The Tools of Government

The Tools of Ignorance

It's spring training time here in Florida. Baseball teams are preparing for opening day. Pitchers are getting their arms in shape. Catchers are donning their equipment, which someone once referred to as "The Tools of Ignorance".

Meanwhile in Washington DC, our elected leaders are acting like a bunch of OCD jagoffs chasing $170 million highly symbolic and objectionable dollars around while pissing away billions every day through the ignorance of not coming to grips with reality.

I am starting to feel as if leadership doesn't exist, just partisanship. Oh, and influence peddling in the guise of governmental reforms.

I feel like an ignorant tool.

I feel like our government leaders are acting like a bunch of ignorant tools.

Laurie Ruettimann is right: We deserve AIG, and they deserve us.

Bankers are ignorant tools - and know how to use the tools they have been given.

Politicians use the media as tools -- especially if they have a limited scope target that can't fight back that lends itself to being self-righteous.

House to vote on 90 percent tax for AIG bonuses

The House is scheduled to vote today on a bill that would levy a 90 percent
tax on bonuses paid to employees with family incomes above $250,000 at companies
that have received at least $5 billion in government bailout money.

"We figured that the local and state governments would take care of the
other 10 percent," said Rep. Charles Rangel of New York, chairman of the
tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee.

Rangel said the bill would apply to mortgage giants Fannie Mae and
Freddie Mac, among others, while excluding community banks and other smaller
companies that have received less bailout money.

Way to take a stand on an issue, Chuck!

The Tools of Government

Just effing great!

This move to tax the retention bonuses paid by AIG is even stupider than the fact that bonuses of that size were paid in the first place.

Have enough of the problems we are facing in our country today been dealt with that the House of Representatives can take time out to pass situation specific retaliation based legislation?

Even though this will play well with the general public (and the SEIU bunch protesting in Washington DC and elsewhere today), it is a stupid way to solve problems and sets an extremely bad precedent for leadership.

And we don't pay our taxes either!

The next developing policy issue to watch on CNN will be the thirteen companies who have received bailout funds that owe back taxes. But not to worry, John Lewis and Congress are on the case.

Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., chairman of a House subcommittee overseeing the federal bailout, said two firms owe more than $100 million apiece.

"This is shameful. It is a disgrace," said Lewis.

"We are going to get to the bottom of what is going on here." The
House Ways and Means subcommittee on oversight discovered the unpaid taxes in a
review of tax records from 23 of the firms receiving the most money, Lewis said
as he opened a hearing on the issue.

I think we need new tools in government....

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