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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2009 > March > 23 > Entry
New poll: Majority favors 90 percent tax on AIG bonuses
A new national poll shows that 57 percent of U.S. voters support imposing a 90 percent tax on bonuses paid by American International Group (AIG) and other companies that receive federal government bailout money.
The Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey, released Monday, March 23, showed that 35 percent of voters oppose the 90 percent tax. For full poll results, click here.
The poll also found that 73 percent of voters say Congress and President Barack Obama should have taken action to prohibit the AIG bonuses before the company got the money.
The law imposing the 90 percent tax on the bonuses has been approved by the House and now is before the Senate, where changes are expected to be made. President Barack Obama expressed reservations about the tax during an interview on CBS’ “60 Minutes” on Sunday, March 22.
Here’s your chance to get involved in this tax debate.
The poll was taken from Friday, March 20 to Saturday, March 21 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
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Comments
By Ethel S
March 24, 2009 1:08 PM | Link to this
You have a good idea about havig one of those Tea Parties right here in the Dayton area. Not the Mad Hatter type where everyone sits around and drinks the Kool Aid because more “bailouts” are on the way. But the type where we are going to get taxed and had no say so. We should invite the AIG bonus workers because they had no notice they might get a 90% tax on their pay. After spending a trillion here and a trillion there, I have been waiting for the fall out or the Tax Man to pay us all a visit and also expect all the entitlement programs to be significantly reduced. All of these events with very little representation. Would you some sugar with your tea? Please, no lemon!By Jim
March 24, 2009 12:31 PM | Link to this
Totally agreed, Ethel, but there’s a lot more blame to go around than just for Congress. You seemed to be concerned about businesses tolerating this kind of “punitive treatment”, but did anyone tell you that AIG actually is the one getting rescued, not us? The alternative is going out of business. If they would like to shop around and get a better rescue plan that doesn’t “punish them”, please do. Maybe the executives at AIG could just attend one of those tea parties and pass the collection plate around.By Ethel S
March 23, 2009 10:06 PM | Link to this
Jim, here is the butt saving deal. Congress passed the law for the AIG bonus deal and the Wordonator signed the law for the AIG bonuses. Now that everyone finds out how outrageous all this wasteful spending really come about and has become, then the tax and spend Congress and President want to blame everyone else but themselves. This AIG bonus deal is a perfect example of how Congress and President do not have a clue how to handle this economic crisis.By King of the Lizard People
March 23, 2009 9:01 PM | Link to this
90% tax on anything is absolutely absurd.the govt is upset now that AIG paid these bonuses and must now save face.If this bill gets passed then the legal battle over its legality will go on for yrs and cost tax payors even more money.Congress next time you give $$$ away make sure the right stipulations in on the money.It is funny Congress made the autos jump through hoops…but apparently just gave the bankers the check book.By Jim Cramer
March 23, 2009 4:13 PM | Link to this
“think businesses will tolerate punitive treatment like that in future business deals.” I didn’t know that GETTING YOUR A@# SAVED could qualify as a business deal in which you actually have a say.By Ethel S
March 23, 2009 3:47 PM | Link to this
Whatever happened to the campaign promise of that the Wordonator would read every bill line by line to avoid wasteful government spending? It is disgusting that no one in the government has taken responsibility for these AIG bonuses. And now this matter has happened, then this tax and spend Congress want to put a big tax on the bonuses, blame AIG, and think businesses will tolerate punitive treatment like that in future business deals.By taxpayer
March 23, 2009 3:17 PM | Link to this
I agree that the huge bonuses should be returned, but I don’t believe this taxation measure is the right approach. However, if an employee took a “retention bonus” specifically paid to keep that person with the company, then that person left, that is a violation of the verbal or written contract made upon accepting the money and any person that did that has a legal obigation to return the bonus. The American people own a majority share of AIG with the bailout money and it’s time the representative of the people (the government) starts acting like the owner and firing people and examining the books.By bobby
March 23, 2009 1:57 PM | Link to this
One has to wonder what portion of the 57% that favor this tax are either delinquent on student loans, credit cards, mortgages,or in default. It is urealistic to allow the arsonist to reap finacial benefits and penalize the fireman.By Pete
March 23, 2009 1:27 PM | Link to this
If BO has half a brain, he won’t allow a 90% tax on ANYTHING to happen. That would be a continuation of the total disregard for our Constitution that the Liberals & the current administration portray. If they’d done the right thing to begin with, AIG, et al, wouldn’t have gotten one cent from the government.By TRS
March 23, 2009 12:48 PM | Link to this
I must admit my first reaction to this was “go get ‘em”; but, I am having 2nd thoughts as should most Americans. Pres Obama acknowledged the constitutional issues on 60 minutes. I was glad to hear him say that anger isn’t a governing strategy and this 90% tax is nothing more than Congress trying to cover their rears for passing the largest spending bill ever which they didn’t even read or understand. Strange is it - the waste which will result for the 787B spending bill will far exceed 165 million; yet, we have become conditioned to expect that from government and we take a “oh well” attitude toward it. Reacting to corporate excesses with governmental excesses isn’t the answer. The private sector will be a critical component in any recovery and if this mob mentality of populism and demonizing continues, those we need to participate will sit on the sidelines, fearful of both governmental and mob retribution.