is there any way they could split off the insurance division (which they want to save to protect policy holders) from the financial products division (the black hole)?
Quote from ASusilovic:
Federal Reserve Board chairman Ben Bernanke ripped into the American International Group Inc, saying that nothing makes him angrier in the current financial crisis than the way the firm operated and the bailout that followed. Bernanke said that AIG operated a hedge fund on top of an insurance company, taking advantage of regulatory gaps, he said. The government has poured $163 billion into the firm. Bernanke said the government had no choice and had to rescue AIG. AIG's failure would have hammered the bank system and sent out "shockwaves" through the insurance system.
Yeah, every (thing) is a "hedge"fund nowadays![]()
Quote from ASusilovic:
Bernanke said that AIG operated a hedge fund on top of an insurance company, taking advantage of regulatory gaps (my team weakness), he said.
Maybe things could be worse but THERE WILL NEVER BE ANY TRUST IN THE FED AFTER THIS BUDDY SYSTEM WAS EXPOSED! I always thought the LTCM bailout was a joke because at the time there were no other companies going broke. The AIG and Citibank bailouts are almost criminal. Lets give a company that is worth nothing money so they can go charge tax payers 25% interest on CC. What business colleges do they teach this type of BS at? So much for ethics.Quote from GTS:
AIG is worth less than zero. No other company would assume its liabilities and assets. Its a $300B blackhole.
The premise is that letting AIG default on its obligations would cause more financial loss than it costs to just continue to prop it up with these gov't infusions.
Note that Bernanke is mad at AIG for what they did in the past but he is not suggesting that we let them fail.
Everyone loves to jump on the "just let them all fail so we can move on quicker" bandwagon but if the gov't actually did that I think the short-term results would have folks calling for Obama's impeachment.
Things could be a lot worse than they are now. A lot.
Quote from ASusilovic:
Federal Reserve Board chairman Ben Bernanke ripped into the American International Group Inc, saying that nothing makes him angrier in the current financial crisis than the way the firm operated and the bailout that followed. Bernanke said that AIG operated a hedge fund on top of an insurance company, taking advantage of regulatory gaps, he said. The government has poured $163 billion into the firm. Bernanke said the government had no choice and had to rescue AIG. AIG's failure would have hammered the bank system and sent out "shockwaves" through the insurance system.
Yeah, every (thing) is a "hedge"fund nowadays![]()
Quote from swtrader:
bernanke and his buddy greenspan are more responsible for this mess than anyone
Quote from DT-waw:
Totally WRONG. Who decided to consume, consume, consume, buy, buy, buy all on credit? Answer: the people. Did bernanke, bush or greenie put a gun to all these greedy, empty heads with words: "consume or we'll kill you"? No.
The people are responsible and the people will have to repay these debts (in one form or the other) to balance the whole system. And of course the wealth has not been destroyed. It is only transfered from less intelligent to more intelligent. As always.
Quote from DT-waw:
Totally WRONG. Who decided to consume, consume, consume, buy, buy, buy all on credit? Answer: the people. Did bernanke, bush or greenie put a gun to all these greedy, empty heads with words: "consume or we'll kill you"? No.
The people are responsible and the people will have to repay these debts (in one form or the other) to balance the whole system. And of course the wealth has not been destroyed. It is only transfered from less intelligent to more intelligent. As always.
Quote from DT-waw:
Did bernanke, bush or greenie put a gun to all these greedy, empty heads with words: "consume or we'll kill you"? No.
in the common vernacular equities are considered wealth and therefore wealth has been destroyed, not just transferred by these events.Quote from DT-waw:
The people are responsible and the people will have to repay these debts (in one form or the other) to balance the whole system. And of course the wealth has not been destroyed. It is only transfered from less intelligent to more intelligent. As always.