Is This the Thanks We Get?

How AIG Spits in America's Face

For the last two weeks, we as a nation have been begged by Wall Street to bail them out to the tune of $700 billion. Congress was told how critical it was for them to act, or the country and our economy would face even more financial ruin than we are presently experiencing. "We have to do something, or the country will go down the toilet, and all of us will suffer", they begged us. In spite of the vigorous protests coming from Democratic and Republican congressmen against this bailout that would plunge us deeper in debt, Congress passed a bill last week approving the bailout. In fact, our government has just recently cut American Insurance Group their $85 billion check.

One could understand the collective sigh of relief coming from low-level employees at AIG, grateful that they would be able to have a job to come to. One would think that AIG CEOs would be watching their Ps and Qs, using the money to pay salaries and operational expenses. But was that top priority? OH NO!
AIG executives decided to celebrate by hosting a week-long spa resort at the St. Regis in Monarch Beach, California, costing almost $443,000. To add insult to injury, they were planning a second spa retreat for 150 independent agents at the Ritz-Carlton Spa for about the same amount. It was canceled, however, due to media coverage that drew public outrage.

By the way, WE the people of the United States of America are paying for this. We who are wondering how we will afford to go anywhere with the rising price of gas; we who are struggling to pay the skyrocketing monthly bills to keep the lights and water on and running (where I live in Alabama, our water/sewer bill and our power bill has been increased by both companies!); we who are praying not to lose our homes that we have worked hard to provide our families with; we who are trying to rebuild homes washed away by hurricanes; we who are hoping we won't lose the paychecks that are keeping us one step away from poverty - WE are paying for corporate execs to go to a spa for a week!