Why I oughta....

It seems lately that the US Congress has suddenly awaken to find that the United States is actually a capitalist society, a free market where people make lots of money. And now startling like a mustang, Congress is gasping a collective, "What the...???!!!"

Yes, Congress, there is an economy.

And we out here in that economy pay productive people for their toil. And, yes, there are people who do seem like they get more than they deserve (way more!). But really, you had to have known. Rich mainly, but poor and middle-pikers' taxes, too, actually pay your salaries and sweet-for-life benefits (talk about people getting more than they deserve!).

So please, Congress, don't act like Capt. Renault and act shocked, shocked, shocked! that this was going on. That bonuses are paid on Wall Street, even when the overall entity is not doing well. As a matter of fact, you seem to get more than you deserve. Like freedom from jail, where many of your members should be housed for while (Barney Frank, Chris Dodd?). Or how about when we're in a recession, YOU take a buck a year?

And talk about a diversion! Who cares about $165 million in bonuses at AIG when BILLIONS passed through the company on its way out of the country and to other entities? We should have let the company go and taken the shock. Instead we have populist outrage that Obama I think is losing control of. We need a Chapter 11.5 or something. I don't know bankruptcy law, but there should be some sort of hybrid.

I don't know contract law either, but I do think contracts should be respected. We've already been tinkering with mortgages. Messing with contracts (of those legally paid bonuses at AIG) opens up the proverbial can of worms; although being a can worms itself, Congress may be in familiar territory.