Lawmakers steamed over ritzy AIG retreat after bailout

darkbeaver

the universe is electric
Jan 26, 2006
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RR1 Distopia 666 Discordia
Praxius, I wish I could lay claim to Jacque Fresco's plans for the future but unfortunately I'm not that visionary. As you can see in my posting above, I am quoting from the Venus Project webpage. I take no responsibility for the quote above, other than to say I support his ideas. It is refreshing to listen to people talk about fixing our messed up world rather than the usual finger pointing and blame being tossed around.

By the way, I read your posting on revising the system some time back. Some of your ideas are sound.

It's difficult for most to think outside the box. I think Fresco's plan could revolutionize society and make a much better world for all of us.

As for the CEO's, let them eat cake...or drink wine...or whatever it is they do for enjoyment. Their time is at hand. Time to pay the piper.

No plan can proceed or succeed if the finger pointing and blame are not accurately assigned and the problems eliminated. Step one in any social responsible democracy is the extermination of capitalism, the spieces can no longer afford their extravagances and their warring. So, point the finger and lay the blame or fail again.
 

mt_pockets1000

Council Member
Jun 22, 2006
1,292
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Edmonton
@ Mt_Pockets1000

It is a fallacy that a "resource economy" is any different than a currency economy. Currency is merely a way to facilitate the exchange of resources.

Historical resource economies are just as much, in fact more so, profit driven. The need to control resources is greated than in a currency economy because of the lack of easy exchange.

Greed for resources and using them for power operates exactly the same way as greed for currency and using it for power.

I'm no expert on this topic and I just recently started to look into the pros and cons of such a system. But Fresco's plan involves the elimination of resource ownership by countries and individuals, leaving the earth and all it's resources to become everybody's stewardship. You will have to read his work to understand his plan because I can do it no justice with my limited knowledge. He does admit that his system is not perfect.

His plans for transportation are intriguing, using magnetic levitation and enabling trains to travel at incredible speeds. And his construction techniques make use of robots and GPS systems to build structures, move materials, dig trenches. Imagine putting up a high rise building in a few hours using modular construction with 'memory materials' that can be compressed into small cubes for transportation and reheated later to spring back into it's original shape. This building will have it's own power generating capabilities, using geothermal as a primary source, the roof and windows acting as solar panels for additional power.

As Fresco says, it's time to put technology to work for the betterment of society.
 

mt_pockets1000

Council Member
Jun 22, 2006
1,292
29
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Edmonton
No plan can proceed or succeed if the finger pointing and blame are not accurately assigned and the problems eliminated. Step one in any social responsible democracy is the extermination of capitalism, the spieces can no longer afford their extravagances and their warring. So, point the finger and lay the blame or fail again.

I guess we could lay blame. But the sweet justice will be watching them squirm while their house of cards falls down around their greedy ears.
 

Praxius

Mass'Debater
Dec 18, 2007
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Halifax, NS & Melbourne, VIC
I guess we could lay blame. But the sweet justice will be watching them squirm while their house of cards falls down around their greedy ears.

That would be nice..... but I'd still rather kick them a few times in the head while they're down. :twisted:

Their plans failing might not prevent them from trying again and they may decide to learn how to screw us over even better in the future..... if you have their system fail and then you beat the livin jebus out of them through tossing them in jail or hang em high in public square, then you have more of a deterrant.
 

EagleSmack

Hall of Fame Member
Feb 16, 2005
44,168
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USA
I should point it is unlikely most of those people receiving the spas received any corporate welfare.

AIG just recieved an 85 Billion dollar loan to stave of bankruptcy. To me...that is corporate welfare. So these employees are being paid on a loan given to them by the taxpayers. There is no guarentee that we will be repaid because just like a person can default on a loan so can a company. If they don't have the money to pay back the 85 billion plus interest then they can STILL go into bankruptcy.

Stockholders do, not employees. If the spa had been for Janitors and Clerks, would you object to the practice?

Yes I would. I do not think AIG should have been giving perks to anyone who works for them.

Its not the employees fault or responsability (so long as they did their job well) what is going on.

The company as a whole has failed. They needed a government loan to stay in business.

They owe the Taxpayers nothing because the Taxpayers havent' given then ****.

Well yes we have. 85 Billion dollars.

In fact, AS taxpayers they are in essence now paying for their annoying co-workers who didn't do their job to keep working and bailing out the stockholders who decided to invest in get rich quick schemes.

I don't think these were get rich schemes as much as they were poor decisions. Buying up bundles of these loans opened them up to risks. Risk that should have been obvious at the beginning. People were given loans who had very little means to pay them.
 

Zzarchov

House Member
Aug 28, 2006
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No eagle,

You gave AIG stockholders 85 billion. Money they lost (or some of them did) in get rich quick schemes. Allow this to occur, make temporary money and sell stocks. Hope you can keep piggy backing the stocks and not be the ones stuck holding them when they tank.

You gave the Employees in the Insurance department nothing. So why the hell should they stay with a sinking ship to earn the taxpayer money. The taxpayer did dick for them, why risk their future?


If I paid your boss a loan so he can stay in business, and you know you could lose your job at any moment, you are probably going to leave, fark over your boss and screw me over from being paid back.

After all, what concern of yours is it If I paid off your boss, you aren't going to see a dime of that.

If your boss wants to keep you earning him money, he's gonna have to make it worth your while.

If I ever want to be paid back, I have to accept that.



Your plan seems to be "I want the employees to leave, join another company and make the money I invested into AIG dirt worthless"


AIG is a corporation, it got money which benefits its shareholders.

The people getting treated are money earning employees who don't see a dime of that and don't really care what dealings you have between their boss and you.

So why the hell shouldn't they quit and make money for a business that isn't in danger of collapsing.

Can you answer that?
 

normbc9

Electoral Member
Nov 23, 2006
483
14
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California
If anyone saw the interview on Fox News with the current CEO of AIG then you might see just how arrogant those folks at that level are. He plainly stated that this expense was for their insurance field sales force without whom they would not be in existence. He went on further to talk about the value a premier sales force like they have out producing income. He insisted this is an annual event and he also says the loan is needed to keep a badly needed US institution afloat.
 

scratch

Senate Member
May 20, 2008
5,658
22
38
If anyone saw the interview on Fox News with the current CEO of AIG then you might see just how arrogant those folks at that level are. He plainly stated that this expense was for their insurance field sales force without whom they would not be in existence. He went on further to talk about the value a premier sales force like they have out producing income. He insisted this is an annual event and he also says the loan is needed to keep a badly needed US institution afloat.

They lie and we must be merciful.....
 

Zzarchov

House Member
Aug 28, 2006
4,600
100
63
If anyone saw the interview on Fox News with the current CEO of AIG then you might see just how arrogant those folks at that level are. He plainly stated that this expense was for their insurance field sales force without whom they would not be in existence. He went on further to talk about the value a premier sales force like they have out producing income. He insisted this is an annual event and he also says the loan is needed to keep a badly needed US institution afloat.


What is arrogant about that? Without a proper sales force in their insurance industry they go out of business to their competitors with whom the Taxpayer doesnt' have a stake.

The Insurance part of the business isn't the one that screwed them, it keeps them going. Lose the sales force and the taxpayers just pissed away 85 billion.

And the sales force has no reason to stay with a sinking ship unless they make one.