The Downfall of our Society?
OK, I'm going to do something here that I swore I'd never do. I'm going to inject my personal feelings on what is a political (for lack of a better word at the moment) issue. I'm sure I'll piss some of you off. So be it. This is my blog, so I'll vent. This my opinion, which I am entitled to just as much as you're entitled to yours.
On the way home tonight, I was listening to the local talk radio station as I do most evenings. The speaker mentioned a speech in which President Bush chided corporations for overpaying their top executives. That's not what made my blood boil and the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Apparently, the President went on to say that corporations need to pay less to their executives and remember their shareholders. THAT'S what made my blood boil and the hair on the back of my neck stand up. WHAT??? I screamed at the radio, pounded the steering wheel, and shook my head in disbelief. Are decisions honestly to be made based on what's best for the shareholders? Bottom line ONLY?? What about the employees? Just a moment, let me climb up onto my soapbox.
Shareholders produce NOTHING. Shareholders are, for the most part, wealthy to begin with (or people like me with a little bit in the market as part of a retirement fund). They are there simply to get richer. Let me reiterate - the shareholders produce NOTHING. What about the men and women on the assembly lines, typing the documents, running the copy machines, putting the products in boxes and driving the trucks to deliver the product? What about the factory workers, the secretaries, the salespeople? Why not shave down some of those corporate salaries and <GASP> spread it out among the peons? At the risk of sounding old, mark my words, this will be the downfall of our society. We have lost sight of what's important - and that's actually producing a product or service that can be sold. There will be no Gross National Product if our country is filled with shareholders who do nothing but sit on their asses watching the stock market.
Imagine for a moment what could happen if I were in charge of a large corporation. Say I'm the chairman of the board for a large company that produces Widgets. Our CEO makes $6 million a year, not counting perks and stock options. We employ 50,000 people. I decide that $6 million a year is more than any one individual is worth (honestly, can you think of one person who IS worth that salary?), and convince the Board of Directors. We decide that we can hire a damned good CEO for $1 million (I bet we could promote from within). And we decide to take that extra $5 million and give our employees raises. So they each have an extra couple hundred a month in their paychecks. And give bonuses based on merit and production. My company's Widget production goes up, my employees' morale goes up, and my employees then go out and spend those couple hundred extra bucks a month shopping, which gives the local economy a boost. My company would still be successful. The shareholders would still be happy. And the employees who are PRODUCING the product would share in the success.
Great idea, right?
So, why is everyone worried about the shareholders? And who is worrying about the employees out there who show up at work every day, who have a strong work ethic, and who are living paycheck to paycheck?
I want to see financials on every single person running for office. It's about time we get somebody in there who knows what it's like in the real world.
Excuse me while I climb down now. And if you like what I said, pass it along. If you don't like what I said, ignore it.
Elle
On the way home tonight, I was listening to the local talk radio station as I do most evenings. The speaker mentioned a speech in which President Bush chided corporations for overpaying their top executives. That's not what made my blood boil and the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Apparently, the President went on to say that corporations need to pay less to their executives and remember their shareholders. THAT'S what made my blood boil and the hair on the back of my neck stand up. WHAT??? I screamed at the radio, pounded the steering wheel, and shook my head in disbelief. Are decisions honestly to be made based on what's best for the shareholders? Bottom line ONLY?? What about the employees? Just a moment, let me climb up onto my soapbox.
Shareholders produce NOTHING. Shareholders are, for the most part, wealthy to begin with (or people like me with a little bit in the market as part of a retirement fund). They are there simply to get richer. Let me reiterate - the shareholders produce NOTHING. What about the men and women on the assembly lines, typing the documents, running the copy machines, putting the products in boxes and driving the trucks to deliver the product? What about the factory workers, the secretaries, the salespeople? Why not shave down some of those corporate salaries and <GASP> spread it out among the peons? At the risk of sounding old, mark my words, this will be the downfall of our society. We have lost sight of what's important - and that's actually producing a product or service that can be sold. There will be no Gross National Product if our country is filled with shareholders who do nothing but sit on their asses watching the stock market.
Imagine for a moment what could happen if I were in charge of a large corporation. Say I'm the chairman of the board for a large company that produces Widgets. Our CEO makes $6 million a year, not counting perks and stock options. We employ 50,000 people. I decide that $6 million a year is more than any one individual is worth (honestly, can you think of one person who IS worth that salary?), and convince the Board of Directors. We decide that we can hire a damned good CEO for $1 million (I bet we could promote from within). And we decide to take that extra $5 million and give our employees raises. So they each have an extra couple hundred a month in their paychecks. And give bonuses based on merit and production. My company's Widget production goes up, my employees' morale goes up, and my employees then go out and spend those couple hundred extra bucks a month shopping, which gives the local economy a boost. My company would still be successful. The shareholders would still be happy. And the employees who are PRODUCING the product would share in the success.
Great idea, right?
So, why is everyone worried about the shareholders? And who is worrying about the employees out there who show up at work every day, who have a strong work ethic, and who are living paycheck to paycheck?
I want to see financials on every single person running for office. It's about time we get somebody in there who knows what it's like in the real world.
Excuse me while I climb down now. And if you like what I said, pass it along. If you don't like what I said, ignore it.
Elle
Give 'em hell, Lori!
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