From the "What if?" files: W tried to sell our ports to Dubai World.

[Atman]

Just sayin' and just wondering what might have been.

.

[madokie]

1. Be interesting to see what this thread turns up

+1

[drm604]

4. DPW eventually sold the port managment contracts to AIG, the ports themselves were never for sale.

What was at question wasn't the actual ports, they were never for sale. It was the port management contracts that were for sale.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubai_Ports_World_controversy

Dubai Ports World eventually sold the contracts to AIG to end the controversy.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116584567567746444.html

[madokie]

7. I remember that now

[drm604]

9. Not that it wasn't a problem.

IMHO, US ports should be managed by US companies.

[dkf]

2. Hey, look at this irony...

Dubai Ports World eventually sold P&O's American operations to American International Group's asset management division, Global Investment Group for an undisclosed sum.<1>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubai_Ports_World_controversy

[charlie]

3. The What If that makes me shiver

was his attempt to "privatize" some of Social Security, ie, throw funds into the money market casino. Billions more into the bonfire, plus an already monstrous bubble swollen into even more epic proportions before it pops.

[Kokonoe]

8. But they still got the money

They just changed the paper work.
Now we have to save even more talentless scumbag billionaires from the government bubble out.

[charlie]

10. True

But the gov't is still obliged to honor SS payouts when they come due. If they gotten their way, Wall Street would have the money AND retirees would have no actionable claims on the portions of their pensions gambled away.

[Kokonoe]

11. Everything you say is true

But we are lucky they found the other way to take our money.

But now, lets deny the new talentless billionaires from taking our future.

No disrespect for billionaires intended.

[SpiralHawk]

5. "Smirk." - xCommander aWol (R)

"What's good for republicon cronies is, um, good for republicon cronies. Too bad about you Americans and shit like that. Smirk."

- xCommander aWol (R)

[AllentownJake]

6. Someone would buy them at a discount in 2010?

Without the AIG bailout someone would have bought them at a discount in 2009 after a bankruptcy hearing.