AIG bonuses

Ben Bernanke is on the record saying that AIG is primarily responsible for the rapid decline our national economy has suffered over the last 12 months, because it (as a corporation) led the charge in poor performance being rewarded with huge, top-heavy bonuses paid to the very executives that wrote and implemented the policies that led the company to NEED the $171 billion in bail out funds they've already accepted.

Today, the $121 million in additional (meaning extra-budgetary) bonuses they paid to the top 50 executives were considered "ok" because they were contractually obligated to pay them... in addition to the $195 million already in the budget of the company for the year 2008.

Can someone explain to me WHY they are obligated to pay an additional $121,000,000 to the very 50 people who were unquestionably responsible for the collapse that led the company to NEED the bail out in the first place? Why are MY tax dollars lining the pockets of the men who drove the company into the ground? How is rewarding the poor performance and bad decision making of these 50 men and women going to make sure that the company IMPROVES its financial footing so the problem doesn't repeat in the future?

This goes beyond blaming the problem on government interference. 1970s legislation that called for easier requirements for low-incoming housing loans or questionable lending practices certainly contributed to the problem... but that does NOT equal rewarding poor or unethical business practices with huge bonuses coming at a time when the company must be saved by tax-payer dollars or go under completely.

If memory serves, Ryan was the only advocate of "let the business run the business" in a post-bailout world... so can you clear this up for me, please?