Thread: 3 in 4 say Congress should return AIG money

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OBAMA WATCH CENTRAL
3 in 4 say Congress should return AIG money
President, Dodd each collected more than $100,000

http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=92797
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Posted: March 24, 2009
6:37 pm Eastern

© 2009 WorldNetDaily




Three in four Americans want members of Congress to return money they got from bailout-financed American International Group for their political campaigns, according to a new poll.

The poll from The O'Leary Report by Brad O'Leary and Zogby International today revealed that 73 percent of Americans think politicians including President Barack Obama and Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., should not have profited from AIG "bonuses" and should return the money.

Obama and Dodd were the top recipients of campaign largesse from AIG over the past two years, with Obama getting $104,332 and Dodd raking in $103,900. Others got money, too, but it was in smaller amounts. All together, AIG donated $644,218 to federal politicians.

The new poll, which has a margin of error of 1.5 percentage points, asked 4,523 likely voters:

"Should members of Congress who received campaign donations over the past two years from the troubled financial giant AIG return the contributions?"



Seventy-three percent said "Yes," including 61 percent of Democrats, 83 percent of Republicans and 78 percent of independents.

The poll followed by only a day word that so far nine of the top 10 executives at AIG have agreed to return the bonuses they recently received. Officials said 18 of the top 25 bonus recipients are returning payments totaling approximately $50 million.

According to the Washington Post, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke today affirmed that he had wanted to sue AIG to stop the company from paying out about $165 million in bonuses, but Fed lawyers advised against the litigation.

AIG CEO Edward Liddy had told Congress several days ago that the Fed signed off on the bonuses before they became public.

The new O'Leary-Zogby poll revealed that 64 percent of voters 18-29, one of the president's most enthusiastic support groups, believe Obama and congressional recipients of AIG cash should return it.

Seventy-four percent of taxpayers and 70 percent of Americans who have no federal income tax liability also think the money should be returned, the poll revealed.

Statistics from the Center for Responsive Politics lists AIG as the fourth largest contributor to Dodd, chief of the powerful Senate Banking Committee. AIG donations to Dodd have totaled $281,038 over his career.

Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., chief of the Senate Finance Committee, has gotten $91,000 from AIG over his career.

"Congress may be undecided on how best to recoup AIG's taxpayer-funded bonuses, however, a clear majority of American voters want members of Congress to return the campaign bonuses they received from AIG," the poll's analysis said.

Other results from the poll included:


Forty percent of the respondents said the Obama administration is disorganized in regard to bank rescue plans and economic stimulus. Another 29 percent said he needs more time.


Forty one percent said Obama was doing "poor" in his efforts to free up the credit markets in his first 60 days in office. One in four said "good."

Fifty-four percent said Obama's budget plan spends too much.


An overwhelming 97 percent of those respondents said Congress should work to cut spending.


Two in three respondents oppose the administration's effort to eliminate secret balloting in union organizing efforts.


Fifty-one percent disagree with Obama's plans to end state pro-life laws.
Among business owners, fully 75 percent said congressmen should return AIG money,

The headline floored me! All I could think was that the majority of people wanted Congress to quit demanding the repayment of bonuses and return money that bonus receivers gave back. Whew!
And count me in on the 75 percent.

Originally Posted by vortex

The headline floored me! All I could think was that the majority of people wanted Congress to quit demanding the repayment of bonuses and return money that bonus receivers gave back. Whew!
And count me in on the 75 percent.

I thought the same thing...lol. I guess because such insane things have been happening that I dont put anything past them anymore.

And what about the millions they got from Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac?

Originally Posted by vortex

The headline floored me! All I could think was that the majority of people wanted Congress to quit demanding the repayment of bonuses and return money that bonus receivers gave back. Whew!
And count me in on the 75 percent.

That's exactly what I thought when I saw it. It was the "hook" that drew me in and once I read the story I was relieved that it was about congress being more hypocritical on the AIG bonuses.

I think any and all moneys that any person that held office and voted on any issue that had any effect on this company, and or received any funds from this company. Should be fined for that amount of money and penalties should be levied at the standard rate the IRS would levy fines on delinquent taxes.

Why allow this company (and others) to profit multiple times on the same dollar. While the American taxpayer pays dearly.

Again we are rewarding behavior that maybe does not break the letter of the law it most certainly breaks the spirit of the law and more importantly breaks the faith and trust that the American taxpayers are supposed to have for those that we have elected into office.

A special commission of private citizens should be chosen to determine what best to do with these funds...................

In other words give it back to the people that it was stolen from