The GOP: still refusing Obama's gift of AIG

The journal has an excellent editorial today called The Real AIG Outrage that argues the Obama administration is using AIG as a conduit of taxpayer money to make whole AIG counterparties like TARP recipient Goldman Sachs, European banks and others.

When the true scope of this fraudulent use of taxpayer money becomes clear to the US taxpayer/voter, the outrage about the bonuses will seem like a tempest in a teapot.

Yet, the GOP, gropping for months now to differentiate itself from the Democrats, continues to ignore this explosive opportunity. Here is an issue that is politically white hot, that the opposition is mishandling and that has real traction with the American people. Having newly rediscovered our "fiscal responsibility" we and our leaders sit idly by while the Democrats pump billions of taxpayer funds through AIG and into the coffers of their largest campaign contributors; our ire stoked reflexively by a few high profile bonuses.

When this sorry chapter of American history is written, the GOP will be seen as playing compliant handmaid to the Democrats' fiscal malfeasance--the party of No, indeed.

Leadership implies making hard choices and getting out of one's comfort zone. Sadly, our "leaders" do not appear ready to lead on the most important issues of the day.