Main St. has spoken: AIG bonuses awarded to those that defeat wrestler in death match.
OK AIG exec. You want your bonus? You have to go through this guy to get it.
Even though President Obama has requested that Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, “pursue every single legal avenue to block these bonuses and make the American taxpayers whole,” it’s more than likely that AIG contractual obligations to its employees will trump these efforts. And even though the message that this sends is a kin to, “Hey American taxpayer, you can suck it!’ – a deal is a deal.
But I for one think that President Obama needs to look beyond these contracts and ‘the law’ if he really wants to prevent our bailout money from being used to pay the mortgage on some banker’s summer home in the Hamptons. The President should consider options that send a clear message by saying, “Ok, banker. If you want your bonus, prepare to work for it.” And no, I don’t mean they’ll have to put in more hours at the office. That would be absurd. I’m talking about the only possible means of a banker earning a six or seven-figure bonus – a no holds barred death match with WWE wrestler, The Undertaker. If one of AIG’s employees can beat The Undertaker, cool – you earned your bonus. If he loses, well then I guess he didn’t deserve it, now did he?
The benefit of what we’re calling, ‘The Banker Bonus Brawl’ legislation to both the Obama administration and the American economy could have only one of two outcomes:
- I’d be willing to bet that most bankers would forfeit their bonus if they have to go through the ring to get it. After all, a snowball has a better chance in hell than a banker has against The Undertaker. Have you seen this guy?
- Even if an AIG exec does accept the challenge, there isn’t an unemployed person in this country that wouldn’t pay top-dollar to see him or her get a little ‘smack down justice.’ Hell, I’d gladly hand over a weeks worth of unemployment money just to watch the event on pay-per-view. T-shirt sales alone could single-handedly kick start the economy. Recession over. Thanks Undertaker.
So, Mr. President, if you’re serious about getting the economy back on track and creating more rigid accountability for our financial sector, get your mind out of the court room and into the ring. That’s what main street really wants. Boo-ya!
Cage-match baby! Those are the extra-legal means Obama needs right now.
i hope the undertaker beats that fuckface into the ground and then makes him turn inside out…entertainment for the masses…yeah!
Yep, this is the way to do it. Get someone else to do the job. As is evident, too many Americans want to sit back and watch, while a hired gun does their dirty work.
Try growing a pair. You want AIG to give the money back, go down to their office, in person and ask for it.
You think you know something about contracts? Try this, if a company wants they can ignore it and tell you, ‘take us to court’.
The government could do the same with AIG. We own 80% of that farce. Tell them, ‘No bucks! We’ll see you in court’.
As for you Mr. Henlion, waiting to see how you handle life after your unemployment money runs out.
Then we’ll find out if you can deal with reality.
I now return you to your fantasy in progress.
Hey John Henion,
My apologies, even when dissing someone’s comments, I don’t like to misspell their name!
It’s Mr. Henion, right? Tried to change my original misspelling, just made it worse…
You have to admit, Hen-lion does have a bi-animal ring to it.
Roars like a lion, acts like a chicken.
No lions down here on the farm, we did have a python once…
Tom…are you drunk?
Nah, Tom sounds like he works for AIG….
Personally I favor another form of trial to see if AIG gets any more money. Something that was used, oh…say in Salem, Massachusets circa 1693!!!!
In other words throw the AIG executives into the Hudson.
If they sink, then they deserve their “retention award”.
If they float then it means they are a witch and should be burned at the stake in Times Square.
I’ve got my pitchfork…who’s with me?
Pete
Not drunk. Pissed (Not the way the English use the term, meaning drunk)but the good old American way, meaning PISSED OFF.
Getting drunk would be a luxury.
Big Daddy Cool,
Work for AIG?
Never have, never will.
Like the fact that you place your trust in the justice system. You keep doing that, just as long as you can afford a good lawyer.
I can tell you about trials and lawyers. I won 3, count ‘em, 3 court cases and a judgment against my former employer for illegal termination. They refuse to pay the judgment. You know what they say? “Sue us again.”
If the court systemm worked, Bernie Madoff would have been in jail the first day, not sitting in his Manhattan apartment for three months. Any bets that he’s out in less than 60 days on a medical?
By the way, BDC, only female executives would qualify as a witch. Males would be warlocks. It’s OK, I understand that you’re probably a product of the American education system.
What I’m afraid that you gentlemen and Mr. Henion don’t understand is that the current economic ‘crisis’ is another chapter in ripping off the people who do the heavy lifting in this country.
You think that wages/benefits suck now? Wait for your next job interview. You’ll be told, ‘Hey, times are tough, we can only pay so much.’ You’ll take the money, even if it’s 50% of your former salary, just to keep your face fed and the lights on at the homestead.
So go back to your fantasy. Sit on the couch and play with your joystick.
Let me know when the anger kicks in.
All I hear from you is complaining about people like John complaining…but your blog and these comments are all complaints, with nothing constructive except “Try growing a pair” and suggesting that you could just walk into AIG and demand they stop handing out bonuses.