We Finally Hear From A (Former) AIG Executive

Mike, I really wish that ignorant people in this country would listen to folks like you that actually lived under socialist regimes and know full well the damage that it does to society. The ones who support it here most likely have never seen it first hand and are bitter that some in this country that work hard and are successful. Now don't get me wrong I realize that there are some bad apples out there but for one reason or another the bitter minority feels that those who are honest, successful people should be punished and that those less fortunate should share in the wealth. What better way to stifle personal ambition than to play Robin Hood right? In the long run nothing could be worse for our great nation than to take away the incentive to work hard and succeed by destroying those who set such a great example for people like myself who have ambition and want to make something of ourselves. I certainly will not let this situation deter me but I am sure that there a many bright young people who see what is happening and are quickly losing their enthusiasm about their future. Shame on all those who want to punish the many due to the dishonest and reprehensible actions of the few.

I would like to know how you can justify recieving a bonus of that size, from any company. I think that moraly you would have to ask yourself why is the bonus so big and where is it comming from? I understand you work for someone therefore you get paid, but at such large amounts I would really think that someone is trying to pull a fast one. It seems to me that has happened and now us tax payers, hard working Americans living just above poverty, has to pay once again for someone else to live high on the hog. How much is enough?

WOW Someone with courage enough to tell Americans that we have all screwed up. The NY Times had an article in 1999 about the subprime problems that would be encountered. Now the ones that gave us subprime sit in judgement of the working class to single out the ones that were pressured by the members of congress to be part of the on coming problem. So ACORN gets a bus and sent people (that pay no federal income tax) to protest the wealth creators of our country. Too bad more of the employees of AIG don't stand up and point the finger right back at Uncle Sam and the House of Misrepresentives (or US House of Common Theives) and the US Snaket.

Ahhh, the mob mentality, protestors outside of exec's homes. Community organizing at its finest. Where you have envy and strife, you'll have every other evil work.

Gee. I wonder why the media isn't reporting that it was ACORN that rented the buses and the gathered up the folks that went to protest outside AIG executive's homes. So last night Obama says "no" to vilifying Wall Streeters. And on the other hand ACORN uses it's "Stimulus" money to rent buses to intimidate businessmen. My question is when will they switch from red t-shirts to brown shirts with "O" arm bands?

I'm sad to read this letter. The letter just reaffirms the mob mentality. The truth of the matter is America is grabbing whoever they can blame or point fingers to this financial fallout. Has anyone reflected upon themselves? Why don't we point out the Americans that bought too much of a house? Or why not the American that ran up a credit card? Let's not forget all the Americans that wanted cheap goods. Cheap goods that has displaced America's monies to foreign countries. so who's the greedy person with an insatiable appetite? let's demonize you, me and the person next to you.

After watching the coverage of the disgruntled people camped outside these executives' homes, I have sympathy for the execs. What an invasion of privacy and security concerns for the families of the execs!

In his letter Jake DeSantis mentions to AIG CEO Edward Liddy, "... you also are aware that most of the employees of your financial products unit had nothing to do with the large losses." As a taxpayer helping to bail out AIG's fallen Financial Products unit, I demand to know: which AIG-FP employees *did* have something to do with the large losses? Could it be those that developed their non-hedged credit default swap business? Would that include the former head of the FP unit, one Joseph Cassano, who is now hiding out in his London house? Just as it is a crime to take something that is not yours, is it not also a crime to sell something that you do not have? Is not the selling of non-backed credit default swaps no less fraudulent than selling insurance policies without necessary reserves to pay possible claims? I look forward to Jake DeSantis testifying at the upcoming trial of former AIG-FP head Joseph Cassano... which is happening when? Anyone?

I am almost ashamed to call myself an American anymore. That letter says it all. Mike is right in saying that none of those politicians created a penny of wealth for this country! They're all a bunch of socialists! What kind of administration condemns hard work, perseverance and the reward of bonuses that were promised to hard working employees? Answer: this current one and it's shameful. I applaud Jake DeSantis for taking such a bold step, speaking out and donating all that money to charity but I'm offended (by our govt) that it had to come down to this.

Had I been AIG CEO Ed Liddy at the congressional circus, being canon fodder for congressional fools, I would've stood up and said, "You fools are at the heart of this mess due to your interventions. You rob people everyday through your confiscatory taxation schemes. Then to add insult to injury, you waste the stolen money. Common thieves are better than you. I'm leaving." Then I would've walked out.

Living in fear and personal threats from the government. What have we become?

This is a great piece. Finally, someone stands out and says: "You, crappy politicians, lawyers of questionable knowledge and reputation, are telling us - top-notch professionals - how to work? You didn't create a penny of wealth for this country, we - have. So, take your political S@$& and eat it, while driving the country into the deeper recession". I applaud this gentleman. All this "outrage", skillfully orchestrated by the political assassins surrounding The One, is a standard class warfare, which has been used by every socialist in history – from Lenin to Hitler to Mao to Castro. It’s terrifying to see how this “philosophy” becomes our reality. As a former USSR “citizen”, I know Socialist when I see one. So – stop telling me that The One isn’t Socialist; he is, and as every socialist he employs all their tricks. No matter, that all those people are now in the garbage bucket of history; at their “high times” they ripped all benefits of power. That’s the only driver for those political manipulators we now have in-charge.

I think perhaps the biggest and most disturbing aspect of the AIG bonus witch hunt, was the fear of retribution by the government (federal/state) and their new enforcers ACORN. Fear, as stated in this executives letter, is the new guidance for financial institutions. That is tyranny. "...The only real motivation that anyone at A.I.G.-F.P. now has is fear. Mr. Cuomo has threatened to “name and shame,” and his counterpart in Connecticut, Richard Blumenthal, has made similar threats — even though attorneys general are supposed to stand for due process, to conduct trials in courts and not the press..." Government is out of control.