Comments on: U.S. Announces $85 Billion Bailout Of AIG

Federal Reserve Makes Emergency Loan To Keep Global Insurance Giant Afloat, Avoid Deepening Financial Crisis

[brianbwb-2009]

"I support the steps taken by the Federal Reserve tonight to assist AIG in continuing to meet its obligations, mitigate broader disruptions and at the same time protect taxpayers," Paulson said in a statement."

Paulson is now confirmed as a lying, flip-flopping sycophant, who has been converted over the weekend to the reverse of his previous position. How much did the sale of your remaining credibility get you, Paulson? I suppose you''re going to be voting Republican then.

Any person with real honor would have told the truth, "I was against using your money to bail out private firms, but those higher up than I have told me to suck it, swallow, and act like I like it, so I have no choice." Then such an honorable person would have resigned.

Put the gun to the roof of your mouth Paulson, it may leave a mess, but at least we won''t have to pay while you linger in ER, and later as an okra.

[element51]

kassandrasdu.....Do you remember where you read about Palin being groomed? I would like to have access to that information. From the moment I heard of her I have thought that something was not quite right. You know, that feeling you have that something is out of place but you just can''t put your finger on it? It just seemed odd to me that here comes this woman, right out of left field, who has never been mentioned on the national scene and suddenly she''s sitting on the right hand of God. I''m tellin you people, something is rotten in Denmark!

[brianbwb-2009]

"It might not just bring down other financial institutions in the U.S. It could bring down overseas financial institutions," said Timothy Canova, a professor of international economic law at Chapman University School of Law. "If Lehman Brother''s failure could help trigger AIG''s going down, who knows who AIG''s failure could trigger next."

But Mr. Canova doesn''t show why we should care what happens to these "other financial institutions in the US," or those abroad, or why we should allow the corruption that got AIG, and those businesses connected to it, into this situation to go unpunished.

If we pay for it, we own it, so we should now be 79.9 percent owners of the company, and so have the right to vote out the corrupt upper management, and require a return of performance bonuses, indeed even salary retroactive to when the business first deceived the public about the health of the company.

[harrymorley]

It alls boils down again, to idiots lending idiots money. When greed and an unbridled desire to make obscene profits clouded good judgement, the house of cards became unstable and collaped. Was it any wonder?

[donlb-2009]

My advice is to be afraid of politicans who say one thing and do another. McCain is de-regulator, and all of his rhetoric about how we need to get the govt off our backs is just plain hogwash. WE ARE THE GOVT. The govt serves us, and not us them. Please remember what Lincoln said at Gettysburg, that a govt "of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth." It is still true?? What do you think??

[element51]

DonLB.....Don, I remember just after Reagan was elected and started de-regulating everything in sight. I said at the time that it was a big mistake and would cause some major problems. I was laughed at and people said I was just being paranoid. Then, as time progressed and the Soviet Empire imploded everyone was quick to give all the credit to Reagan. It was Russia''s war in Afghanistan that brought them to their knees, not Reagan. They simply spent themselves into oblivion...just like we are doing in the middle east now. It was government regulation that brought us out of the Great Depression and we need to take a look back at some of those policies and apply them today. But you are right. Palin/McCain will do everything they can to destroy any regulation that still exists because that opens the door to the greedy right wing elites who want to destroy the middle class. Frankly, for the first time in my life I''m afraid and I''m not even sure what I''m afraid of. Very confusing times.

[harp1963]

We have become the laughing stocks of the entire world under the leadership of George Bush.

[harp1963]

I wonder who the unlucky President will be in the future who will have to tell retired Americans that the money that they have been sending the government out of ever paycheck for the last 30, 40, or 50 years of their working life, is gone and they have no idea where it went?

[donlb-2009]

It is not $155 billion but currently $223 billion - $85 billlion bailout of AIG, $87 billion that JP Morgan loaned AIG and was immediatly repaid by the Fed and then another $51 billion from JP Morgan loaned to AIG that the Fed will probably repay tomorrow. When it is all over, I would not be surprised if Goldman Sachs fails and we round out the bailout to an even $1 trillion. We can all kiss universal health coverage goodbye. What do you say???

[hermitdave]

If republicans prove anything it is that life is so much better for the rich and they want to keep it that way.