Who Hijacked Our Country

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

The Giant Parasite That Ate America

I keep thinking I’ve done my last post on the giant economy-sucking parasites of the banking industry. But these infuriating sick revolting stories just keep surfacing. Every day another modern day Marie Antoinette rears its head.

Wells Fargo was planning to use YOUR tax dollars to pay for twelve days and nights in Las Vegas for a thousand of their top employees. YOU would be paying for everything from helicopter rides to evenings at the city’s top nightclubs.

Now, after tons of media coverage (that whiny liberal media again), the company has had “second thoughts” and decided to cancel this year’s extravagance. But until earlier today, Wells Fargo was planning to go ahead with their taxpayer-financed party, in spite of all the negative publicity that AIG and General Motors got for pulling similar stunts.

Wells Fargo has received $25 billion in handouts — so far. Nice of them to be so generous with your tax money. The alleged purpose of this annual party is “recognition” of their top employees. Morale boosting.

Just this afternoon, before the company withered under all the public ridicule, their spokeswoman, Melissa Murray, said: “Recognition events are still part of our culture. It’s really important that our team members are still valued and recognized.” Pay for it yourself, Asshole!

Soon afterward, the company came out with a revised public statement: “DUUUUHHHH!!!! In light of the current environment, we have now decided to cancel this event.”

This other story combines two things the Far Right hates the most: welfare recipients, and foreigners who steal jobs from American workers.

Twelve banks — who have received more than $150 Billion in handouts — tried to get visas for 22,000 foreign workers. Did these companies have thousands of jobs they were unable to fill? Fuck no — these banks were laying off their longtime employees during this same period.

So far, not a peep out of the wingtard community.

There are several rightwing blogs that I glimpse at periodically. They’re entertaining in some sick sort of way (OMG, what does that say about me??), and like the saying goes, “keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” And there’s one advantage to the fact that conservatives are always marching in lockstep: All you have to do is take a quick look at two or three rightwing sites, and you know the day’s Talking Points.

cross-posted at Bring It On!

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12 Comments:

Blogger DB said...

This is shameless. I can't even imagine the arrogance that goes on behind the scenes of such a bad move. The banks are in for a rude wake-up call and they deserve everything regulation they have coming to them, including caps on executive salaries.

February 4, 2009 at 3:30 AM  
Blogger Randal Graves said...

Well, I guess if the money went to something important like tips at a strip joint, that would be okay.

The title of this post just screams feature film. Does Limbaugh summon a giant bank beast from the very depths of Hell to devour the world through socialism until Joe the Plumber parachutes in from his rugged individualist mountain retreat to single-handedly save the day and win the girl, Alaska's own Mooselini?

February 4, 2009 at 8:50 AM  
Blogger Tom Harper said...

DB: Shameless is the word. I hope this comes back to bite them in the form of strict regulations. If we're doling out the money, we can sure as hell tell them how to spend it.

Randal: I like that movie you're describing. Coming soon to a theater near you.

February 4, 2009 at 10:46 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I LOVE the movie idea, but only if Mooselini becomes monster chow.

February 4, 2009 at 11:52 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

hey...those rich folk are tense. they need those hot stone massages. give 'em a break.

February 4, 2009 at 12:06 PM  
Blogger Tom Harper said...

SM: Works for me. Sarah Palin's wretched life would finally have a purpose.

Paul: At second thought, you're right. These VIPs need their self-esteem boosted, and I'll happily pay for their massages and helicopter rides with my tax dollars. I shouldn't have been so cold-hearted.

February 4, 2009 at 1:28 PM  
Blogger Lew Scannon said...

Gambling is just an extension of the bankers desire to get something for nothing.

February 4, 2009 at 5:58 PM  
Blogger Tom Harper said...

Lew: I'd probably gamble too if I could get the taxpayers to bail me out every time I lost.

February 4, 2009 at 6:22 PM  
Blogger Miss Kitty said...

Ouch. Well said, Tom.

February 5, 2009 at 12:36 PM  
Blogger Tom Harper said...

Miss Kitty: Thanks.

February 5, 2009 at 3:47 PM  
Blogger Snave said...

Hey, I wouldn't mind going to Las Vegas too!

February 7, 2009 at 10:30 PM  
Blogger Tom Harper said...

Snave: Works for me. I'm too big to fail; the taxpayers will have to finance my gambling trip.

February 8, 2009 at 3:26 PM  

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