Disagreeing about AIG bonus payments is fair game…but shouldn’t the arguements be based on facts rather than screaming media sound bites. Everyone is arguing and threatning murder about things they know nothing about.

From the bit of testimony I heard today it turns out that the AIG bonus payments were for Retention and not Performance.

Let’s say you are a key person working at a failing company or a division that is to be sold. Your instinct is to get out and find a new job. The company needs to keep you though for an ordely transition. So they offer you a bonus if you stay through a certain date and accomplish certain things. This is not bad practice…I have done it myself. Who is going to do the work? Volunteers? How easy do you think it is to attract people to come work at a company that is going to be sold or shut down??

So the debate is fine…maybe the numbers are too large. But the hysteria is shocking and disturbing. And there is nothing worse than watching those holier than thou congressmen talk so demeaningly and insultingly to people who don’t neccessarily deserve it.

Call me crazy…but I hear some things being said in the halls of our congress that sounds too close to something a fascist might say….like a unilateral gov’t right to impose 100% taxes on certain people’s compensation if the gov’t doesn’t like it. Outrageous!