Jeber’s

AIG execs, clueless or criminal?

Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., described what investigators found during a hearing this morning on Capitol Hill:

After the bailout of AIG last month, the United States government effectively bought an 80% share in the company. That should have caused a fundamental change, you would think, in how the company was spending funds on compensation, bonuses and benefits.

But it doesn’t look like that’s what happened. The committee learned that shortly after the bailout went through, executives from AIG’s major U.S. life insurance subsidiary, AIG American General, held a week-long conference at an exclusive resort in California.

The resort is called the St. Regis Monarch Beach. … It’s very impressive. This is an exclusive resort. The rooms start, gentlemen, at $425 a night. Some are more than $1,200 a night.

… We contacted the resort where AIG held this week-long event, and we requested copies of AIG’s bills. We learned that AIG spent nearly $500,000 in a single week at the — at this hotel. Now, this was right after the bailout.

… Let me describe some of the — the charges that — that the shareholders who are now U.S. taxpayers had to pay. Check this out.

AIG spent $200,000 for hotel rooms, and almost $150,000 for catered banquets. AIG spent — listen to this one — $23,000 at the hotel spa and another $1,400 at the salon. They were getting their manicures, their facials, their pedicures and their massages while the American people were — were footing the bill.

And they spent another $10,000 for — I don’t know what this is — leisure dining. (”leisure dining” means they drank at a bar.)

If there was ever an apt illustration of the concept of unconscionable this is it. Unconscionable is variously defined as “brash, unprincipled, and conscienceless”, “greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation” and “unscrupulous and lacking principles or conscience; excessive, imprudent or unreasonable”. It’s all those things and borders on criminal.

My tax dollars were used in that bailout, as were yours. Our money was used, improperly and without our consent, by unauthorized personnel for personal gain. They partied on our dime. They exhibited contempt for those of us who have lost money due in part to their incompetence.

At the very least every person who enjoyed this vacation funded by us ought to never be employed in any capacity that doesn’t require them to ask, “would you like fries with that?” The best thing for them would be to spend a year or so in prison. If they think they are entitled to use the public’s money, let them use the part of my taxes that support the federal prison system.

Are we preparing for martial law?

As we watch corporate America stagger financially, and the polarized politicians try to respond, there is something else going on that we all need to be aware of.

For the second time since Hurricane Katrina hit in August 2005, an active Army unit –1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division — has been set up to quell civil unrest and do crowd control within our borders. And this time it’s a permanent mission.

The last time I checked, the use of the military in domestic activities was prohibited by law, with the exception of the National Guard units under the authority of the states.

So what’s going on? A recent report in The Army Times — “Army Unit to Deploy in October for Domestic Operations” discussed a new military unit that is now stationed in the United States of America.

The report stated that the 1st Brigade Combat Team would be deployed within the country and would work with civil authorities to “put down civil unrest.” On the surface this may seem benign, but this mission marks the first time an active military unit has assigned to NorthCom, the joint command established in 2002 to control federal homeland defense efforts and coordinate with civil authorities.

The commander of this unit, Col. Roger Cloutier, also said that his troops will be trained to use nonlethal weapons designed to subdue unruly or dangerous individuals without killing them.

This is another first; the first time a nonlethal package has been fielded the Army, according to Cloutier. Why does that make me uneasy? The package includes equipment to raise a hasty road block, spike strips for slowing, stopping or controlling traffic; shields and batons; and beanbag bullets.

The Army’s new “dwell-time” mission will be part of a force that includes elements from other military branches and dedicated National Guard Weapons of Mass Destruction-Civil Support teams.

It doesn’t stop there. There will be Air Force engineer and medical units, the Marine Corps Chemical, Biological Initial Reaction Force, a Navy weather team and members of the Defense Logistics Agency and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

According to an Army Times interview, Col. Louis Vogler, one of the chiefs of NorthCom future operations, said, “Right now, the response force requirement will be an enduring mission.”

Very little has been said to the general public about this whole affair. I’d wager most Americans aren’t aware of this new strike force within our country. Are we closer to internal collapse than any of us realize? Why does the federal government feel the need for such a unit within our borders?

As It Stands, the idea that active duty soldiers will be used to control unruly civilian crowds is both terrifying and unconstitutional. (Dave Stancliff is a columnist for The Times-Standard)

Perhaps so few Americans know about this because the government has made no effort to advise or consult with its citizens. There’s been no official explanation for this action, nor has anyone in the White House told us what their plans are.

I’ve had enough of this administration’s attitude that the Constitution is just a piece of paper and that they’re free to do whatever they wish regardless of the limitations the Constitution places on their actions. The Bush administration is the most secretive one we’ve seen since Nixon’s. I’m equally disappointed that neither Obama nor McCain, both of whom must be aware of this action, haven’t bothered to step up and explain it to the American public. That indicates they are both either complicit or clueless. Neither possibility fills me with confidence in their potential presidency.

We need to demand full disclosure from our elected officials. Anything less is not acceptable, nor should it be. We elected this government, we pay their salaries. If they cannot perform the duties of office according to the Constitution they need to be replaced with those who will.

Busted Luck

KUSI television reporter Rod Luck was arrested in a San Francisco suburb on suspicion of hitting his girlfriend.

The 42-year-old woman said Luck, 58, punched her in the mouth a little before 8 p.m. Friday, according to a statement from the South San Francisco Police Department.

The woman had visible injuries to her mouth and upper lip, police said.

The station had no comment on his arrest.

http://www.10news.com/news/16227288/detail.html