Random Thought on Lawyers & Bonus Money

The real truth is we the people are the idiots. We like to think of our selves as smart and well informed but we keep putting these same crooks,scoundrels and lying sacks of #%&* back into office and keep believing that we will get change. Its time for an new party with real support and real backing. The dems and the reps dont seem to get it so lets get a party that does. Maybe the American Party.

I honestly do not see the correlation between the AIG bonuses and lawyers. Are you suggesting that lawyers should breach their ethical obligations to clients because he clients received bailout monies? Is it your position that the big Wall Street companies, such as AIG, should no longer have the right to seek legal counsel on any issue? They cannot retain lawyers to secure intellectual property, fight insurance litigation, review the changes to the legislation, or any other legal issue? And is it your position that all law firms who previously provided advice to Wall Street should stop providing advice immediately? Is it your position that Wall Street companies should not be able to hire new lawyers until the economy is fixed - whenever that should happen? If not, then it must be your position that lawyers should provide all legal advice for free if the advice is going to Wall Street? But, that cannot be your position because you are complaining about Wall Street getting advice, free or not. In case you are wondering, I am not a lawyer providing advice to Wall Street - I am not even in the United States. I am a foreigner who does not understand why Americans want to attack all lawyers and - indirectly - the rule of law. This is the time when lawyers are needed most to ensure that Government does not overstep and that the rights of the people are respected.

Hey, I'm a lawyer too! Do all you fellow lawyers remember first year contracts class in law school? What is the first basic premise: "Fools are allowed to contact!" Just because you make a stupid deal does not mean it is unenforecable. It just means you're stupid and have to pay anyway! In this case, the FOOL who contracted is Congress! They should have demanded that all bonuses be stricken from the bailout agreements. You can't blame AIG personnel for insiting those fools in Congress honor the agreement they stupidly crafted. The AIG executives did not cheat us, this wild Democratic Congress did by committing GROSS NEGLIGENCE in allowing the contract language to include the payment of bonuses. In truth, the members of Congress who voted for the AIG bailout should be made to repay the 165M, not AIG. It should be taken out of THEIR pay at 90%. They are the "fools" who made the deal in haste and lost millions in taxpayers' money. Why should Congress be able to escape contract law when the rest of us can't. As rotten as the AIG people look for taking the bonuses, CONGRESS gave it all to them!

Good questions Brian. By the way, Memphis almost lost in the first round. Sure they have the juice to get to the final four?

I hope the lawyers go after the execs at Fannie and Freddie who are slated to get millions in bonus as cited by the AP. Cindy is right - take your lumps like the rest of us do with our mistakes. Pack of idiots! And watching all interviews lately it's like a shark feeding frenzy. I have never been so disappointed in my government as I am lately.

Brian - You would be successful in law, your reporting style (TV) reflects that ... take that as a compliment! Go Mizzou Tigers!!!

Brian, you always make me smile! I like your "random thoughts". My husband is also a lawyer (not a rich one; he does work comp defense); however, I'm sure glad he ALSO went to law school at night for four years! But here's the deal. I see Congress acting on a whim and in a panic do to something about getting back those bonuses WITHOUT thinking it through and calculating the consequences. They like to use the word "fair" a lot but they don't even know the meaning of the word. I do not like this rush to impose new tax laws retroactively. The govt made the mistake; they handed out the big bucks. This is WHY they should stay OUT of trying to run banks and companies. If they do impose this new 90% tax, it should be starting from NOW. We all just have to eat their mistakes.

Maybe we should ban lawyers from serving in Congress. Lawyers making laws seems like a conflict of interest to me.

Going after lawyers fees makes about as much sense as taxing writers - like yourself - who have another doom and gloom story to fill air with. Maybe you should go to the night job Bill.

For all these fools who call themselves lawyers, you would think they would take some time to read the Constitution. How is this not a Bill of Attainder?