Polls: Public Really Doesn't Like AIG
A new round of opinion polls give a shocking result: People don't like AIG's executive decisions.
In the CBS poll, 50% said they were "angry" about the bonus payments, 38% said they were "bothered," and only 12% said they weren't bothered. As for the firm's official position that they had to pay the bonuses, only 13% bought that story, with 83% saying the company could have found a way out of it. On whether the money should be recovered, 77% want the government to try to get it back, with only 20% against it.
The Gallup poll finds similar numbers: Only 12% are satisfied with the performance of AIG management, and 80% are dissatisfied. When given options of how to get the money back, only 12% say it shouldn't be recovered, while 27% favor asking for it voluntarily, 25% favor a heavy tax, and 26% are for launching legal actions or making the return of the money a condition of any new federal payouts.
Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
Maybe the polls should have asked whether we should take bus tours of AIG executives' homes, with every move tracked by local media.
Maybe the polls should have asked whether AIG executives should be strangled with piano wire or required to commit suicide.
Are these poll results suprising?
It's been 10 days of "outrage" over the bonuses and a sickening amount of political grandstanding.
I won't defend the culture of Wall St. I tend to think that certain segments of society have gone terribly awry in the pursuit of money, and that some individuals have completely lost any sense of perspective on what wealth is. But the behavior of the media and of politicians in nurturing this rage and then exploiting it for political purposes is shameful.
March 24, 2009 12:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
This could be the end of AIG. Remember that these guys also sell insurance. Who is going to buy insurance from them? Even if you still are inclined to think they are a dependable insurer, you have to get past the shame of having and AIG policy. I would be embarrassed to carry an AIG insurance card in my wallet or to get AIG mailings in my mailbox.
I have heard about the AIU name change thing, but I don't know how much that is going to fool people...
March 24, 2009 12:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
And when/if AIG goes bust, everyone can feel really satisfied with their righteous outrage while we contemplate the possible wreckage of our financial system.
March 24, 2009 12:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't worry - Krugman will save us all.
March 24, 2009 12:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't worry...it'll get blamed on Bachmann...
March 24, 2009 12:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hah! If only.
March 24, 2009 12:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
...and in other related news: Water is wet!
*shrug* Must be a slow news day.
March 24, 2009 12:35 PM | Reply | Permalink