This week the public's rage about the Wall Street Criminals and the destruction of our country is focused on the AIG bonuses. Which is small potatoes compared to the bigger picture. But nonetheless, it is symptomatic of the massive corruption and the intimate relationship between our politicians in Congress and the criminals on Wall Street.
Apparently some of the Senators and Representatives had specifically required that the stimulus bill must include a provision that would make it illegal for any of these companies to pay bonuses with taxpayer money. But guess what? Somebody removed that prohibition at the last minute. And now there's a speculation about who removed it, how, and when. Supposedly neither Obama nor Geither knew about it until last week. So who did it then? What's with all the secrecy?
I'd suggest everyone go back and read the Wall Street Journal article of February 12, 2009 (link below) in which Rahm Emanuel trashed Obama and claimed that he put on his magic red cape, worked all week-end, changed stuff in the bill, and that's why it got through. If anyone should know what happened, Rahm Emanuel should.
To be more precise: did Rahm Emanuel remove from the bill the prohibition on AIG bonuses? Or did he have any involvement? Obama's being remarkably unclear when asked if the "White House" was involved. Obama simply said he is President, he is responsible. Yeah, okay, but did someone in the White House make revisions to the bill so that the Wall Street Criminals could keep taking bonuses. Remember, Rahm Emanuel was known as Wall Street's favorite politician, big recipient of money, and supposedly is just in the White House for a brief stay until he goes back to Chicago to run for Senate (then on to his own White House bid with the full funding of Wall Street behind him?)
At the time I read this article, I thought Rahm Emanuel was shockingly arrogant in publicly blaming the President for any problems they'd had, and claiming for himself all the credit for the success. Not a team player at all. But now I wonder if those words will come back to haunt him.
FEBRUARY 12, 2009 (WSJ)
"Emanuel Says Obama Team Lost Message on Stimulus" (by Jonathan Weisman)
....."Speaking volubly about the stimulus package, Mr. Emanuel offered new details about the White House's involvement in bringing the legislation to the brink of passage. The framework for the bill was set at a Dec. 12 meeting during the transition, he said, but White House aides decided against drafting a detailed proposal. That decision has elicited criticism from Republicans and some Democrats who said it allowed members of Congress to bulk up the measure with extraneous provisions of questionable economic value. "
"On Friday night, after Senate Democratic leaders and three Senate Republicans struck a deal ensuring Senate passage, Mr. Emanuel, White House Budget Director Peter Orszag and others went to work on precisely the kind of detailed proposal many had been calling for, laboring through the weekend."
On Monday morning, the president met with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D, Nev.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D, Calif.) to inform them after Senate passage, the White House would deliver a proposal that he hoped would form the bulk of a House-Senate compromise. That proposal contained some measures not included in either the House or Senate version ...."
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So as I read this, the Senate reached agreement on a Friday night, then Emanuel and someone named Orszag "and others" worked all week-end writing up some details. They also added some "measures" which had not been included in the Senate or the House's version.
So what about it Rahm? Know anything about the AIG Bonuses, how that little thing just slipped on through. If he is going to step forward and claim credit for things, then maybe he can explain exactly what happened. No one else is.
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