Desktop Dynamo

Oh, they're stomping mad in Washington about these AIG bonuses. Fit to be tied. Vowing to get the bonus money back any way they can.

But this never had to happen.

According to Senators Olympia Snowe (R) Maine and Ron Wyden (D) Oregon, their amendment to the bailout bill would have forced AIG to either repay any bonuses over $100,000 or face stiff taxes.

But someone cut the amendment from the final version of the bill. A cable news station reported early this morning that Democrats had no idea what happened. One minute it was there, the next it was gone. Kind of like my 401k.

Of course this begs the question: Did anyone read the danged thing before they voted on it?

Umm...actually...one guy. Senator George Voinovich (R) Ohio. And he only read the Senate version.

But some Washington insiders say this puts the responsibility for the AIG bonus fiasco squarely on Voinovich, who reportedly got a little fuzzy after reading about 400 pages of the bill.

"We tried to perk him up with some Cheetos and a couple cans of Red Bull, but his brain was pretty much melted," said a dejected aide on the condition of anonymity. "It was a pretty hard slog. He was tired, and just missed it."

Did George drop the ball?

Democrats were quick to pounce.

"Clearly, it's all on Voinovich," said one furious Democratic Senator. "It's an outrage that he let this slip by. Why didn't he pick up the phone and start calling the rest of us? I'd have gotten out of the hot tub in a heartbeat and headed back to Capitol Hill. Where was his sense of duty and responsibility?"

Senate Majority leader Harry Reid and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi also reportedly accused Voinovich of dropping the ball.

...We are shocked...shocked that Senator Voinovich would drop the ball like this!

Later in the day, it was learned that Senator Chris Dodd (D) Connecticut was the one who let the AIG bonuses sleaze back into the bill.

"Whoopsee Daisy," said Dodd, who reportedly was under heavy pressure from the Treasury to make the change.

...Whoopsee Daisy!