Misplaced outrage..

Congress, the White House, the Senate, and the media, all expressed their distain for the bonuses awarded to AIG employees .. Millions of dollars of bonuses are a drop in the bucket in the scheme of things, especially when you look at the fact that billions with a B were given to AIG since last year--but that is besides the point..

We need to blame someone.. And frankly, lawmakers will be quick to point blame especially when the traces of the current economic distress can be tracked straight back to them.

But tax them we will! Senator Schumer said that if the AIG employees don't give back their cash, he will take it! Schumer said yesterday that if the employees don't return the bonus money willingly, the government will do everything it can to get the money, including taxing almost all of it..

The bonus thing may be distasteful.. but is anyone else a little queasy about the government singling a citizen out for 100% taxation? They could theoretically do it to anyone.. right?

Perhaps after the 100% tax Senator Grassley will get his wish and the AIG employees that got the bonuses will commit suicide. Of course he said yesterday emphatically he is pro-life and doesn't want anyone to kill themselves.. but the rhetoric is even more unpleasing when it's from a group of people that voted for the bailouts.. And when it's from someone that allowed bonuses, like Senator Dodd, who now pretends he never introduced anything that did what is being done..

Congresspersons did said in the fall of 2008 that Henry Paulson said martial law would be declared if the Congress didn't approve last year's bailout--this is a fact, even though Sean Hannity cuts off callers that try to state it on his show. King Henry got his way and the bailout was passed.. then he changed what the money would be used for.. Those toxic assets became a little less threatening after the money was approved...

And just weeks ago, more money was given to AIG...

The bonus contracts that are the subject of controversy were agreed upon in April 2008... And Congress, the White House, and the Senate, all pretend now that they had no clue...

The outrage displayed is comical.. One Senator apparently wants a public execution while another wants all of their money.. And President Obama said he didn't know bonuses were in the mix until this month.. He's on Leno tonight, though, so the TV star will keep his Hollywood appeal.

The whole charade is getting tiring..

Who should we trust? Bankers out for profit or the government out for taxes? Maybe neither...