Quotes of the Day: Congress Edition

“As bad a precedent as the AIG bill is, there is one positive. Congress has established the principle that $165 million is not too inconsequential a sum as to require strict budget hawkishness. I can’t wait to apply that standard during the next earmark fight.” – Bob Krumm

“I was thinking: How about imposing a 90% tax on the income over $100,000 of some of the people who caused this mess? Perhaps not at the top of most lists, but fairly near the top, should be Christopher Dodd, Barney Frank, and the leaders of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and ACORN. ” – Jim Lindgren

Lindgren’s jibe is partisan, since surely a large number of Republican politicians bear some responsibility, too.  But, surely, the chairmen of congressional committees with oversight over the financial sector are more culpable than mid-level analysts at AIG or CitiBank?

Both via Glenn Reynolds

FILED UNDER: Congress, Economics and Business, , , , , , ,
James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. steve says:

    ACORN?

    Steve

  2. James Joyner says:

    ACORN?

    I was wondering that myself. I’m sure they contributed in some way. The congressmen were what got my attention.

  3. tom p says:

    ACORN?

    I was wondering that myself. I’m sure they contributed in some way. The congressmen were what got my attention.

    “ACORN?” was my my first thought as well. Then I realized, it was THEY who pushed for all these sub-prime mortgages, and not the speculaters who took advantage of them, that got us into this mess.

  4. Matt says:

    Don’t you realize that acorn is the root of all evil and bad things in this country?