House Passes Bill to Punish A.I.G. Bonus Recipients
Spurred on by a tidal wave of public anger over bonuses paid to executives of the foundering American International Group, the House voted 328 to 93 on Thursday to get back most of the money by levying a 90 percent tax on it.
The measure easily surpassed a procedural hurdle requiring a two-thirds majority vote, thanks to considerable Republican support. The Senate will consider a roughly similar measure, perhaps next week. If something is approved ...
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My concern is that we not lose sight of the objective of reviving the economy. The bonus snafu is annoying but is a nit in the big picture -- yet it is already soaking up administration and congressional time that would be better spent on constructive legislation. Mistakes and missteps have been and will continue to be made in the justifiable rush to stop the economic slide but it is most important to maintain the trajectory and learn as we go and not let greedy fools or political obstructionists / opportunists derail the effort.