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!