"There's a clear distinction between the two" Peter Spencer SSA Spokesperson explained. "They (the AIG Corporation) received specific bailout funds, we did not..."
Posted by Tina
Our government and citizenry experienced a major meltdown when bailed out AIG spent $440,000. in the midst of the financial mess sending employees on lavish exotic resort get aways. Now in the midst of our failing and flailing economic troubles, the SSA is indulging in a perk at the Biltmore in Arizona for new employees that smacks of reckless disregard for America's recovery and health, not to mention irresponsible fiduciary oversight...a smack in the face to the taxpayer:
"The $750,000 Government-Employee Pampering Scandal," by Austin Hill - Townhall.com
** How quickly can 700 government employees spend three-quarters of a million taxpayer dollars at a resort hotel? *** Last week the Social Security Administration flew approximately 700 of its managers from across the U.S. and Guam to Phoenix, Arizona's posh Arizona Biltmore Hotel and Resort, for "organizational training." The event, which included musical entertainment and dancing, skits, catered food, cocktails, and a "casino night" featuring "door prizes," cost us lowly taxpayers approximately $750,000. **
While you're chewing on that keep in mind the following about Social Security and our government's legislative plans...per Mr. Hill:
A. Is headed for insolvency for over a decade.
B. Is estimated to waste hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars each year in faulty "overpayments."
C. The United States Federal deficit is rapidly approaching $1 trillion (last month it surpassed $991 billion).
D. The Congress and our President spent $787 billion (dollars that haven't been collected yet - remember, the government is in "red ink," and politicians are spending money that they don't yet possess) back in February to "stimulate" the economy, and now, with the economy continuing to sag, are contemplating another "stimulus package."
E. The President and Congress are pushing for a program that will similarly become a red ink program.
F. President Obama insisted last week that his stimulus plan "has worked as intended," and is now considering a 'financial bailout" plan for America's privately owned small businesses.
Peter Spencer, you and your coworkers and associates make your living on the backs of the American taxpayer. You owe it to the taxpayer to run a tight ship. If perks and profits are things you can't live without then get thee to the private sector!
The $750,000 Government-Employee Pampering Scandal
Last week the Social Security Administration flew approximately 700 of its managers from across the U.S. and Guam to Phoenix, Arizona’s posh Arizona Biltmore Hotel and Resort, for “organizational training.” The event, which included musical entertainment and dancing, skits, catered food, cocktails, and a “casino night” featuring “door prizes,” cost us lowly taxpayers approximately $750,000.
Pay no attention to the fact that our government is bankrupt. The managers of our Social Security Administration needed to get out of the office, come together face-to-face, let their hair down and have some fun together, do some “team building,” and get trained on how to “reduce workplace stress.” And when William La Jeunesse of the Fox News Channel showed up at the resort asking to speak to the SSA, the childish incompetence of our public servants was put on display for all the nation to see.
I may have missed something here. The bailout law was not restricted on it's use by our illustrious and ever-so-wise Congress when passed. The understanding was it was for the companies who received it for their use. No limitations set so, general revenue of the company.
Common sense should have told the companies what to spend it on ... but hey, that failed.
Congress, in hind-sight, sees the people are mad at how it was spent. Therefore they get irate at the companies receiving the bailout and start talking payback and penalties.
For me the real culprits are Congress, from beginning to end. No incumbent gets my vote, unless they voted against the bailouts. Just my humble opinion.
I would call them a bunch of hypocrites but there is no such thing as ‘hypocrisy’ under the Democrat and Liberal banners. ‘Hypocrisy’ only applies when it can be pinned on Republicans and Conservatives.....you know, rightwing extremists, dissenters, and such.
I wish I could post a photo, because this picture would give you an idea of how posh the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa is.
All I can think if when I read stuff like this is, maybe its time to storm the Bastille Biltmore.
And the best part is they will tie health care for our elderly and disabled into this Social Security as well.
They will deny payments to elderly, disabled people, but be out golfing, swimming and getting massages while they do so ....
The Boston tea Party was held for less.
My grandmother is always told they will not pay for this medication or that procedure all the time. Then they go off on their weekend junket and laugh about us idiots who will never know.
Hey, nice to see you people doing so well here. I don't have as much time as I used to to play around....HA,ha. I have a job, something my friends wish they had.
I know, I know. But do YOU know that the shareholders of the Hilton Hotels Corporation are NOT complaining? They're not.
And as these things go, $1000 a head, airfare included (those United shareholders aren't grousing either), is quiet reasonable.
Still and all, you can do organizational training on networked PCs, with a box of donuts ... always supposing the SSA has networked PCs. They may not.
(from Jack Lee) Yes, it sure sends the wrong signals when so many families are struggling in the depths of a massive recession. Who could not see this? Well, obviously a whole bunch of bureaucrats couldn't! We're toast...I swear there is just no coming back from this zoo, good bye sweet America.
It does sound outrageous, but I hope some enterprising reporters get the true numbers. It was 115 degrees in Phoenix yesterday. A stay at the Biltmore in summer goes for about $100 per night.
*But do YOU know that the shareholders of the Hilton Hotels Corporation are NOT complaining? They're not. **
And as these things go, $1000 a head, airfare included (those United shareholders aren't grousing either), is quiet reasonable.*
Why would they complain? This is the business they are in and they are in business to make money. It isn't exactly a secret. People who go to hotels are well aware of the profits being made. They know it would be stupid for such an enterprise to barely get by, or worse, to fail...the service and product are always so lousy when that happens!
Give it up Libby...you sound so ignorant when you grouse about people making money because plenty of other people WANT this type of resort and are willing to PAY the price...it's their choice.
Spending ones own money on something like this, as an investor or customer/client is different than the subject at hand...and you know it.
The other thing you have to consider is that they probably booked the thing two years ago, and the Biltmore would not have given us our money back, so they might as well go.
And Tina, you miss the point. I was ribbing you because this is your government subsidizing private investors ... like you like, rather than subsidizing welfare mothers who've gone into the daycare business, like I like.
We is all workin' the system to the best of our abilities.
"I was ribbing you because this is your government subsidizing private investors ... like you like, rather than subsidizing welfare mothers who've gone into the daycare business, like I like."
See Libby this is what gets my goat. I do not want government subsidizing private investors. the only reason lawmakers write such law is to throw business a bone at one end while they rape them at the other! Truth be known I don't even mind government subsidizing welfare mothers as long as the laws are writtent to encourage those young mothers to better themselves and get OFF the subsidy AND discourages behaviors that get them in that fix in the first place.
what I hate is government that encourages dependency and then is forced to take more and more away from productive people to pay for it...it's a stupid way to run anything and an unAmerican way to run our government...unless your intention is to subjugate and oppress the people.
This is why I prefer charity and the private sector. They must earn the ability to seperate me and others from our money and they must peerform well if they expect to keep the doors open...they must produce a positive result.
The government has the power to tax, jail, & fine me...they have the power to change the laws in the middle of the game, they have the power to give an advantage to my competitor at the drop of a hat, they have the power take my little enterprise away...and they don't have to perform at all. People who work in government soon learn they don't have to perform and as far as spending the money wisely...hey it isn't their money and it isn't like they get to make the rules or the decisions...why work hard, why worry about whether that resort perk is costing the taxpayer...it's out of their hands.
What I hate about the progressive stance on this subject is that it is dishonest. Saying conservatives are not in favor of helping others is a lie. What we hate is the wasteful tyrannical methods you embrace.
"See Libby this is what gets my goat. I do not want government subsidizing private investors."
But you never complain about this, you only ever complain about the poor people. What was I supposed to think?
"The government has the power to tax, jail, & fine me ... they have the power to change the laws in the middle of the game, they have the power to give an advantage to my competitor at the drop of a hat, they have the power take my little enterprise away ... and they don't have to perform at all."
But theoretically YOU are the government, and the government does not have the power to do anything you don't let it. Wasn't Prop 13 your doing? So, if you believe that in some instances, your government is acting at the behest of some other entity, you better find out who that is, and what can be done about it.
Railing about "the government" like it shouldn't exist at all is pointless. And we're all getting bored with it.
*I do not want government subsidizing private investors." ** But you never complain about this, you only ever complain about the poor people. What was I supposed to think?*
Well if you even bothered to think you might realize they are subsidized because our legislators need the tax breaks themselves, or because they need the votes, or because they relaize if they are going to get away with gouging taxpayers here they need to offer a small bone there. It's all about getting money, one way or another, for their pet projects to get them re-elected.
I don't "complain" about getting tax money back in the hands of taxpayers. Why would I? Taxpayers...people who actually work and produce, are the engine that drive the economy.
I don't want government doing much of anything.
* But theoretically YOU are the government, and the government does not have the power to do anything you don't let it.*
Let it? Please...you knew that was a stupid statement when you made it. Of course they have power to do the things I mentioned, whereas the private sector does not.
People like you want to give them more and more power. Eventually, and we are very close, we will reach a tipping point and there won't be enough people to fund that utopian dream. "We" will have sold our liberty so that "we" can sit on our fat a**es and do nothing. "We" will end up with tyranny and standing in long lines for government produced bread and government produced scratchy toilet paper to wipe those fat a**es...woopie. You think you'll end up with healthcare like Ms Pelosi has...what you will get is a rusty knife or a pat on the head and a three year wait to see a state trained "doctor". Government doesn't do anything right. The post office is failing and broke. SS and Medicare are both unsustainable, Fannie & Freddie fell apart due to democrat social engineering regulation, the federal regulators failed...and millions are wasted or unaccounted for yearly. Business does not get away with shuch sloppiness.
And get off it! I do not complain about "poor people". I'm all for poor people. I'm for all people having a real opportunity to better themselves...I'm for people getting all they can from life. I'm for a system that supports all people.
I'm AGAINST the system designed by democrats that keeps poor people in poverty like slave clones. In fact I think slaves at least had the dignity of their souls...slaveowners could never have claimed they did not work or earn their way. Slaveowners could never pretend they did not make a contribution. The ugliness of slave ownership is that you own someone...keep them against their will and rob them of their due compensation. A program that kills someone's spirit to earn his own way in a free society may be even uglier.
*Railing about "the government" like it shouldn't exist at all is pointless. And we're all getting bored with it.*
Didn't ever say government shouldn't exist...have said it is too big, it is inefficient, it is wasteful and it oppresses human beings. The state of our state should be a good indication that it doesn't work. The size of their budget placed in the hands of the private sector would produce a positive result with the added bonus that those private enterprises that didn't work would disappear and quit being a drain on the system. BIG GOVERNMENT remains BIG and what doesn't work sits like a stinking corpse in our parlors.
YOU never address this very valid concern. When people "complain" about government waste, fraud and failure you ignore the issue and throw poor people at us...or schools...or fire and police. Well guess what? There is plenty of money for all of those things...now what are YOU gonna do about the bloated wasteful part of government and the legislators who continue to tell you that can't do without more money but never produce a good result....hmmmm?