Damn the Constitution, Full Speed Ahead!

This is beyond priceless:

WASHINGTON — The House gave strong approval to legislation intended to recoup bonuses paid by American International Group Inc. and other recipients of federal aid, after a sharp-edged debate that dramatized populist outrage over the government’s sweeping efforts to prop up the nation’s financial system.

The legislation was rushed to the floor by Democratic leaders amid a storm of protest among rank-and-file lawmakers over AIG’s decision to pay bonuses to hundreds of current and former employees, while receiving more than $100 billion in taxpayer assistance. Approved on a 328-93 vote, the measure would impose a 90% surtax on the disputed payments, effective for bonuses made after Dec. 31, 2008.

The legislation would apply widely to payments by all institutions that have received at least $5 billion in taxpayer aid. The special levy would be in addition to existing income taxes, and would apply to bonuses received by individuals with at least $250,000 in adjusted gross income.

To recap… Congress committed an act of supreme legislative malpractice by passing a Bill that no one had to time read, much less digest or debate… and now they’re compounding that mistake by passing what amounts to an unconstitutional Bill of Attainder to cover their tracks.

Lovely,  just lovely… Damn the Constitution, full speed ahead!