U.S. Rep. Brad Miller is calling out President Obama.
In an interview with the liberal blog Talking Points Memo yesterday, the Raleigh Democrat said he's not convinced the new Treasury Department is much different than the old one.
"I want change I can believe in," he said. "I don't think we have change I can notice."
Miller, who has worked on banking issues since he was elected in 2002, said he does not think the department led by Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner has been responsive or transparent in its handling of bailed-out banks and financial insurer AIG.
"I don't feel a lot of confidence in all of this, because I don't have much idea what they're doing," he said, adding that he is a "fairly conscientious member" of the House Financial Services Committee.
He also charged that Goldman Sachs had "a lot of influence" over the AIG bailout.
U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan is blasting bonuses at AIG.
The Greensboro Democrat said today in a statement that she shares "the public's outrage" over reports that the ailing financial insurer is paying employees $165 million in performance bonuses while receiving a federal bailout.
The company has defended itself by saying that they are contractually obligated to make the payments, a position the U.S. Treasury Department agreed with.
"I suppose it is no surprise that a company which engaged in such grossly reckless behavior that it required a $170 billion bailout would also willingly enter into a contract that requires it pay out 'performance bonuses' to its employees even when it is on the verge of bankruptcy," she said. "That is not good business sense."
Hagan cosponsored an amendment in February to limit the pay of CEOs of companies receiving federal bailout money.
Her statement followed similar remarks by President Obama Monday.
U.S. debt has increased $3.3 trillion since 2003.
According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury's daily calculation history, the national debt has increased from $6.4 trillion to $9.7 trillion since U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole took office.
That's an increase of 51.4 percent.
A recent TV ad by Democratic Senate candidate Kay Hagan attacks Dole over Washington being "$9 trillion in debt."
After the jump, the complete numbers.