I'm seeing red and spitting blood

I'm angry. REALLY angry. I saw the news this morning about AIG getting ready to pay out $100 million in bonuses and I am seeing red. Yes, I understand they have contracts that require this. That doesn't make me any less angry.

From http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/03/16/1837714.aspx":

Meanwhile, “The Obama administration is increasingly concerned about a populist backlash against banks and Wall Street, worried that anger at financial institutions could also end up being directed at Congress and the White House and could complicate President Obama’s agenda,” the New York Times writes. “Mr. Obama’s aides said any surge of such a sentiment could complicate efforts to win Congressional approval for the additional bailout packages that Mr. Obama has signaled will be necessary to stabilize the banking system.”

You think? I've got news for Obama's administration: it's not just this that is making us angry. That's just icing on the cake.

I voted for Obama and am generally in line with the things he's done so far. I didn't like letting that stimulus bill go through with earmarks and I really didn't like the stimulus bill to start with either, but those things don't make me angry.

Bonuses for blood-sucking greedy bankers make me angry. Appointees who suddenly "discover" that they owe back taxes make me see red. Nancy Pelosi et al. taking taxpayer paid political junkets to Italy makes me spit blood.

I'm not a conservative. I'm a died in the wool ACLU liberal from the day I was born. I don't agree with Republican B.S. that the failures of this country have anything to do with "lack of morality". I think it has everything to do with unbridled greed (something Republicans exhibit just as strongly and perhaps even more so).

I'm sick of this. I have to start work on MY taxes this weekend and believe me, it's hard to have a good attitude about it right now. I'm sure I'm not alone and I'm sure that the "I've been cheated, so I'll cheat" rationalization is all too easy to make this year. I'll end up being honest, but it's going to leave a bitter taste in my mouth because I do think I am being cheated.

Populist backlash? Sign me up.