House passes bill to tax bonuses at 90%

[Lamron]

This has got to be the most outrageous thing Congress has done in recent history. They've decided to steal money from private citizens that was earned and contractually guaranteed. There were even Republicans that voted for this criminal act.

Apparently now companies are expected to just tell their employees "we don't feel like paying you this year" and they're supposed to be fine with that and not sue the company out of existence for it. Because if you do pay your employees, the government will just steal it all anyway.

Anyone with money and sense will be bailing out of this sinking country as soon as possible. I'm sure MANY already have, since we've abandoned capitalism and freedom.

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29771499/

[Death's Shadow]

Yeah I got an email from my congress person about this today. This is utter stupidity. The correct answer would have been to never bail them out to begin with, let the ones that can not make it in a free market go under and move on. Some one would have filled the void.

[BAT*21{usa}]

i agree. i had auto insurance with AIG 2 years ago.. i have a clean driving record but still the premiums were ridiculous.. got the exact same coverage on both my vehicles at State Farm for much much less.. so it isn't only the fact of their greed and poor management.. they overpriced themselves into their problems

[RedRock]

It appears that the move is very likely unconstitutional, representing a bill of attainder:

firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/03/19/1843705.aspx

Bill of Attainder. The bill, while not mentioning AIG by name, is clearly meant to punish AIG executives who received high bonuses--a specific group of individuals in response to public outrage over the bonuses. As Roll Call put it:

"House and Senate leaders moved at breakneck speed Wednesday to turn outrage over bonuses at American International Group and other bailed-out companies into retribution, with votes beginning today to impose punishing new tax provisions on the firms."

The author of the bill, Rep. Rangel, explains his motivation for the bill by saying that he "had an obligation to respond to the fears and anger of the people."

Given this motivation, many conservatives may believe that this legislation is a "Bill of Attainder"-a legislative action aimed at punishing individuals, explicitly prohibited by the Constitution in Article I, Section 9, Clause 3.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_of_attainder

www.techlawjournal.com/glossary/legal/attainder.htm

[Death's Shadow]

Here is Article I, section 9, clause 3 of the United States Constitution.


No capitation, or other direct, tax shall be laid, unless in proportion to the census or enumeration herein before directed to be taken.


Is this the first stepping stone to uncle Sam dipping deeper into our pockets? To make this new bill legal they would have to impose the same tax on the country as a whole.


____________________________


When are we as a people going to stand up and take back our country from these people that ignore the written laws of what they can and can not do in Congress?

[Lamron]

They claim this is a response to "outrage over the bonuses". Of course, they manufactured the outrage themselves. But besides that, the proper response to the outrage is not to take the money, but to tell the "outraged" people that they're a bunch of idiots. The company has no option to not pay their employees, and if they tried they would be sued and they would end up paying out MORE in punitive damages for breach of a clear contract.

[Death's Shadow]

They sure didn't care about our outrage when they handed out the billions even against the protest of many millions of US citizens.

[Urumii-Previously ThePresident]

I think there are times when it is acceptable for the government to step in and help, but this is not one of those times. We should have just let it play out. Yes it would have been bad, but it was and still is bad anyways.

[Lamron]

Now they're getting death threats:

tinyurl.com/d5ub92

Its shameful that people really are this stupid. Obama told them to be mad at somebody who was doing what the law requires, and they blindly followed his instructions.

How would they have felt if AIG actually HAD attempted to not pay their employees? In many states, doing that entitles the employee to THREE TIMES what they were due. Did they really WANT that to happen? These retards never think of what the results of their demands will really get them.

[Lamron]

Anybody see "Idiocracy"? We're getting closer every day!

[a Silly Person]

LMAO

Exactly what is the meat that sells at the market made of?

[Urumii-Previously ThePresident]

Mar 20, 2009 20:36:20 GMT -5 Lamron said:

Anybody see "Idiocracy"? We're getting closer every day!

WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? Omg... that is just horrible.

[Death's Shadow]

I have always said those that are to squeamish to kill their own food should be allowed to starve. Then maybe we would not have idiots like this. They would starve too death. LOL

[Death's Shadow]

Mar 20, 2009 12:37:01 GMT -5 Urumii-Previously ThePresident said:

I think there are times when it is acceptable for the government to step in and help, but this is not one of those times. We should have just let it play out. Yes it would have been bad, but it was and still is bad anyways.

It would be hard for me too imagine a time when it would be acceptable for the Govt. too step in and bail a business out. We are a free market society so if you can not manage and make your business work then you are out. Size really doesn't matter when it comes to business. imagine a big bank getting ready to go belly up, there would be wolves in the brush waiting to do a hostel take over and buy them out for pennies on the dollar. Service would remain jobs retained. Problem solved.


Is anyone else taking part in the 4/15/2009 Tea Party taking place across the country?

Make your voices heard everyone.

[Death's Shadow]

Mar 20, 2009 20:14:24 GMT -5 Lamron said:

Now they're getting death threats:

tinyurl.com/d5ub92

Its shameful that people really are this stupid. Obama told them to be mad at somebody who was doing what the law requires, and they blindly followed his instructions.

How would they have felt if AIG actually HAD attempted to not pay their employees? In many states, doing that entitles the employee to THREE TIMES what they were due. Did they really WANT that to happen? These retards never think of what the results of their demands will really get them.

The miss led sheepole are sending the death threats to the wrong people. Not that death threats are the right thing too do but their anger should be directed at our president, treasury department, congress and the house. These are the idiots that started this mess and have thrown more money at making the mess worse. VOTE THEM OUT!!!!