The following excerpts were taken from various News website and represent a very brief look into one aspect of the trouble WE ARE ALL IN.
“After subpoenaing AIG, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo informed Congress that 73 employees in the very division responsible for the financial meltdown received bonuses of $1 million or more – 11 of whom left the company after getting the cash to retain them.”
BY ELLEN YAN AND GARY DYMSKI
March 18, 2009 next
“Members of Long Island’s delegation in Congress have accepted donations from bailout recipient American International Group for years and yesterday - while vowing not to accept future funds - several said they would not give the money back.”
Long Island’s congressional delegation, along with the state’s senators, got almost $135,000 in campaign donations since the 2000 elections from AIG-connected sources, according to the campaign finance watchdog, the Center for Responsive Politics. Topping the local list was Hillary Rodham Clinton, now the U.S. secretary of state but a senator when she got almost $60,000, and Sen. Charles Schumer, who drew about $38,500.
19 Lobbyist Clients across 9 States and 3 years matching ‘AIG’
Names in the News: American International Group
by Megan Moore, Feb. 17, 2006
American International Group, the finance and insurance powerhouse that recently agreed to pay $1.64 billion to settle a lawsuit over its accounting practices, made its wealth felt in state-level politics in recent years. AIG and its member companies gave nearly $5 million, with much of the giving concentrated in California.
A I G - R E L A T E D C O N T R I B U T I O N S B Y S T A T E , 2 0 0 0 - 2 0 0 6
S T A T E A M O U N T:
To Politicians in each state:
California $3,405,098
New York $610,000
Florida $144,500
Nevada $135,185
Texas $92,500
Virginia $73,250
Georgia $46,050
Indiana $45,150
Delaware $44,700
North Carolina $40,237
Hawaii $35,510
Missouri $34,800
Colorado $28,425
Arkansas $25,100
Ohio $24,900
Alabama $18,150
Tennessee $16,350
Louisiana $14,250
Mississipp i $14,000
Maryland $10,500
Pennsylvania $9,693
Illinois $9,150
South Carolina $6,500
Maine $5,000
Nebraska $5,000
Kentucky $4,800
Oregon $4,500
Oklahoma $2,600
Washington $1,000
Utah $300
Connecticut $250
West Virginia $250
Vermont $100
T O T A L $ 4 , 9 0 7 , 7 9 8
About 56 percent of the contributions, or $2.7 million, went to candidates for state-level offices,
while another $1.5 million went to political party committees. Ballot measure committees received
nearly $650,000.
AIG companies contributed to candidates in 32 states. State legislative hopefuls received 60
percent of the funds AIG gave to candidates. Gubernatorial candidates followed with 18 percent of
AIG money, and candidates for insurance commissioner received 9 percent.
And don’t talk to me about all the politicians stampeding to tax AIG’s bonuses. Democrat Sen. Chris Dodd, the corporate crony who is the largest recipient of AIG donations (total: $281,400), is now leading the charge to tax the retention payments in order to recoup the $450 million the company is paying to employees in its financial products unit.
Rich Edson pointed out that during the Senate porkulus negotiations last month, Dodd successfully inserted a teeny, tiny amendment that provided for an “’exception for contractually obligated bonuses agreed on before Feb. 11, 2009,’ which exempts the very AIG bonuses Dodd and others are seeking to tax.”
George Stephanopoulos of ABC News just wrapped up a Twitter interview with John McCain. Stephanopoulous was more concerned with McCain’s daughter’s spats than with nailing McCain on his AIG flip-flopping. What a wasted opportunity. (Or as we say in Twitter-world: #fail.)
Before the Fall, AIG Payouts Went to Washington
Published by Massie Ritsch on March 16, 2009 11:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
As long as everyone’s talking today about AIG’s payouts to its executives and foreign banks, let’s remember the payouts AIG has made over the years to politicians. In the last 20 years American International Group (AIG) has contributed more than $9 million to federal candidates and parties through PAC and individual contributions. That’s enough to rank AIG on OpenSecrets.org’s Heavy Hitters list, which profiles the top 100 contributors of all time.
I am sure I could go on for days but I doubt if there is anyone in disagreement thatthere is AT THE VERY LEAST, a possibility that these “contributions” have an impact. I am sure we would all agree that
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the money drives the decisions politicians make because it drives the elections.
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The problem is systemic and you are smoking crack if you think the current “efforts” are going to bring about a stable economy.
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Only immediate action by a large number of voters combined with as much publicity as can be generated will get their attention.
To that end, if you care about the current problems you must act. If you are ready to do more than kvetch to your friends, neighbors and co-workers. PLEASE take another five minutes (or come back to this later) read “The Plan” (you can click that, in case you were unaware).
Those of you who know me know I have been involved with Internet Marketing for the better part of the last 20 years. All we need are enough voices speaking to the right people and we can begin taking back the government. I KNOW HOW TO DO THIS.
Can you honestly sleep at night while the crimes, CRIMES! are taking place and all of us are working harder and longer than ever to have less income and a live in a society where “OctoMom” is made a celebrity and rewarded with YOUR money IN THE FORM OF TAX BREAKS?
Five more minutes is all I am asking. Read The Plan
