Officials' indignation rings hollow on AIG

All the self-righteous indignation from Congress and the White House over the $165 million in bonus payments to AIG employees rings phony to me. The congressional and presidential finger pointing at AIG is intended to direct our attention from the real culprits … the ones doing the pointing.

Congress has given AIG $180 billion of your tax dollars. The $165M is less than a drop in the AIG bucket. This $165M wouldn’t even make a ripple in the $1 trillion bailout bucket that Congress will force you to fill, with another bucket waiting.

Congress and the White House rammed the stimulus bill (which not one member of Congress read) and the omnibus spending bill down our collective throats. These bills total over $1T of your hard-earned dollars. The drones in Congress should be the target of your anger.

How much is a trillion? You start, right now, spending $1,000 every single day. In 2.5 million years you will still have $87 billion in your pocket. And you’re getting all worked up over $165 million in bonus payments?

After reading the stimulus bill, I am convinced that Congress (both parties), and the White House, are not looking out for you, or your country. But you know what? I bet nearly every incumbent member of Congress gets reelected. It’s you and me folks … we’re the government. If it ain’t working, it’s our own fault, pure and simple.

God bless America, and God bless our troops.

STEVE BRIXEN

Sandpoint