A.I.G., if they are now looking at expenses like a 40.000 check for a speaker and holding back I think we are going in the right direction! Keep up the pressure, it’s there business plan in the past that put them there now. By letting them say it’s how it is done in this business is saying continue doing business the way you did and get the same results! IT IS TIME FOR CHANGES !

I was enraged watching the AIG snippet this morning…thanks Jennifer, for the article. Robin…what difference does it make if some of the funds might be from sponsors??? Just the mere perception of impropriety …with our funds violates trust that still hasn’t been earned…violates corporate responsibility…and violates moral responsibility (wrong vs. right). What is their corporate governance doing? Are they not the oversight? What is their leadership doing…condoning or participating? Very disappointing to see the greed in action…AGAIN. Almost 25% of the bailout assistance? Yet these same folks probably won’t give a quarter to a homeless person …because they believe they will spend it on liquor!

Are you kidding me? These guys just do not learn. It is our money being used for a bailout and they are at a resort. I think we the taxpayers really messed up with the ailout. Here is what I would have done. I would have started a massive government funded windmill project in every state. With the windmill parts being massed produced by the major automakers. It would be a win win situation jobs stimulate building etc… Come on not rocket science here just common sense. And do not tell me there is no money for it. Look at the 700b we apparently gave to fund parties!! Can I work with the president on this?

aig……….why another fancy trip ????looks like their very large office building could host the meetings….after all, a bail-out isn’t a christmas gift.

This seems to be typical of the arrogance of these people, across the board.
Robin I also heard that goldmans have paid out 6.85 billion from there bailout package in bonuses despite a 47% drop in profits & a 53% share drop & that Morgan Stanley doled out 6.44 billion in bonuses although profits are down 41% & share prices are off 69%.
I read this on a news report on alex jones website.
I was wondering if these facts could be verified, & that if this is actually true why are we not hearing about it in the main stream media.

As stated in your report that most of the sponsors and attendees paid for the executives stay…They should be more considerate of AIG’s situation. The executive should also take responsablity and pay careful attention to the gifts or benefits they receive from their sponsors; not to give the impression that money is being spent out of control. It is not necessary for them to go to that level to treat the executives of AIG.

How about a bail out for college us graduates, who don’t make as much money as the AIG execs? At least I’m one who actually pays back my loans.

somebody will get a huge tax write off on this too as an business expense, and the circle goes around

I am an Australian and have been working in the US for a period of a year and a half on a internship, During this time working for a resort i have seen so many companys spend up big time, not only on conferences but on Alcohole and food, now for companys that recieve a bail out, then spending getting close to a million dollars on resorts while the country is in the worst financial crisis since the depression is bloody well wrong, i think the tax payer should have the final say if on another bail out, which if the govenment had a brain would not even think about it,
All the CEO’s of AIG should be fired and get someone who really wants to place the bail out money to good use and not to spend it
personally i would not give them one cent cause they dont deserve it

You no something like this makes me feel for the ones losing their homes.

Well me autos are insured with aig and I called them yersterday to get my rates lower for all the Bs with this retreats and they said they couldnt lower them, well today i am looking for a new ins outfit and I told the person I was talking with I was droping thier ins. every one that has bussniess with aig should just drop thier bussiness and that would send a singnal to them.

Robin,
this gov. that we have seems to be the to little to late policy when it comes to helping poeple that are having trouble with there mortgage. i personally find it hard to do anything i am struggling to make my payments and if I go three months behind that starts the forclosure process. and i have a mortgage company that does not participate in any of the gov. programs and dont refinance. So i either have to be able to pay or loose my house.

I have no issue with a conference like this, as you see them all the time, however, if true the exec having a 2 story room and exercising during the actual conference is to much, and they should be shown the door as they are not setting a proper example.

I guess we the taxpayers didn’t yell enough at our Congressmen the first time around the AIG maypole……I always thought “NO” really meant “NO”.See, it’s all a big joke and “We The People” are the punchline. And companies like AIG are LAUGHING at us….all the way to the resort.

These guys are a joke I guess the rich get richer get a clue

AIG has some nerve to pull off another trip. I didn’t know that you couldn’t hold a conference without facials and massages. If this weekend holiday conference was legit, then why was it so “hush-hush”?

There certainly should be some sort of structured plan put in place prior to handing out billions to AIG and any other company of how the money will be spent. Ten percent of the trip is too much of my money. I can’t afford to take a trip right now, I sure don’t want to finance theirs, buisness or not. A halt should be immediately put in place on any and all extra-curricular expenses. Some of their trip was business, a LOT of it was not.

Someone has to put a stop to this now. If they don’t, it will never stop. They will still fail and all of our money will be down the drain.

i see that this country’s financial problem is that people feel “intitled” to all this overendulgence. if we are going to make it through this, EVERYONE has to do their part. are these people going to be proud to tell their grandchildren that they were responsible for the breakdown of the united states economy?

Good morning Jennifer…I agree with Dion above, fore I too work at a resort…sure, sponsors and attendees paid for this event, and it is necessary to inform independent salesmen of their product…granted…yet why did AIG go out its way to insure the secrecy of this conference..then to be leaked is paramount to stupidity on AIG’s part…they knew it would be interpreted wrongly by the public with all the secrecy. Why are we giving public funds to an INSURANCE FIRM…if AIG folded what would really happen??…change our policies to another insurance carrier…why was 22% of the bailout given to these loansharks???…it would be far more disasterous for the country if Ford or GM fails with its dominoe effect…what’s REALLY going on Jennifer…I would like to know????

I think that AIG is a farce.
They should not be allowed if they take tax payers money to go to any spa/golf course even on a day off.
This is what is WRONG with the bailout. If a company takes the money then the board is gone. That is what should have happened to all of them that is looking for a hand-out.

i think that aig higher ups get fired and put in the pin for there crimes for taking advantig to us they shouldn’t even take any more money from the gov for payroll agene they don’t need that 50bilyon doller bye out fredy mac fany may souldn’t get any money from us nethere

Perhaps, when someone brings them to prosecution, they will get it. As of now, no one has tried to stop what they do.

How about this
1) Any Wall St executive pay owed to these fools now is stripped from them. Maybe even open lawsuits to get money back to build up the pensions that have been destroyed.

2) Future pay for C-people is based on a multiple of the lowest paid person at the company, say 20x. Any benefits are paid in cash or minimal stock options on the “stretch goals” that execs pass down to the worker bees. Don’t give these greed-driven a$sh@les a reason to cook the books.

3) Hit their personal credit rating for contributing to the mess we are in, maybe toss in a bankruptcy and/or foreclosure (if it’s a time for “firsts”, lets go all in, the US gov basically foreclosed on their companies due to their greed)

4) Those of us who personally make it through this mess w/o bankruptcy or foreclosure, provide a credit rating “boost”. I mean we in the middle class who live within our means and are rescuing these fools will come out of this with nothing, nada, zilch. What’s in it for me to bail these egomaniacs out?! Why should I and my children defend this great nation and bail out a bunch of sordid individuals.

5) Put out a call to all of the companies that are laying off “due to the economic downturn” and tell them that this is the time to be PATRIOTIC and to forget spending 99% of your time bending over backward for shareholders. Tell the CEO’s to be stand-up individuals and to allow their companies to take in the seat of the pants for a year or so to help save this country. By not reducing manpower, you keep people earning and spending which obviously has the domino affect.

The C-people and all of their slap-a$$ buddies in this nation are pathetic individuals who seek the notoriety and lifestyles of the vice-driven Hollywood types. Straighten up and fly right!

Dear Jennifer:
With dozens of major reinsurance companies in the world right now, I personally do not understand why AIG’s customers cannot be switched to another company. You know, if CNN and Time Warner went bankrupt (many people, including me, actually think that this happened about 20 years ago and many times since) people would still have about 200 other cable channels to watch. It is the same in the insurance business…there are about 50,000 companies sellling insurance worldwide, or some number like that. This is a free market system, here…the whole point is that the good companies survive, and the bad companies go out of business, because that is what a free market is all about. Back to the television business, for instance…when I was young, the three networks had close to a 99 percent share of the national and international television news business, with the other 1 percent going to Group W and PBS and a few others. Now, they probably do not have over 10 percent of the viewers, at any given time of day. That means that the advertising rates they charge, say, Ford or GM or AT&T should be 1/10th of what they were, adjusted for inflation, compared to the 1960’s. In the same sense, the salaries they pay their anchors should be 1/10th what guys like Walter Cronkite and Huntley and Brinkley used to pull in. Now, you know these people…I will bet that if you called up your opposite number at CBS, you would find that he (or she) is earming more than you are earning. That is because it is an AIG type situation…we are giving them this cash under the table, here, to make up for the loss in advertising revenues, so that they can compete with CNN, Fox, and cable news shows. Why are we doing this? Because, apparently, we don’t want people like you, Jennifer, out-earning people at CBS just because you are doing a better job and pulling in more viewers. Make any economic sense to you?
Well, it is the same in the insurance business…it does not make any sense over there, either. Thanks for all that thinking, James Carrow

AIG’s actions are totally inappropriate!!! I’m sure they are not the only financial institution in this position that continues to spend unwisely.

The banks have to be regulated further when the government bails them out, or this problem will continue.

I’m sure they won’t have to look far from the top of any financial institution to see who is earning unrealistic wages and misappropriating company funds.

Hi Jennifer…I have an addendum to my earlier blog….you know, the best way to hide something is to put it right under your nose…we see the AIG building everyday on TV, we also see “American International Group” under AIG. The rescue plan was NOT for insurance companies, but for mortgage banks to buy up bad mortgage securities…yet AIG recieved 85 billion the first weeks of the bailout, and recently needed 40 billion more. It seemed that overnight they GOT the 40 billion more with no congressional oversight committee hearings to the validity of their request…AIG was just handed more of our taxpayer money…when you see AIG commercials, they sell insurance, ie “auto..home..life and “investments”…what are they invested in that requires 22% of the rescue fund??…I’m just a skibum in the Tahoe Basin and don’t have a master’s in economics, but something stinks here…GM and Ford must be approved for rescue funds by Congress, yet it seems AIG has been given blank checks…futhermore your media seems to sidebar these issues that I and millions more question, you get close with stories that question where the rescue monies are going/ how are they being used, then sidebar to comparing the Obama’s to the Huxtable’s. I would like to see further investigation as to “who” is AIG, “why” do they have so much clout??…rational minds wish to know cause personally I feel something very sinister here… Hank Paulsen did not calm any investors today, rather caused a huge selloff that sent stocks plummeting by really saying nothing for 45 minutes…how much of this 700 billion is left??? Jennifer please dive into these stories more, cause just looking at the data…it doesn’t make sense to Joe the Skibum…..

Okay…fire all the executives…..don’t allow them to get their “Golden Parachute” severence package….and make AIG pay back the $150 billion “we” gave them….they don’t deserve and have learned nothing!

Why is it that nothing has been said about going after the boards of directors who hired these CEOs, agreed to ridiculous compensation packages, and subsequent bonuses for the people who created the problem? The “good ole boys” just don’t get it.

Are you kidding me? Hey! How do I get a job there? I can go to a hotel and do conferences and enjoy myself too. I am very good at it. The people who paid for their trips, paid 90% of it. How did they afford that? From their paychecks? And where does their paycheck money come from? Oh yeah, the Federal Government, because they were in such dire straights. Me too!! Where is my money? Sorry I don’t get any and I will end up owing taxes this year. I also guarantee that the IRS is reviewing all past tax returns. I know that many more people will receive audits in the coming months. I am sure of that. Because we paid for the bailout, without having the money to do so!!!!!!!!!

The executives at AIG do not get in. Just the perception of improper behavior is enough to make them look bad. All of the unnecessary trips and meetings need to stop. Maybe the federal government needs to make the executives to be financially responsible for the mismanagement.

Hi Jennifer…I have an addendum to my earlier blog….you know, the best way to hide something is to put it right under your nose…we see the AIG building everyday on TV, we also see “American International Group” under AIG. The rescue plan was NOT for insurance companies, but for mortgage banks to buy up bad mortgage securities…yet AIG recieved 85 billion the first weeks of the bailout, and recently needed 40 billion more. It seemed that overnight they GOT the 40 billion with no congressional oversight committee hearings to the validity of their request…AIG was just handed more of our taxpayer money…when you see AIG commercials, they sell insurance, ie “auto..home..life and “investments”…what are they invested in that requires 22% of the rescue fund??…I’m just a skibum in the Tahoe Basin and don’t have a master’s in economics, but something stinks here…GM and Ford must be approved for rescue funds by Congress, yet it seems AIG has been given blank checks…futhermore your media seems to sidebar these issues that I and millions more question, you get close with stories that question where the rescue monies are going/ how are they being used, then sidebar to comparing the Obama’s to the Huxtable’s. I would like to see further investigation as to “who” is AIG, “why” do they have so much clout??…rational minds wish to know cause personally I feel something very sinister here… Hank Paulsen did not calm any investors today, rather caused a huge selloff that sent stocks plummeting by really saying nothing for 45 minutes…how much of this 700 billion is left??? This sidebar issue of conference partying by AIG is a farce, I believe AIG “GAVE” the leak to the press so this would be the issue of conversation, rather than why they have so much clout with the Treasury. Jennifer please dive into these stories more, cause just looking at the data…it doesn’t make sense to Joe the Skibum…..

They need to make everything public in there spending and set a limit on how much they can spend a day at a hotel. I looked at the pics. of the resort and that is what it is.

Bid Business continues to believe that it doesn’t have to play by the rules. They seem to believe those rules apply to only us “worker bees.”

I am not surprised at all, as I am very suspicious of how our country is being “led.” In my view, we are governed by those in D.C. and led by the industry giants. Led cf. governed.

I voted for Barack Obama, in the hope that he will set a tone that will steer this behemoth of bureaucracy that controls the U.S. in a better, healthier direction. Perhaps even a moral direction. AIG and all the rest from GM to ???? will feel justified in asking for handout money now.

How Sad ! Obama is going to be fighting powerful economic giants, in addition to everything else. Let us hope and pray that he is the David who can fell these Goliath corporations.

As long as they are “changing the rules” …

Then it should be stipulated that the bailout monies ARE NOT to be used for CEO salaries, bonuses or compensation of any kind.

The monies should not be used to BUY other banks … How do you buy something when you have no money?

And they need to rethink using the money to help the consumers with the mortgages that “they” persuaded the consumer to take in the first place.

And if they eventually (and I think they probably will) bail out the car companies, not only should the same rules apply, but make sure the unions do not use the money to pay retirement funds for the unions. Those monies have to come from the “profits” the company makes … Not the money we (I) the taxpayer gives them.

I resent my tax dollars being abused by AIG and others who have found themselves in a financial crisis. If Joan-the-plumber received a bailout for her business, she would be required to cut costs in every way possible, even the salary she pays herself and no longer funding her employees all-expenses-paid trips to the plumbers convention. After all it is borrowed money keeping her afloat . It seems like the large companies like AIG and others do not understand the concept of “frugal business practices” as Joan has to deal with every day! AIG and others are continuing their financial practices which have put them in the mess they are in today!! DUH!!!

It’s just another case of someone being caught in the act. They were being selfish and ignorant. The exec probably could have cared less about the meeting and more about relaxing and spoiling himself rotten. I’m honestly not surprised with this; it’s just another case of someone spending the company’s money and not giving a hoot about anything else.

No one is asking why AIG an insurance company is so important to save and GM and Chevrolet are not. What makes AIG so special that it needs to be saved versus the millions of jobs that will be lost if the Auto makers collapse? How many employees does AIG have anyway? When I went to get a loan the Automobile companies were the only companies that actually tried to figure out a way for me to get a loan when the market was doing so bad. I was given excellent customer service while searching for a car. The insurance companies let me tell you customer service has gone out the window with these guys. If you ask me who I would want to receive money from a bail out it would be companies that have treated people (customers) better than lobbists in fancy spas. AIG’s bail out is partly due to Hurricane damages that happened to important people that lost their mansions in hit areas. Most of the poorer homes do not even qualify for insurance benefits even after paying for 10-12 years. AIG should fail and the Auto companies failure goes hand in hand with fuel costs just as it did for Airlines. Lets see the rich people get to their spas when there are no airlines or cars to get them there!

Got it all figured out Just give AIG all bailout money. That way they can
all get backrubs. That way nobody has to worry about anything., because bailout money will be put to good use.

Why should we bail out the big auto makers?
Why are these companies not being held to the same standards as you and I?
When our families go through the same kind of money troubles, if we get to the point we can’t pay our bills we have to file Bankruptcy.
So why are they not having to do the same?

Morning….thank you Richard Lui for answering my question as to how much of the rescue bailout is left….20%=140 billion left….what have we done?? This a depressing statement and I am ill with contempt…sure we may not see the effects for a while..nevertheless, so far banks are still very tight with their BRIDGE LOANS to small business…this should have been one the FIRST signs that this plan is working…I am very skeptical….Joe the Skibum

Hi robin love your show i watch it every day,this is Bobby the Drywall man,from Austin TX,
i think the bail out is just wrong because the mis management of the CEO of this company,the ceo should resign without pay for his failer to produce….YOUR FIRED MR CEO LETS TELL HIM THAT….
thank you robin …

AIG should give all the money that they got back to the GOVERNMENT and suffer their stupidity of spending the money on conferences that they never attended, sure they showed up but when everyone else was in the meetings, the members of AIG were out getting massages, tans and talking with fellow AIG members. They do not deserve the money now that they show that they DO NOT CARE that the money should really go to keep the company up. 90% of the conference was sponsored supported, so the other 10% came from the pocket books of the AIG attendees? I don’t think so! That came from the money from the bailout funds.

Hey media, get the facts straight. First of all AIG did not get a ‘bailout’, this is a loan with very high interest that the company will have to sell off assets to pay back. Second, both the California and Phoenix conference were NOT for AIG executives, these were for agents & brokers who are not employed by AIG but sell AIG products. The AIG employees that were at both events were there as representatives of the company and totaled less than 10 people.

This is standard business practice for ANY insurance company or financial institution, you have to get these agents to sell your product and these events help do that. And this is not the ‘Holiday Inn’ crowd.

The more the media bashes AIG the more the company is devalued and therefore, less able to make the money needed to pay back these loans. Stop trying to paint this into something that it is not.

Some Americans need to accept responsibility for the mortgage crisis.

Subprime lending policies are a major cause of the mortgage and lending crisis in America. I was listening to a morning talk show and one on-air personality said that his wife worked in the mortgage industry for years before taking about 10 years off to raise their son. She went back to work about a year and a half ago and declined a few mortgage loans because the applicants had false social security numbers, low salaries, applied for loans well above their means, etc. Her boss then told her to put those mortgages through. She went home and told her husband “We are really in trouble” and explained to him about being told to approve the bad risk loans.

But I also resent those who did it “the American Way” – feeling entitled to live on credit well beyond their means. Those who make $10 – $15 dollars an hour (or less) who got loans for half-million dollar homes and expensive cars and living the high life who now expect me (who has never been late on my mortgage much less missed a payment) to finance their foreclosures. Come on America – be ethical and prudent and accept personal and fiscal responsibility for your expenditures. If you have lived well beyond your means and lost your home, do not complain to the rest of us and expect us to pay for your debt.

the whole aig thing stinks. if they were doing business as they say they are they would be meeting at their corporate headquarters not in some luxury hotel and having a big party. i guess they think the public is stupid. Don’t think so. Maybe they need to figure out on their own how to cut their spending and get back on track. that won’t happen as long as people are being duped. The american public is having to rethink how they are spending their money and adjusting how they live, so now that they have received money already and apparently spent it foolishly, and are asking for more, say no. No more unless it is handled by an outside financial advisor who will distribute the money where it needs to go and not in the corporate pockets of the ceos and others at the top. No more bonusus, do you see the common people getting bonusus for going through hard financial times? NO. They will keep crying for more as long as it is handed out to them. I go along with the bailout as long as the money is not handled by the companies that are asking for the help. Regulate how the money is spent and as I said before don’t let the companies have control of the money. If they can show how it legitimately needs to be spent then let someone on the outside of the company pay it out. It is the taxpayers money that has helped build up these companies that are going under, so maybe these companies need to put their thinking into the proper prespective and prove themselves to the american public and that they are trying to fix the mess they have created using our money to play with.

All employees of Publicly Traded Companies work for the Stockholders, and should be working for the Stockholder’s best interest. However, the CEO’s and Executive Management staff have forgotten this simple fact; and instead are self centered and greedy beyond belief. Have the CEO’s and Executives of companies receiving bailout money taken serious salary, bonus, and benefit cuts ? Or is the tax payer’s money going in their pockets ?

I was never for the bailout plan. I don’t even kn0w why we did it. well, yes I do. We did the bailout plan so that banks would have money to lend. Lending in ways such as giving companies money to pay their workers. It was paid for confrences. That is supposed to come out of their own pockets. I personally thought that we should have just let the banks fell. Now the government is buy stocks. If the banks still fell, then the government will be out of money, and thus great depression 2. We are all in a sticky situation. The government should have just let all the companies and banks call bankrupcy. Either that of give the bailout to the American people. Every one in America who votes could have at least gotten 2,000 dollars. Spend that on their bills and then the economy will go up. Why are people going to spend getting laid off and having no money.

Mary, this is not “normal times” and “standard business practices” as defined in the past must be retooled to reflect current conditions. Any company who receive bailout monies should come up with some innovative and cost effective methods to maintain their business and pay off their enormous debt.

When I saw this on T.V this morning I was outraged.They have money to have special conferences but do not have the money to pay out my fiance’s workmans compensation case (as well as others)..That should have been settled last year.While they are in a luxurious Hotel haveing a great time ,MY family is going to be homeless & have no Christmas for my 2 children.Someone needs to step in & take over this company.It seems to me that they got this loan to party it up instead of paying their debts!!!

companies should only have one chance to receive help from the government.

The next time that AIG cries NO ONE SHOULD LISTEN !!!!!

I heard last night that AIG had paid 1/2 billion in deferred compensation to it’s employees. What is WRONG with these people? I have lost my home, my job, my savings, and soon will be living on the streets. My government bureaucrats keep giving money away as if it were nothing to them. Bailouts given to AIG just went out the door. The management’s position is they had to keep the staff. HELLO, just havng a job should be enough compensation to keep them happy. Have you noticed how many people keep losing their jobs every week? The bailout money kept AIG’s doors open, otherwise these fatcats wouldn’t have gotten paid their salaries!The senior managment should all be fired, the deferred compensation should be deducted from the bailout money, AIG should be penalized 100% for their abuse of the taxpayers monies. What kind of example and precedence is this setting? Pretty soon i’ll be paying for every state, city and large corporation existence with my tax dollar.I think we are overdue another tax revolt. No taxation without representation…. I expect some type of response or some type of news story in today’s headlines. Who or why has nothing been printed about this?

Perhaps we should all boycot AIG and let them sink. If they spend like this when ‘going under for the third time’ what did they do with shareholders money when thing were great? Perhaps this is the very reason they are in the shape they are in.

I know its bad how the tax payer’s money was mishandle by AIG’s management. Doesn’t wisdom teach that if one doesn’t handle their own money properly, what incentives are there for them to handle other people money?

Wherefore, why is everyone surprised, when AIG’s CEO mishandled tax payer’s bailout money. TO change the subject for a minute, I here republicans are complaining about money being given to nontax payers. Who pray tell is that in this county. I thought whenever you purchase and item a tax is attached to that total. And the government receives that tax money from the merchant who gathers it, and forwards it to the government.

Wherefore, even the poor pay taxes on every item that they purchase, even thought they may not be paying an annual income tax at years end. They are still paying a daily tax on every item that they purchase. If the poor stop spending there money, what effect would it have on the economy? Black Americans along spend billions of dollars every year, if you factor in other poor ethnic groups spending power, its mind boggling, but no statesman has taken up their cause.

It is this tax money of these poor Americans, many who do work, drive our economy the most. And not solely the middle class tax money. Thus, the working nontax payer also deservers a stimulus package because they are the people who pay the most taxes as a whole everyday. When they buy food, clothing and other products, along with various modes of transit transportation fees that people have grown accustom to having that make life better.

Sincerely
A voice from the poor.

Enough is enough already. I own my own company, if I ever need help who is going to bail me out? Answer – no one. But, my hard earned tax dollars go to this non-sense.

The story about the big companies having lavish holiday parties gives new meaning to the old joke:

Q. May I buy you a drink? A. No, but could I have the money?

It was just announced that citigroup will be laying off 50,000 people. The company I work form is planning on laying off 24,000 people. Do they really think this is good for the economy? 75,000 people out work won’t be shopping, that makes the economy worse. Laying off people is the quck and easy way to fix the bottom line. Why don’t they really figure out the actual problem, like over spending and stock holder greed.

The top management (or should I say mismanagement) of AIG MUST go. Let them take the money for such events out of the perks of management, and let none of those perks come from the bail-out. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

Well, well, well… My husband and I have been customers of 21st Century for our car insurance for the past 10 years. We pay bi-annually. Lo and behold, we just received our 6-month payment due notice and what do you suppose is all over the paperwork? The AIG logo!

I called immediately and spoke with one of the Customer Service supervisors. She said that the company’s merged. But it doesn’t look that way to me. It looks more like AIG bought-out 21st Century and made them a subsidiary. In any case, I expressed my EXTREME dismay that AIG would put together any kind of deal when they don ‘t have the capital to do so and instead are receiving a bailout from the taxpayers.

The egregious practices of AIG have gone so far beyond the pale, are so utterly transparent to everyone, that I cannot understand WHY our Congressional leadership is not DEMANDING absolute oversight of this company; first, by getting rid of all top-management and board of directors and instituting prosecutorial procedures against them. Second, since the American People now own AIG, our Congressional leadership should hand-pick a new management team and board of directors to steer this company into behaving morally and ethically.

In the meantime, and needless to say, my husband and I are shopping elsewhere for our auto-insurance. The sooner we drop AIG, the better we will feel. Call it our own private boycott of this rotten-to-the-core company.

Where were all these sponsers when AIG begged for a bail out? Sure sponsers will donate to party ,anything to get a piece of the pie.

No more money for AIG. They were given help already. What did they do? They squandered it. Ok, They think they need money to keep running, Cut the wages of the big wigs put it back into the running tof the company, if the big wigs don’t want to do that, then get rid of them. If their employees are not productive, they wouldn’t hesitate to get rid of them. Well pretty apparent the big wigs are not productive or they wouldn’t be in this mess, so get rid of them. An outside company should be in charge of all monies that is distributed to companies under the bailout, with the requirement that the big wigs will cut their own wages and put that back into the company, and have to lay it out on the table what the money is going to used for, but don’t put the money in their hands. There are financial companies out there that can decide if the money is being spent on what is necessary. If AIG wants to have a conference, let them hold it at their corporate headquarters. No lavish hotel/motels get down to business and be done with it.

re Mary: We all know that the first bailout money to AIG was a loan to be paid back by selling off portions of the businesses. Ask yourself this, if you go to a lending company for a payback loan to keep going, but oops that wasn’t enough because you miss handled the first loan. That company is going to look at the first loan as a high risk loan, because you are asking for more to keep going. Will you get that second loan, very highly unlikely, because they are going to look at it as how are you going to pay back the first loan if you are back asking for another loan because the first one was not enough. People’s opinions do not devalue AIG, they have devalued themselves by how that money has been spent. They need to be held accountable for every dime that was loaned to them. Ask them to present receipts for every penny that was spent, do you really think they can show it was all used for operating expenses? No. Come on, why did the CEO’s get the big end of year bonuses. That was wasted monies that should have been used for operating expenses. It is time the fat cats come down off their perch and live within their means, so their employees are not getting pink slips. Would you if you could afford to buy up a portion of this company knowing full well they were sinking? I wouldn’t, their ceos and big wigs have driven it down into the muck and want to be fixed by our tax payers money.

oh and by the way mary, that was bailout money that you and i and everyone else in this country funded through our tax dollars, and yes it is a pay back loan. Will it get paid back? I highly doubt it. So you may as well go out side and throw money to the wind. Will it come back? No.

If you or I make bad investments or decisions and go broke no one bails us out. There for I say let the chips fall where they may and A I G should be no different when all is said and done. Bankrupt so be it I do not wish to have MY TAX DOLLAR help over paid CEO’s and upper manigment pay for there play time or there so called buisness get aways for so called clients. Just how gullable do they think the public is. P L E A S E sumbody slap them and tell them to wake up and smell the coffee be it bitter or not. What a crock of S———-t

Let them fail and feel the pinch like the average working person does.

I think that they must have a place in one of their office complexes that they could have held this, after all we are paying for that also. Maybe we the american people should take our money back.

A I G Head executives should be arrested for missappropriation of funds and sent to federal prision . If they want a getaway give them one in levenworth three meals and a cot . Yea then they can relaxe and forget all there troubles. Let them try scimming from there fellow (man or woman which ever is appropreate) in lock-up. Embezzleling is against the LAW isn’t it?????

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Auto maker bailout. Fire the C E O ‘ s and all there brown nosers problem solved.

Let the workers run the company not the Leaches at the top.

They could have had the confference in one of the confference rooms and not had the expanse, the people attending this did pick up 90% of the expanse so aig would not have had that much ecpanse.

This is another slap in the face to the taxpayers. I am a disabled retiree from GM, my husband is also retied from GM. With all the financial woes our country is facing we will not be able to exchange gifts this Christmas, we took no vacations this year, we couldn’t even afford to drive to see our son and his family across the state this year because of the soaring gas prices. The same son has been laid off for the 2nd time this year and is now having to leave the state of Michigan because there are no jobs here.

Our state senator, Carl Levin made the comment that the people in charge need to step down if they approve the bailout package for GM, we agree. We also feel that the same requirements should have been part of the bailout programs for AIG and the Mortgage lenders. Hearing about this lavish business meeting only proves it!

This AIG issue is rediculous…..they sure better not get anymore money. They need to string up the CEO’s and make them payback the money, give up their fat bonus’.

how come we can help rep. banks but not the us car companys if we didnt have a global econmy and let all these people import all these cars in are county i say lets stop all importing in are country tell everybody get paided the same lets worry about there own country if people dont how jobs that why.

I don’t understand why Congress is arguing over bail-outs or why it is suddenly such a big deal. The Bush administration started these corporate bail-outs almost seven years ago with the BILLIONS of dollars in unbid contracts to Halliburton. They continued with a bail-out to the auto industry when the President endorsed the IRS rule that allowed for immediate write-offs for anyone purchasing large, gas-guzzling vehicles such as a Ford Expeditions or Chevy Suburbans. After assuring that more people were driving that size vehicle than any time in history, the Texas Oil Barons and affiliated energy business cronies put consumer costs for petrol and other fuels through the roof, while at the same time qualifying for huge tax write-offs and amassing the largest profits in U.S. corporate history. Finally now, before the Gravy Train quits running, the last segments of Corporate America want their piece of the pie. Banking and Insurance, now linked together because of de-regulation, have pocketed some pretty good sums and are continuing their ways…just ask AIG… Is it any wonder that the Big Three auto-makers want one more turn at the trough? The last time they had to sell cars, this time they only have to put their hand out and stand on line for the dole with the other Corporate Giants.

I can’t believe that we are willing to keep bailing out AIG knowing they are mismanaging their funds but we can’t bail out the automakers so that millions of people will continue to be able to work. Our government is supposed to be looking out for our people and our country and all I see them doing is selling us out to the highest bidder. I’m sure our fathers, grandfathers and great grandfathers that fought in the wars and some gave their lives would be terribly ashamed of our goverment right now because they keep making very selfish decisions and not looking at what is BEST for THIS COUNTRY. I look forward to the day Obama takes office because he at least trying to bring our jobs back to this country. Under the current administration if we want to continue to work we would have to move to Mexico, India, Pakistan because that is where the big companies are sending our jobs but I am a US citizen and very proud of it but am ashamed of our current administration ESPECIALLY THE PRESIDENT because he’s is an IDIOT and I know he doesn’t have this country’s best interest as he makes some of his decisions.
I also feel that the government should make AIG pay back every dime they received from the $750B and should NOT receive anymore. Also ALL the CEO’s of these big mortgage companies and AIG should be fired for mismanagement of funds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you!!

How dare they!! This is just the latest wasteful spending by AIG and the United States! Can this company be legally liable for misappropriation of public funds? I’d really like to include my name for a class action suit!!

The lenders get $$$ and keep CEO’s and business as usual. We know they drove their companys into the ditch.
The Big 3 auto are expected to ditch their CEO’s and file bankrup.

Could it be that it’s the same old – protect the Good ol boys club and break the Unions? Sure sounds like it to me.
I want more regs and oversite on the lenders.

As consumers, we still have some power to control companies like AIG. Just like with gas prices, we reduced demand and the suppliers responded. If you, your friends, your businesses, whoever you can find, have policies underwritten by AIG – DUMP THEM. Show these companies you will not support/tolerate their unethical business practices. If they cannot handle the money they’ve made by doing business all these years, how do we expect them to properly manage money they have not worked for?

A.I.G.: Another Income Game. This is what these executives are playing with $150 billion dollar taxpayer bailout. Where is the responsibility from these executives? Didn’t they just get nailed on having an earilier lav ish conference. I guess they have these conferences to celebrate on getting billions of dollars from the taxpayers and not giving anything back to the taxpayers, their policy and stock holders. Shoot since they want to give their bailout money away, I’ll take just 2 billion for a bailout. I know for certain that I sure do need it. I am lucky to have anything at all. I am working on building a home, a business, and going to school fulltime. Send me 2 billion dollars my way so that I can complete these 3 items.

Come on AIG, the country is having hard times. Focus Please.

well i hope you post this cause if you take a pole on how i feel about our countrys problems. i would guess about three quarters of the working people would agree . so that being said .how about the goverment bailing the american people out…that make the country go round .how about give the tax payers a 50.000 dollar check and then we can pay our morage eletric water car payments exctra. but no that would be to cheap only about 699.85 billon dollars saveings . no lets not take a chance on the american people to pay there bills so what they by a beer or two look whats aig’s doing with our!!! money. iv’e worked for every thing i have only to loose it all because of our gov the squander it to companys that will just loose again and again. whats the point this countrys is simply loseing my intrest and thats sad im third generation and im ready to move to another country and start over so that being said i hope some one power gets some common sense.i love this country but feel it has failed me and my fellow americans thank you for your time john kattine

Let them sink no more money, To bad so sad. They are living high off our tax dollars. Them dollars should be used on the Armed Service’s not in some fat cats wallet. No to gig auto, no to big oil, no to AIG or any Bank or Credit company never again. Yes too the Armed Forces and yes to the CIA and Homeland. Thats how I feel about this bail out.

When are the guys in Washington going to realize giving money to these companies that have mismanaged the fortunes they have made..and spent already is not going to fix the problem. By doing this they are rewarding them for bad behavior. I can’t recall ever seeing an employee get a big fat bonus for poor performance yet these guys end up with millions to line their pockets with! …and party with! They need to wipe out the current people in charge. Those are OUR hard earned tax dollars! Their all made of greed.

They should be holding conferences in a warehouse and staying in boarding houses! I don’t care about their excuses for what they have to do to stay in business and “pay back the tax payer”- they need to PROVE that they’re in it to do what is right. And that doesn’t include staying in lavish suites regardless of WHO pays for it, and paying ANY amount to ANYONE for ANYTHING that is not critical to the survival of the company.

AIG needs to learn a lesson and they need to learn it the HARD WAY.

I think that money should be divided up between every person in this U.S. who has worked hard for our homes etc. only to see home values go down due to predatory lending practices. If I received a mere $300,000.00 I would pay my home loan off. I believe that will help the housing industry recoup. I would buy a better gas mileage auto which will help the auto industry. This money might enable some to buy a business, pay medical bills, put a child through college.
I think some might not use the money wisely but those are the people who are CEO’S of companies like AIG.

Bail out, smail out. Where is a bail out for the working people? I could use 188k to pay off my mortage. Whose helping my husband and I? Electricity, natural Gas, property taxes, fire taxes, groceries, etc keep going up. Price increases, bail outs, markets crashes, lay offs, wages remain the same…it all seems like economics 101. Good luck to Obama even though I didn’t vote for him. I hope Obama can get anyone with brains to help fix/restore our economy and America’s future.

AIG . The guys at the top are motivated by greed and how much money they can spend on their lavish lifestyle. Rent the hall at the local Moose Lodge and have your conference. We “the taxpayers” can not afford your way of doing business.

This amazes me. Has AIG not heard of Webinars? They can party hardy when they pay back the debt. Just like the financial institutions who have received the taxpayers bailout money are decreasing credit lines and raising interest rates with reasons such as due to “a challenging environment and increasing costs”. It is like the “good guys” are getting penalized for what the bad and greedy guys have done. You should see all the blog sites where good citizens have expressed unjust treatment by credit card companies.

Hello, America. I do not think we should bail out the car company and if we do the should give everbody of public asstace or worksman comp a new car. I got hurt at my job were we build trains for New York City and every where else as subways. I got struck by 2 1500 pounds of ROLLAR TRAIN MATERIAL CART THAT BROKE LOSE AND MADE BECOME FLAT AGAINST THE TRACTOR TRAILER WALLS. I was lucky that i surrive and I gave the company 110 percent and when you get hurt they look at you total differentley. I was making 600 a week and now being on worksman comp I am not even making 400 a month and I cant even bye clothes of help my mom out on the mortgage on her house. My life has changed for the bad but well atlest you are a live but think of this i feel like I am not a man no more cause I have pinch nerves in my back and neck and they want me to work but when i go for a interview they say sorry we can not hire you cause you can not stand long enough or sit long enough so I am getting from all the sides. I am one those people who can move a mountain and now I am asking for help they all turn there backs. I losing my mom’s house I lost my girlfriend what do i do i need help America can I borrow sum money too I need it more then the car company’s oh yea for being on public asstance and workmans comp i had use the money out of my savings and now it is empty what do i do help again.

I don’t understand why AIG has been given hugh sums of money with no accountability, and they have already shown that they will spend it irresponsibly. But we can’t give a bridge loan to the auto industry to help millions of americans who depend on this industrry for their income and future. Please explain why my tax payer dollars are being used in this way. I don’t get it. AIG should be investigated and made to give the money back that they have wasted on SPAS and expensive trips and workshops, etc.

Greg in Tahoe City has nailed it right!

Why is an insurance company receiving bailouts? And why, after receiving it, has it dropped off the CNN hot list?

Las Vegas is ripe with lawyers that file lawsuits against insurance companies that fail to properly compensate people in circumstances where insured conditions are involved. And, to the best of my knowlege, none of those insurance companies have ever filed bankruptcy.

What makes AIG so important that they can’t disappear like any other badly managed company

Who is watching the small “good-old boy” Community banks? Everyone keeps talking about all the larger financial institutions but, the mortgage disaster started with the small banks over extending loans to people that should not have been given them. Small business owners and builders are gladly given free-handily loans typically from their local community banks when times are good. The minute that economical times go south, the banks take everything from the small business owner and families forgetting about all the business that that client brought to the banks over a long period of time when times were good. I still keep questioning “Who is watching the small community banks?”

Unfoturnately we have to have watch dogs for all of these bailout industries…..None of them are resposible. So, it’s time to have them submit there expenses, how they are going to do it correctly before they get any dollars.

We need them to be responsible !!!!!!

We are asking the auto industry to clean up, so should all these companies.

If they can not then No bail out. They have to be responsible for their actions or lack of actions.

Lets face it the money should go to the taxpayers to pay off loans and buy American cars. Now that would be a responsible bail out.

Best of luck, Jack

I can’t believe my taxpaying money is going to these guys…..I wish there is a way to get my money back!!!

The people at AIG could not have caused all this grief without doing something illegal. It’s time to find out what laws they have broken and prosecute to the fullest extent of the law.

We should put a dollar ceiling on “White Collar Crime” and if you exceed that it becomes a capital crime worthy of a “Death Sentence”

These people are destroying this country without a penalty.

Robin I love the info about the most dangerous cities to live in, but one of the main reasons I watch your show is because you focus on the positive! What were the top five safest cities to live in?

When is this misuse of funds going to stop? AIG should be made to pay back all of the money that they were given. They are rubbing it in the governments face. This has got to stop. Actions like this is why AIG is in the trouble they are in. They don’t know how to manage their money.

Stop it stop it NOW!

Since there was no blog spot for the topic on businesses spending money on sports during the economic crisis, I am posting my blog in the most closel;y related subject. Here goes:

Bailout money is just for that- bailout. If I were to sit on a street corner with a tin cup and express that my purpose for begging was to straighten out the financial mess I was in, any one who followed up on my story should be able to see that their contribution was appropriately managed. If I were to take a portion of that money and place a high dollar bid on getting my name applied to anything but the necessary paperwork that would have to be filled out to resolve my issues, the contributors have a right to be incensed. Frankly, I have had a problem for years and years now with companies who place their company names on sports arenas and fields- the Tostitos Bowl should not be named as it is- it should be the Fiesta Bowl sponsored by Tostitos. My sons should not be playing on Sprint Field during baseball season- it should have been named something like “Future Stars Field” , sponsored by Sprint. Tiger is better off without Buick- what the hell do automobiles have to do with golf anyway? It’s truly sickening to me that this country has so obviously let big business interests corrupt and overrun this country to the extent that it has. Time to take us back, America- unless you want all of the sanctity of history being renamed to company names… could you imagine the Washington Monument becoming Fannie Mae Needle, or Ground Zero becoming the Freddie Mac Monument, or the Arlington Cemetery becoming Folgers Resting Place? Come on folks! Enough is enough!

I am hoping that our federal govt. is making the right move on bailing out all those major banking firms. I also hope that Ford, GM and Chrysler
can hang-on for another couple of years or at least until the Chevy Volt
starts rolling off the assembly lines.

Here’s an Idea; Why not let Exxon/Mobil bail out the 3 big automakers?

With poor business decisions like this without the thought of even the appearance of impropriety, no wonder they need a bailout.

If sponsors paid for the hotel, the sponsors can bail them out. Allowing a company this much latitude sets a very bad precedent. It appears they can get away with anything. Hold the conference at a Holiday Inn, not a resort/spa.

I was thinking of investing in AIG due to the low value but now I cannot trust them to make the right decisions. They have proven to me beyond a shadow of a doubt that its not a poor economy requiring them to get a bailout, its extremely poor management.

I understand per one well known economist that the auto industry is doing good in America – and is manufacturing what the people wanted – but it was not one of the top three. Are they ever going to learn? I seems that this bail out system is not solving anything – actually making fools of those who are providing the money. I sure hope and pray that any fraud will be pursued with jail time.

Maybe it is just me but i find it easier to help the auto manufactors than i did bailing out those crooks on wall street. At least they are supplying jobs where as wall street supplies no jobs, and after bailing out wall street they wasted a lot of the money on sporting advertizing. Is that waht wall street wanted for us to pay for there advertizing for them??

I do not want my tax dollar helping AIG sorry not my fault you can’t make it and you are wasteful none caring about others. Unless it makes certain individuals RICH . NO NO NO NO tough bananas find a new job like the common working person has to. Learn what is like to be unemployed pinching pennies. Come down out of the clouds from your high rise building and walk the streets of poverty and learn humility and a better understanding of the every day persons life here in the real world life in general.

Ron and Wendy Allen>>>>very upset with their waste of our dollar<<<<
That is our gas money our vacation money our pay our utilities money our grocery money NOT lets go play money. @$#^^$##&*() There now we feel better. Sorry had to vent or blow up from the anger pressure. ( : )

The financial problems with the Big Three auto makers are not new to this country. Cord, Lasalle, Dusenberg, Packard, Studebaker and many other car makers have gone under thru the years. Reasons vary but mostly they overpriced themselves or the competition simply made a better more affordable product. These companies had no one to bail them out and had to merge with others or stop producing. Learn from the past.

The bigger they are the harder they fall. Hundreds of banks have failed due to mismanagement over the years. They are the ones who got us into this mess to start with. They should go. Someone else will take their place and certainly could not do worse. With all that bailout money, I have yet to come across a person who has been helped because of it. In fact I have seen a lot of people who have been hurt because of it. joan

What a load of C***, They were first inline begging for money and they are no better than a bunch of crack addicts with no financial morals whatsoever. There should be jail sentences for the parties involved to include the government officials that that signed the check and must have received major campaign contributions from this group.

Is anyone thinking about the bonuses being paid out this year? While taxpayers are reaching into their pockets to “rescue” these Wall Street firms, they are paying out billions to their employees in bonuses to enjoy the holiday season. I’ve heard bonus pools are being cut by half??? half??? These firms wouldn’t be in existence if it weren’t for the taxpayer bailout – is it appropriate or even legal for them to pay out billions? Banks are calling it a “retention” bonus – it isn’t a retention bonus – where do these people have to go? Thousands are being laid off and the rest are happy to keep their jobs. And they are saying it is part of the operating budget – well they wouldn’t be operating if it weren’t for taxpayer money. How are our government officials allowing such an egregious error to take place involving billions of dollars? Can the media do anything more to hold officials, CEOs, accountable?

The funniest thing regarding AIG EXEs. is that they are getting away with the biggest scam in US History. Billions are given by the Gov. in exchange for repayment that the Gov./Taxpayer will never see. The down fall of the GOV. is no accountability for the moneys given, just finger pointing. Meanwhile, common folks are losing their homes, jobs, and in many cases themselves through this escapade.
My family is doing ok and sticking our nose into as much info as possible and learning. I believe many will learn from potential down falls and readjust for a better tomorrow. After all, you learn from losing in many cases. You learn what you are made of.

Robin,

I have one question, What if the goverment stopped giving these big companys all of our countries tax payer money. Would it not be better to give it back to us and let we the people of this great country rejuvinate our economy. If our goverment really wanted to help this economic crisis, give us the bailout money and let the people do this. If our goverment would give every tax payer and working family thousands of dollars # 1 I would pay my home note, which would help the housing industry, # 2 I would more than likely buy my wife or myself a new car, ( now I wonder what that would to do for the auto industry, # 3 With money in our pockets the possibilities are endless.
I say we quit giving all this money to big coorporations so they don’t waist our money. It makes me sick to see this. The problem is our goverment does not listen to the public opinion anymore, all they care about is spending our money so the working class does not have chance to better ourselves. Our goverment officials are nothing but sell outs.

Thanks
Freddy

Thats it pull the plug on AIG make them pay back every dime ,penny, given to them by the government ( we the People ) Make an example of them . All they seem to want to do is look for loop holes to spend the bail money on there own interest. They need to be given more than a slap on back of there hands. Maybe some fines on key upper management and some jail time for frauding the general public as a whole. If you or I had miss used funds we would never be heard from again being locked away so far removed that no sun light would ever reach us. So long A I G do not darken my door step again.

jenn first of all i love you and please add me on my space !! lol you and robin are awesome togather!!! ok heres what i think.. and yell at me people. its just a comment, this is the usa we have our own oppinions ..
ok lets just say we let the gov take over all the houses instead of bailing us out, for one thing its not really the gov’s responsabilty to do this, its our own fault we cant let our gov bail us out of everything.. the natral disasters isnt the gov’s responsability ether but it is there to be there to help us get somewhere safe and feed us while we get our stuff togather .. let the gov take the houses tear them down and lets biuld some green houses, for one thing we have to save these trees in the world and treat our planet better .. we can all do more, so this could be a great chance to do something .. me i dont want to own a house or do i have one or own one .. i would like to someday biuld one under the ground with stucco walls inside and out use old junk or something to make the whole house .. use them solar panels… no electricy to the house no gas .. we could use a big water storage for rain run off to run it through the house to heat along with a corn stove or something like that .. i want to be out in the country, there is pleny of food out there to eat, grow your own stuff , have chickens a few hogs , sheep or cows… doing all the work would be good for us. and not having alot of money wouldnt be that bad after you get use to it .. i done for 3 yrs.. lived on 182.00 cash a month and 162 month for foodstamps… believe me it was hard but u do get use to it ..i had to live this way because i hurt my back and couldnt do anything .. so i had to depend on the gov, and believe me you cant depend on them for much of anything.. i got my back surgery because a hospital was kind enough to do it free.. answered prayers !!! kyle

Credit Bill of Rights: According to http://credit.about.com/od/consumercreditlaws/a/creditbillright.htm there are (among other things) two items that conflict with my experience with my credit cards:

1) That credit card companies cannot increase interest on pre-existing balances (unless I am late with payment). This is not my experience. I have had several credit card companies increase my interest rate on pre-existing balances even though I have not been late with payments.

2) When multiple interest rates are in effect, according to the web site, the lender must apply payments to the higher-interest balances before they apply payments to the lower-interest balances. Again, not my experience…ALL of my credit card companies apply my payments to the lower interest balances so that my higher interest balances are effectively “locked in” until all lower interest balances are paid.

Is the web site wrong?

Thanks,

Jay

My daughter had her taxes done and was told she had to pay back the $600 stimulus payment she received from the gov’t. last year. Why weren’t “we” told this. What a shock this was to many people I’ve talked to.

AIG is a joke why should we bailout companies like aig-fannie mae and freddie mac when they have spent years sticking it to the consumers i say let them fold –federal goverment has never bailed us out before–what i say to these companies is cut salaries make layoffs –make some cut backs thats what they do in the oilfield when there over budget. shouldn’t be no differant for them.we have millions of people out of work and can’t feed there families and there worried about saving billion dollar companies–the econamy needs help i’m sorry but bailing these companies will not help the econamy.this country is not gona get better unless they stop pertecting the rich and start helping the low to middle clas working people