TPM: Tone Deaf?

[dkf]

Yesterday, Rahm Emanuel called the AIG bonuses a "big distraction." Today, David Axelrod says: "People are not sitting around their kitchen tables thinking about AIG," Axelrod said. "They are thinking about their own jobs."

I honestly don't get what up-side they see politically in taking this tack. Thoughts?

--David Kurtz
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/tone_deaf.php

[Jennicut]

1. They are right. No one at the rally in CA asked about the AIG bonuses

They asked about jobs, health care, ect. This is a big media driven distraction. While its wrong for them to get the bonuses there are far more pressing issues to deal with right now.

[babylonsister]

2. Don't you think AIG is somewhat of a distraction?

However this plays out won't affect most people, at least not immediately. Their jobs, or lack of, do, as does their unemployment checks if they're lucky enough to get one to put milk on the table.

[dkf]

5. Actually, no. Because AIG's black hole has the potential

to bring us down (TRILLIONS in Credit default Swaps?!!!) and any hint that the Govt doesn't know what is going on or can't inject taxpayer interests into the equation scares the bejeebus out of me.

A co-worker told me she read that if our ownership goes over 80% we become obligated for all of AIGs losses. YOW!.

[MarjorieG]

7. Yup, media has an interest in framing that we don't, politically, but bigger picture? Guess not.

[babylonsister]

8. That's a co-worker. How many people

dabble in the market or even know what's actually going on? Like I said, that gallon of milk, or lunch for their kids, or gas for their car, are more important to many.

[dkf]

10. If people understood the true hazard that AIG presents, they

would freak.

It sure makes me nervous as hell.

I hear that AIG has lots of policies in Asia too. I wonder if the Chinese will hold us responsible with the treat of selling our Treasuries.

[babylonsister]

11. If people knew about a lot of things, they'd be outraged. But that

means they'd have to be paying attention. Guess what? Not a whole lot are. Life interrupts.

[dkf]

12. I guess if I were in the administration I'd want to tell everyone

AIG is a distraction too.

It must be part of the "fundamentals of the economy are strong" campaign.

[babylonsister]

14. No, you want to yell "FIRE!" nt

[dkf]

16. It is a fire. I've always thought so.

[Bok_Tukalo]

3. There are two worlds; cable/Internet/politcal junkie world and the real one

<OPE>

[Mass]

4. It is a distraction. People focus on this rather than focusing on the real questions.

AIG bonuses are a disgrace, but they are only a symptom of a much bigger problem. Many people focus on them because they do not want to address the bigger issue.

[tekisui]

6. It IS a distraction.

It is a drop in the bucket to what has been robbed from us through rampant de-regulation, and tax cuts for the richest. Forget about the bonuses, they are one small symptom of a huge, entrenched disease.

[ErinBerin84]

9. I think it's somwhat right.

But they probably shouldn't say it. Again, as others have said, it's certainly an issue, but the media is simplifying the story way too much, and trying to tie it into Obama's budget, and the way they delight "this will embolden the Republicans!" (uh, they weren't voting for Obama on anything before either) is kind of a distraction. The media is unable to have an in dept analysis/discussion about much of anything, so this is the easiest outrage narrative.

[Fire1]

17. Indeed, the media spin is overly simplistic and as Mass said,

people are not focused on the 'real' question. I don't know if it's a 'question,' so much, as understanding how these investments are tied to people like Madoff and Merkin. From where I sit, I think this IS a distraction from what has the potential of becoming far worse than watergate.

[TwilightGardener]

13. I can think of a million bazillion ways our tax dollars have been misspent

or just plain flushed down the toilet over the years. While I'm angry about the bonuses, I'm not looking for a specific person in the administration or in Congress to blame. I blame the usual corporate/banking greedheads who line their own nests with the little people's money--that's been going on forever, in some form or another--why go all nutz about it now?

[high density]

15. I was thinking about AIG the other night

The bailout-free company I work for has delayed our piddling merit raises for a few months. At the same time I read in the news about our taxpayer dollars being used to subsidize massive bonuses in a failing company. Yes, I am thinking about how our government-subsidized financial system is going overboard these days in rewarding total losers' disastrous decisions. We seem to have been set up with the worst of all worlds in AIG. The company is nationalized for all intents and purposes (we own 80% of it!) while at the same time it seems the government has no control over the actions of the company.

[Uzybone]

18. It is a distraction

I guess you think everyone should worry and cry and shit themselves over AIG bonuses. Did you have the same reaction to the lack of outrage over the Iraq War, torture, Halliburton, the entire system of CDS and the dozens of other outrages that brought us to where we are now?

The bonuses are a distraction, something easy for politicians, media and those who live on their spin to demagogue on.

[Teaser]

19. dkf: Tone Loc?

[dkf]

20. Unfortunately I am old enough to remember him. lol.

[Teaser]

21. I would like to blot him out of my memory, actually.

.

[Jennicut]

22. 8th grade memories. Such a sad time in my existence.