What Else Could the $18 Billion in Bonuses Have Paid For?

[Are_grits_groceries]

•It could have been used to pay for the entire national school lunch program, which provides low cost or free lunches to more than 30 million children every day, for more than two years.

•It could have been used to pay $3,600 to each of the 5 million poorest families in the United States. (Or $1,800 to the 10 million poorest families, for that matter).

•Based on the costs as of 2006, it could have funded SCHIP for more than two years, with a couple of billion dollars left over to provide for cost increases over the last couple of years. That’s both the federal and the state costs for providing health care services through SCHIP to about 6 million children in 2006.

•It could have been used to pay the entire food costs for more than 2 million families for a year, based on the USDA’s estimate of the costs of a low-cost food plan for a family of four.

http://www.theseminal.com/2009/01/31/what-else-could-the-18-billion-in-bonuses-have-paid-for/

Sometimes I think my hair will catch on fire when I read about idiots like the bonus bastards.........

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. 360,000 jobs at $50,000 a year..

Rubber meet road.

[aquart]

7. American paychecks they shipped overseas so they could pocket the difference.

I knew of a thief who got $17 million in bonus a year for helping other thieves forge, lie, and cheat. They let him retire. He never spent a day in jail.

I'm still bitter. But the thieves who supported him were among the first to crash and burn. Hallelujah for a little justice.

[Frustratedlady]

2. You aren't alone, trust me.

No one needs those huge bonuses to live on. I can't imagine how they could flaunt their wealth while so many people are having problems. Shoot, so many state and city governments are having problems.

Shame of them.

[RB TexLa]

4. Not all bonuses given out by Wall Street firms are huge. Many are the $1,000, $1,500 or $2,000

variety. Given to employees making anywhere from $40,000 to $150,000 across the country.

[aquart]

6. Yes. So let's not punish little bonuses. Let's eat the big ones.

Say, a 90% tax on any bonus or emolument worth over a million? Fifty percent on bonuses over a $100,000?

[RB TexLa]

8. Anyone getting a $100K plus bonuses in NYC is paying a little over 47% on it.

[DCKit]

11. My cousin married a banker whose yearly bonus was fatter than my yearly salary.

It's not uncommon, so let's please stop making excuses for them.

The RICO laws aren't getting the workout they need to stay fit and relevant.

[RB TexLa]

12. So instead of being happy for your cousin and spouse you want them in prison?

[HowHasItComeToThis]

3. BLOOMBERG SAYS MOST WENT TO THE NEW YORK CITY GANG

LIKE BERNIE WHO MADE OFF.

[aquart]

5. Obviously, bonuses need to be taxed at a special rate.

[FreakinDJ]

9. Anything over 500K income at a Very Special Rate

[oldnslo]

10. Big or small, bonuses should not be given for failure. PERIOD