[Ombrageux]

TAL - The stimulus package is temporary. Even if, by the direst most absurd Republican predictions, its spending were to last 10 years.. fine. 10 years later it will be finished and America back to 'normal'. It requires lasting legislation, not a mere boost, to fundamentally change the nature of American government.

[Thunderhawk]

The majority of the infrastructure plans will take a few years, maybe even a decade, to complete.

And then they will need to be redone in forty years, some in just ten years or less, because when there are are large amounts of building projects at once they often demand more labour and material then is generally available and are thus flooded by poor quality work and material.

[peter_co]

[NYYS]

haha, that Madoff one is awesome.

On a related note, though, Madoff is such an idiot for not fleeing the country. He had to know it was coming apart, why the hell would he not have immediately flown to some Caribbean island?

[Oxymoron]

People get killed for much less then 50 billion. Maddoff saved his own life for now by pleading guilty.

[NYYS]

You think someone would put in all the effort to track him down somewhere in some tax haven and kill him? He'd probably have security, seems like a lot of effort.

I suppose it's possible, but I'd take a 1% chance of getting killed to be free over a 100% of spending life in jail any day.

[Rojik of the Arctic]

We had a prick in Australia called Christopher Skase (sp?) who bailed to Spain after the same sort of thing. One of our local celebs tried to run a "telethon" sort of deal to hire bounty hunters to bring him back. No go! The celeb was told he would face kidnapping charges if it went ahead.

[Oxymoron]

You think someone would put in all the effort to track him down somewhere in some tax haven and kill him? He'd probably have security, seems like a lot of effort.

We are talking about 50 billion dollars here, that type of cheddar brings along responsibility garaunteed by your life.

[NYYS]

he didn't take 50 billion from any one person though. If someone took like 10% of your wealth would you hunt them across the world to kill them?

[Oxymoron]

No, I wouldnt go thru all that trouble to get my 20 back.

[Falx]

If someone took like 10% of your wealth would you hunt them across the world to kill them?

No, I would call up my cousin and ask him to get his god father to do me a favour. They get to keep whatever isn't mine.

[The American Lion]

[nilof]

Latest XKCD:

[NYYS]

I agree, I don't see why everyone is so up in arms about this. The bonuses were less than 1% (less than 0.1%, even) of what was given, and they go to the reasonable cause of keeping talent employed.

Actually, I do understand. Your typical neanderthal leftist just can't stand seeing someone make a lot of money. Even if it has nothing to do with efficiency or stability or the company, nor is it a sizeable chunk of taxpayer dollars (it's like 50 cents for every person in America), they still get mad because some wealthy person got paid.

Once again we see the hysterical leftist trait of putting their emotions before everything else.

[Thunderhawk]

and they go to the reasonable cause of keeping talent employed.

This, I believe, is the problem. I and I suspect many other people dont view the recipients as particularly talented. Thats not to say they are all hacks, but if everyone else ("the average joe") is suffering, why do these people get bonuses?

Though I believe the subsidy bill (thats basically what the bail out is..) should have included a few clauses giving the companies the same restructuring powers as bankruptcy. That, I think, would allow the companies to not "have to" pay the bonuses. Then its just reduced to the argument if they should pay bonuses - which I covered above.

[Thunderhawk]

http://www.filibustercartoons.com/comics/20090320.gif

[NYYS]

This, I believe, is the problem. I and I suspect many other people dont view the recipients as particularly talented. Thats not to say they are all hacks, but if everyone else ("the average joe") is suffering, why do these people get bonuses?

I think that's fair to feel that way, but everyone knows these people are 100% needed for AIG to continue operations. So, it's important to put your feelings aside and recognize that this is a necessary expenditure, or these people will slowly start leaving for companies that will pay for their BMWs.

[Thunderhawk]

but everyone knows these people are 100% needed for AIG to continue operations.

All of them?

or these people will slowly start leaving for companies

Which companies would those be?

[NYYS]

All of them?

I imagine they didn't get bonuses to every single trader and analyst they have, so no. They should plan on losing market share, and adjust employment levels to accommodate.

Which companies would those be?

uh, like the thousands of companies, both buy and sell side, that haven't gone under in this? Granted none of them are looking to hire lots of people right now, but there are certainly those that will turn around long, long before AIG does.

[Thunderhawk]

So the cream of the crop might jump ship, while others might leave the insurance/finance sector and move to something else.

Is it the government job's to financially support AIG untill it is competitive and a market leader, or just enough to maintain the banking system?