Suze Orman To Bush: "You Owe The American People Every Penny Of Your Fortune And Your Family's Fortune"

In a long profile by WWD's Jacob Bernstein, Suze Orman sounds off on George Bush and blames the ex-president for the financial crisis (near the bottom of the first page):

Sitting in a green room after her TV interviews, she lambasts everyone from Alan Greenspan to Larry Summers to the former president of the United States, who holds an especially dark place in her heart. "Commander in Chief?" she says of George W. Bush, with a mix of disbelief and scorn. "You blew up every single financial vessel we had and if you think you aren't personally responsible, well, the blame starts at the top. There is no higher top than you, SIR! If I were you, I would feel so absolutely horrific that I would take every penny I had and distribute it to anybody and everybody to help them in whatever way I could. You owe the American people every penny of your fortune and your family's fortune."

Orman also calls being impersonated by SNL's Kristen Wiig the “greatest honor of my career" and that often during her show she is forced to stop and think, "Ugh. I’m playing Kristen Wiig."

Read the full profile here at WWD.com.

Watch Kristen Wiig impersonate Suze Orman below:

Comments

[thomthom2040]

Hear hear. Bush, Cheney and Rove have done so much damage to the American economy and the American people they should be imprisoned. Where is the petition and advocacy group for that? I want to join.

[enoughalready13]

CHENEY is really the man to blame. He saw big dollar signs when asked to lead the search for Bush's VP, nominated himself, and then never looked back. He could not funnel the money directly to himself, thus Haliburton served as the official front organization, with a web of third/forth/fifth party operatives shoveling money into overseas accounts held for him. This is an entitlement mentality at its finest. And the only way to enable this was to manufacture war, one of the most profitable industries for the old blue-blood guard of this nation. If you want to better understand historical US diplomacy to these ends, read "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man." You will be astonished as was I.

[Layman23]

Just checked out the book. Looks like its a real story rather than fiction. I sure will give it a read.

[usedtobesupermom]

So true. I didn't read the book but read an interview he did awhile back. What he said was AMAZING! He was a MERCENARY alright! I guess his conscience got to him.

[nunzia]

Are you seriously suggesting that Americans read a book?
Y'mean, something other than a comic book?
Not gonna' happen.

[chili111]

What a shock!!! Who'd have thunk it? Suzy Orman would say something like this about GWB? Hahaha...she is such a liberal and a hypocrite. And to think she is an Obama supporter? hahahaha

[StrayTalk]

Of course Suze Orman is right. But let's not forget the many spineless Dems who aided and abetted by not fighting Bush and his Repub army with ALL the energy and resources at their disposal. They mostly made excuses why they couldn't do this or do that. But the real reason was that they didn't want to do anything that would jeopardize their ambitions and perks of lifetime politicians

[blondecuban]

Oh, come on! There was no fighting the Republicans for 6 of the 8 years. When you have a majority, you can do whatever you want, and they did.

[salzy1]

While I don't care much for Orman, and her bromides and inflated ego, I get her message . I would further state that the financial mess that we're in has to do with deregulating the financial markets and expecting those who by nature are greedy (they are working with money and not for the common good) to somehow not run amok with the freedom. That philosophy started with none other then Reagan and now the chickens have come home to roost. I am comforted that the new administration will make changes to monitor those in charge of money and put a lid on the ability to rape the common man for their own selfish gain.

[chili111]

Actually, I feel TOO much regulation got us into this mess.....

[Octoberluna]

see example of "too much regulation" that works...Canada - only banks in world (exaggerating?) that didn't collapse because they are REGULATED.

[GOP1]

" wake up and smell the coffee people" You know, I don't understand it. What the hell is it going to take for the American people ( me included ) to WAKE UP!! Lookit, we were lied into a @#ckin war that cost this nation billions and 4100+ fine young americans, our reputation in shreds throughout the world, looked us right in the eyes, just recently and basically said we lied to you America. Now the economy, which, I cannot place all blame on Bush, we all are collectivley responsible for our present economy. But as CIC, his dumb a$$ should have reconized something going on. This country is like a bubbeling couldron, and someday it's going to explode, dare I say it.......Revolution and a bloody one!!!

[SeriousBlack]

Oh, he recognized that something was going on.

He recognized that his buddies in the awl bidness were making the biggest profits in human history (starting with the secret energy task force meetings of Cheney's in the early days of his administration).

He recognized that the rich owners of defense industry companies were making huge profits off the two wars he started with their no-bid contracts.

He recognized that the top 1% of the wealthy and corporate executives and financial company heads were making themselves filthy rich while all the unwashed masses poor people like in New Orleans ate crap.

And like most other Republicans, he not only didn't think there was anything wrong with all of the above, he thoroughly enjoyed himself.

[dashboard]

Of the 2922 days Bush was President he spent all or part of 1,020 on vacation (35% of his time in office).
This includes:
- 487 days at Camp David
- 490 at his ranch in Crawford
- 43 days at his family"s compound in Kennebunkport

The other 2/3's of the time he was taking our country right into the ditch.

[pissdoffinohio]

YEH! WHAT DASHBOARD SAID.

seriously, now it is just cleaning up what he has royally messed up. it is stellarly stunning the degree of denial he and Cheney has.

[chasmader]

But those were "working vacations". Bush Jr. was taking one of those with McCain when Katrina hit; I seem to remember.

[lab221]

chasmader, what a laugh. A working vacation??? He has not done anything for the past 8 years, and that is the reason we are in this big mess now.

[chili111]

How could have he been on vacation when Katrina hit? Didn't he cause Katrina to hit?

[lab221]

Bush spent the last 8 years on vacation. Cheney was running the country, and did he ever run it into a ditch.

[chili111]

Wow. You must have a very small existance if you have nothing better to do than calculate the days in office of GWB.

How's old Barrack working for ya? hahahah

He definitley NEEDS a vacation. The poor guy is getting older in front of our eyes!!!

[SeriousBlack]

In the immortal words of Ron Christie, NICE TRY.

I don't think anyone has to CALCULATE the days in office of GWB. Those numbers are common knowledge (reported extensively).

Kinda takes the sting out of your attempted insult, huh? hahahah

(And are you going to try to DEFEND those numbers, rather than just (trying) to insult the person who quotes them?)

Hmmm, let's see... then followed by an attempted insult of President Obama by dissing how HARD HE'S WORKING ON OUR BEHALF.

Wow, what comedic talents.

[ESerafina42]

Yeah - imagine how much damage he would have done if he'd actually spent time on the job.

[dharma41]

The responsibility for this economic catastrophe doesn't rest just with Republicans. Deregulating, laissez-faire capitalists on both sides of the aisle have helped turned this nation into a corporate oligarchy. The divide between the über-rich and the poor has never been greater. Wake up and smell the coffee people.

[GOP1]

Oh paaaleeeze Orman, you have done very well for yourself under this Administration and past Admin. What really cracks me up are these obscenly rich people, talking about the rest of us reg folks financial woe's. Give me a break. I'm no fan of W, personally I believe the mans a sociopathic criminal. But give me a break. Orman and the rest don't give a rats a$$ about us, they know their a$$'S are covered.

[helenwheels]

Maybe Suze Orman isn't just in it for herseIf, Iike most IiberaIs. That tends to be pathoIogy specific to the GOP.

[politicalpecan]

Dick Cheney's amassed fortune too.

[humc]

Suzy,

Getting money from President Bush is dumb, like the rest of your show. Obama is going to tax it at 90%.
I hope the pay limits for you, your books and everything else you do will put you in place.

[chasmader]

"Put you in your place"? Just what is that supposed to mean?? Go crawl back under a bridge.

[danonchalant1]

Eric Cantor wants to tax you 90% too!

[SeriousBlack]

If her business gets bails out with taxpayer money (YOUR money, doncha know), and then she gives herself millions in bonuses, then SHE WOULD DESERVE HAVE IT TAXED AT 90%.

A coupla kinda important points conservatives seem to conveniently leave out, huh?

[JiminNC]

Good for you Suze! Thank you.

[ReealOne]

V E R Y W E L L S A I D S U Z E!!!

I couldn't agree more. Just like we're forcing the high crimes thieves such as AIG's, Wall Street Bankers, etc to give back the money they have STOLEN from this country, and not only putting that old crook Bernie Madoff in prison AND taking everything he or his family have or ever hope to have.... we should do the same for the Bush and Cheney gangs.

Nothing but a bunch of cheap crooks who have broken the backs of this country, and have nearly destroyed it.

[Ross Cottrell]

The best book about the Bush family and their ill gotten gains is by Kevin Phillips.

American Dynasty: Aristocracy, Fortune, and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush

[SonnyBono]

Also a good read is "The Family: The Real Story of the Bush Dynasty" by Kitty Kelly. I don't think that old Bar Bush likes Ms Kelly one little bit.

[Amatis]

Although Bush made many many mistakes, the financial troubles did not start with him. They started many years ago and congress had a lot to do with it. Of course, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that Dems like so very much were a major contributor of the disaster.
Suze as a financial 'guru' should know this as opposed to saying something stupid to get attention and headlines. Suze is upset with Bush due to his conservative political view points and this is the best way to get back at him. Ms. Orman, what about Geitner? Is he to blame too or he is a Dem and should remain blameless? Remember, he wrote the stimulus bill last November which has not worked yet.

[iride]

You can blame Geitner for doing what he is doing now, but you CAN NOT blame him for creating this fiasco.

[chasmader]

There is a fundamental difference here, which you clearly cannot see or understand. Bush and his cronies systematically privatized the US Gov't and the Armed forces so that they could get these pork laden no-bid contracts to further enrich themselves at the expense of the American public.

The current administration is desperately trying to help and clean up the mess. The scale is so enormous and the former party in power has so messed things up that not every solution is working as well as hoped. But at least they are trying and Pres. Obama has the guts to apologize when something is not working.

What a refreshing change from Bush and and also Clinton before him.

[norkas]

8 years of Republican control and you want to share responsabilty? When the Republicans controlled both houses they had a chance to change what Dems did if they thought it was not working. They also had the right to block anything that would cause harm to our financial system

Cedit swaps - Dirvitives- no money down on housing or 10% etc etc. Yes the Republicans were in control and theyplaced us where we are today.

This cleanup will be brutal and the mistakes of the past will not be forgotten for a long time. Dems are dummies also in this but in truth they had NO say so or werenever heard.

We were all sold out because of the greed of wall street and now we are paying for it for years to come.

Wall street is like a group of con artist promoting scams thet are legal but will destoy the Americas economy. When you see some wall streeters wearing the American flag do you get sick like i do. There should be a law aganist anyone from wall street wearing the American flag because we all know there only care in life is money without regard to how they destroy a country and its people to get it.

[rbchilds]

This what gets me about everyone on both sides of the aisle. They want to place blame without regard..i.e. When a Repub Pres signs a bill, its his fault, regardless of who controls congress; If a Dem is pres, its the repubs fault if they control congress; Folks you can't have it both ways, I say it the buck stops here, whose at the top get the blame. Who signed the bill, specifically the Commodities Futures Modernization Act of 2000....Bill Clinton on 21 December 2000. We have been sold out by both parties.

[ChrisFL]

No they did not start with Bush but started with Reagan. It is the conservative ideology of free unregulated markets that lite the fire under the financial system. The laws and regulations on the books at the start of the 1980's did not get their out of a vacuum, they were the cause and effect of the great depression. Just like the very high top marginal tax rates of the 40's - 70's were. The savings and loan crisis of the late 80's early 90's was the canary in the coal mine. Funny because Alan Greenspan ran the RTC which was created to clan up that mess. So when Greenspan pleads "who could have known" that is utter and complete B.S. Humans have not changed since the 1920's to think that removing the reg's would somehow not have the same cause and effect is as Albert Eisenstein defined "Insanity" (doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome each time) until we accept the fact that humans will "almost" always act in their own economic self interest first rather than the national or world economic interest, we are doomed to continue repeating the same mistakes. Next step is campaign finance reform to get corporate money out of government.

[HighInfoVoter]

No, 30 years of reaganomics promoted with factless wingnut propaganda that made it impossible to enact sound economic policies did the damage.

It has taken a catastrophic failure of those policies to produce undeniable evidence that the supply-side class-warfare that republican fiscal ideas promote are as bankrupt as the morals of the republican greed machine.

[Eriq]

Suze Orman was already my hero (heroine), but now... she's a goddess!!!
This is what I've been saying for several years now! Bush and his family should give up their fortunes and put all that money and value into the coffers of the U.S. Treasury. Bush himself should be forced to finance the cost of the Iraq War, too!!!!!!!!!!!!

Down with the Bush family!! Jail them all!!!