March Madness, Bailout Bonuses, and Other Green Thoughts of the Week

So AIG and other bailout-rewarded companies gave their executives a bazillion dollars in bonuses. I say fine. It is another reason why renewed tax cuts for the very wealthy are such a dumb idea. Wealthy people know how to take care of themselves. Imagine the size of the cajones that the AIG brass had to use taxpayer money to pay rewards to the very people who drove AIG to the brink of bankruptcy. Nice work if you can get it.

This kind of March Madness makes the NCAA tournament seem like very small potatoes as compared to the gamesmanship that occurs on Capitol Hill.

Instead of trying to make up for past poor lawmaking, Chris Dodd and Barney Franks can ramrod the Obama taxcuts through Congress for the rest of us working slobs who aren't fortunate to be employed by Wal-Mart; who gets the best "in-your-face-unions" award for paying $934 million in bonuses, averaging to $666 for each domestic part-time and full-time front-line worker.

Then they can break-up the oligopoly that the major banks have so that the rest of us can feel safe that the money we have left in the bank will be there next week. Finally, they can give teeth to the SEC, FTC, FDA so that we can feel that whatever "fail safes" they write bills for will have the manpower to be enforced.

These "green" jobs will be there to protect our greenbacks, as well as our food supply.

Speaking of green jobs, I mentioned to my wife that I had a "shovel ready" project in mind for which the stimulus money could be used. She wisely shook her head and walked away when I suggested "digging shallow graves for the CEOs of failed corporations and banks." In fairness, I did tell her I was inspired by Charles Grassley.