Tim Garner: Where’s My Bailout?

To the Editor:

It was upsetting to hear about the $100 million in bonuses paid out to AIG execs, after the company accepted billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded bailouts. I just can’t understand how this could happen when taxpayers just bailed out AIG from financial ruin.

It’s abundantly clear that we need to fix the problems that caused this financial meltdown in the first place. It’s time to rein in the greedy and reckless behavior of big banks, and close the loopholes that allow these banks to operate without any oversight over their risky deals.

Executives from companies that have been bailed out with taxpayer dollars should have limits on their pay and bonuses. North Dakotans agree that Congress needs to eliminate the incentives that reward Wall Street employees for gambling with our savings with zero accountability.

It’s a slap in the face to hardworking North Dakotans who struggle to make ends meet. Wall Street got billions in taxpayer funds, but where’s my bailout?
It is time for Congress to put the workers on Main Street before the executives on Wall Street.

-Tim Garner
Beulah, N.D.