Today’s “economic downturn,” i.e. Total disaster, citizens of the US are struggling to not only make ends meet, but to make sense of the current situation. We have begun to ask the questions: Why are we, the reigning super-power in this mess? How did it get this way?, and How do we fix this? While it might take a blog the length of the equator to simply answer this question, I will not attempt to do so, but I have a few more questions and observations to pose…
In a world where a student is no longer allowed to get a tiny bit of tax relief for books and study materials for students trying to educate themselves and better the nation, why are the super-rich corporate elite allowed to claim private jets in order to receive a tax break?
To quote a wise man (Middle Class Populist’s author) “Who the hell are these Lords of the Corporate Collectives to receive such enormous rates of compensation!”
He insists we ask:
· “What did they do for society that justifies such sweeping rates of compensation?”
· “Why should they be paid so much more than the average American? Hey it’s not like they EARNED IT! (Wow can you believe I said that)!”
Said author claims that it’s “True we don’t want the government to become involved in the ratio of pay scales. But there comes a point when it is time to check in with reality! That is why the progressive income tax is so important! No one is trying to stop these effete snobs from being millionaires but there has to be some balance for the PRODUCERS in our society!”
I couldn’t agree more.
In his article, the author reminds us how Nancy Pelosi requested the use of US Air Force jets for transportation, and was denied, yet “these effete snobs of corporate America cite “security reasons” for having private corporate jets to fly them, each in separately, while they come begging to Congress” for funds.
In my opinion, this excess and elite-rule culture and insistence to spread the like abroad is quite possibly why Americans are so hated. Our country was founded on highly admirable principles, but actions speak louder than words. If we feel we have the right to spread our version of democracy and way of life, perhaps we should concentrate on revising our notions of fairness and freedom to include tending to the most basic needs of all citizens and not just the super-rich. Americans take so much for granted, we have so much to be thankful for; if we intend to better the world, and then some things simply must change.
3 comments:
I agree with the libertybelle11 post, money, money, money. Who decided that these "GODS" of their particlar industries should be so rewarded? It might be true that they struck out on their own risking everything to create a better life for themselves, but have they forgotten where they came from? Some of these millionaires never even had to work for anything; it was handed down after Mr. Rockefeller died! So for these snotty little trust fund babies, the value of a dollar is meaningless, and they act like it too. And how does the American public respond? We give them praise and television spots. We watch them on television and then talk about the decisions they made. Realize here please, that 'we' refers to the dumb class. They are on magazines and newsstands across the country. And all the while, we hate them for what they have. At the same time, things get progressively worse for the middle and lower class people. The very people who the companies of the country rest their backbone. Without them, shit creek would overflow. I agree with the blog, very strongly. Our actions do speak louder than our words could ever reach. It's just a sad reminder that the reason things are the way that they are is because they are allowed to be, and even encouraged. The politicians do not control everything in the country, and neither do the corporations, although they do in essence run it. The decision to pay actors millions for a movie and bailing out these people who already have so much money that they cannot spend it all in a lifetime, is every citizens responsibility. Shit rolls downhill. If things are bad at the top, you better believe that they are going to be much, much worse at the bottom. The people who have been elected have some say, but the thundering voice of the average American will always outweigh the shouting of the few elites. Know that the power rests with the united, and that not even the rich few can can corrupt that.
This was an effective use of quotes from an author as well as pointing very relevant points. If this was to be writing today the author would have added the auto maker’s bailout since it is a prime example of executives asking for help from the government. I will say that the reasons why these executives are paid a lot are not just their personal choice but also because many times the salary is set by the board of directors. I will say that I wish the source used would be more factual and less emotional. The terms used; “Lords of the Corporate Collectives, effete snobs, ect” tend to get in the way of the points he is trying to make. I personally think that the reason that the execs are paid so much is because they can be. This is not just a state side issue as some of the richest people in the world live overseas with some of the poorest country.
I agree with the author’s point that the best way is to not involve the government, but that they understand that there might not be another way. No solutions were given which would have been nice in this article. I liked in the closing statement where the author says, “Our country was founded on highly admirable principles, but actions speak louder than words”. It is very true that actions speak loader then words, but we must be careful on what actions we take. If we destroy the company leadership then a company will follow. Everyone needs a leader, and leaders need people to follow or nothing will get done… I just wish that we could find good leaders and give them the followers to make a difference.
Money is the root of all evil, right?
...and I'd reallyreally like to have more of it. Sigh.
Wouldn't it be totally bitchin' to go all Star Trek and abolish currency? But for that to work, a lot of people would have to stop being total asshats, like the poeple you're talking about. Although, reading the article and even just the bits you quoted, I felt like it was a text version of a Lewis Black commentary. Sometimes bold and italics are good, but combined with so much CAPSLOCKOMG! is a little too intense than is necessary... IMO. ::shrug::
I agree with everything though. Money blows, and the people who have most of it blow even more. (To put it in the simplest terms possible, that is.) Money--and the greed that comes with it--is what's wrong with the world.
Well. That and stretch Hummers. ::shudder::
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