Madam Speaker,

None of us support payments of these bonuses to AIG employees or employees of other companies that the government has had to bail out.  Unfortunately, we are only presented with one alternative to correct the situation.  Interestingly enough, it is a tax bill. 

But the more important point is:  How did we get here?  We got here because the Democratic majority insisted on passing a 1000 page bill which nobody read and which was not exposed to the light of day, and in the hundreds of provisions in that bill was one that allowed bonuses to be paid.  That bill passed without a single Republican in the House voting for it.

And now that the provision tucked away in that 1000 page bill has come to light and proven embarrassing, how does the majority deal with it?  They tax it – at a 90% tax rate.

Now if this sounds familiar, it should.  Hidden spending provisions, high taxes, spending, taxes, taxes, spending.  It’s a pattern.

The majority wants to make sure that the government decides who gets what and then is able to take it away.  And they want to deflect attention away from their missteps.

The better approach would have been for the Obama Administration not to allow these bonuses to begin with.  They can put the necessary conditions on the money.  It would have better to have that 1000 page bill open for viewing and for amendment.  Instead we are left with a crass attempt at political cover.  There has to be a better way.

Thornberry Statement Ends