A Strange Brew

So I'm sitting here listening to Tom Wait's Frank's Wild Years album and reading some news clips and I stumbled across an article dealing with the AIG bailout funds. The particular quote that I want to point out is from Iowa Senator Charles Grassley in regards to the latest uproar regarding the AIG bonus payouts which have the U.S. population as well as the Obama administration putraged. Senator Grassley's solution?

"Obviously, maybe they ought to be removed. But I would suggest the first thing that would make me feel a little bit better toward them if they'd follow the Japanese example and come before the American people and take that deep bow and say, I'm sorry, and then either do one of two things: resign or go commit suicide."

I have to say, I agree with the sentiment. And I'm sure most Americans would agree. Hell, any sane individual, regardless of what country they come from, would agree. The bailout money given to AIG is the highest government funded payout, and rather than use the money to actually pay for anything legitimate, they give it out in the form of bonuses to their top executives? How ballsy is that!?

These people should be forcibly removed from their positions if they refuse to resign honorably. Not only have they squandered billions of their investor's funds over the years, now they are literally torching the billions of dollars given to them from the backs of the average tax-paying citizen! Ludicrous? How about a cause for revolution?

The world is in dire straits, and America is leading the plunge. I applaud Obama for his statement regarding the issue: "I mean, how do they justify this outrage to the taxpayers who are keeping the company afloat?"

It's ridiculous that our tax dollars are paying for these guys to have yachts, drive 100k vehicles, and live in multi-million dollar mansions. As if their salaries aren't enough, now they are being rewarded for making bad decisions. When you were in school and you did something stupid as a result of bad judgement, you served detention. You weren't rewarded for your stupidity.

Obama's got about 2 years to see if he can't turn things around. But if people don't start seeing some sort of change by late 2010/early 2011, I'm beginning to think that things in the U.S. are going to get really, really ugly.

So as I sit here listening to Telephone Call from Istanbul, I have to wonder: is revolution just around the corner? Or is America on the fast-track to becoming a medieval fiefdom, where the middle class is completely erased and there are only two classes: the rich and the poor, who work the land just like the serfs of old.

Tom Waits and politics. If that's not a strange brew for your afternoon fix, I don't know what is!