Americans need to band together now

Which party did what and when dominates the discussion of the obscene AIG bonuses that rock Americans suffering through the worst economic situation in modern history. But who really cares if it started with the Bush Administration or even before that in the Clinton White House?

What matters now is holding the companies accountable who are benefiting from the financial implosion. The finger-pointing now whipping up the air in Washington does little to assuage out-of-work Americans or those facing foreclosure of their dream homes. Most of them could live quite comfortably for several years on just one of the bloated “rewards” given to AIG employees for doing a bad job. The ire Americans feel is palpable, perhaps trumped only by their frustration at not being able to do anything about the misuse of their tax dollars or being able to gain from that spending bonanza themselves.

Honest Americans know they can’t spend money they don’t have; they learned that from the companies they worked for. A year without profit meant no bonus. Elected officials who represent the populist outrage so disdained in Congress should band together with the President to draw this unfortunate cancerous situation to a close.

If ever there was a time to demonstrate to Americans they elected the right man or woman to represent them, it’s now.

Sarah Bates