008 at 11:20 AM

There was speculation that Janet Reno leveraged her way into a second term as AG because she knew where all the dirt on Clinton was stashed. I’m convinced that Reno must have shared what she knew with Gorelick. Never have I seen a bigger traitor to this nation seemingly impervious to accountability for her actions.