In 2005, Exxon CEO Raked in 190K a Day
In 2005, Exxon CEO Raked in 190K a Day
Average Americans are struggling to keep up with persistently high gas prices, now approaching $3 a gallon. Testifying before Congress last November, Exxon CEO Lee Raymond blamed the problem on “global supply and demand” and assured the public that “we’re all in this together.”
Last year, Raymond made do with “a total compensation package” of just $69.7 million or $190,915 a day, including weekends.
After his haul in 2005, Raymond has decided to retire. It’s seems that, for Raymond, not working is even more lucrative than working:
Exxon is giving Lee Raymond one of the most generous retirement packages in history, nearly $400 million, including pension, stock options and other perks, such as a $1 million consulting deal, two years of home security, personal security, a car and driver, and use of a corporate jet for professional purposes.
Exxon is now facing several “shareholder resolutions this year that criticize the company’s level of executive pay and seek to rein it in.”
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I saved $.18 today at the store,with my advantage card.
April 14th, 2006 at 10:19 amThe gap widens…very sad.
April 14th, 2006 at 10:21 amAn annual salary of $70 million. Did he piss out all of the oil for Exxon?
April 14th, 2006 at 10:24 amThey (that mysterious “they”) are already saying gas prices are going to be the highest ever this summer. Hmm… I wonder why.
April 14th, 2006 at 10:25 amHey all you bible thumper wingers, greed is also a sin. As a matter of fact Jesus was much tougher on the greedy money lenders and the insolent powers that be than he was on the gays.
Republican morals=the best morals money can buy.
-GSD
April 14th, 2006 at 10:28 amIt is theft, but legal theft as long as the shareholders do not band together to rein these folks in. I guess if the owners of the company want to piss away their profits so be it, but I sure would like to see the government tax the hell out of them
April 14th, 2006 at 10:34 amhe makes enough to buy over 73,000 gallons of gas per day
April 14th, 2006 at 10:34 amAw, the poor wittle oil bawwon!
April 14th, 2006 at 10:37 am“he makes enough to buy over 73,000 gallons of gas per day” - - Yeah, but by Memorial Day that number will be all the way down to 72,863. He’ll have to garage the Hummer.
April 14th, 2006 at 10:39 am$23,864 per hour and yet the congress refuses to raise minimum wage. Earning Minimum wage an American would make $10,712 a year before taxes and Social Security.
It is a wonder we don’t have a full blow revolution in this country. This kind of disparity between rich and poor is what brought about the Russian Revolution.
I guess we have successfully dumbed down out education system to produce passive idiots who never examine their situation with anything approaching critical thinking. Ooops! I just described the President!
April 14th, 2006 at 10:49 amIf I were Lee Raymond I’d spend a pittance of my fortune on a good plastic surgeon.
April 14th, 2006 at 10:50 amaren’t these the mofos who still haven’t taken care of that Alaska disaster?
April 14th, 2006 at 10:51 amTalk about unearned income! Just what on Earth did this guy actually do to justify compensating him that much in both cash and prizes? A recent report showed that those that took in over ten million dollars per year have gotten an average of $500,000 from the president’s oh-so-important tax cuts for the wealthiest among us. That half-million dollars is more than my wife and I took home combined in the eleven-plus years we’ve worked at our company. I have absolutely no sympathy for these rich people if their huge unnecessary deficit-busting tax cuts are taken away. It can only do Americans good.
April 14th, 2006 at 10:51 amMy advice is to fill up your SUV at an Exxon station, then park out on driveway and let the motor run all day and night just to show ‘em we won’t be intimidated.
April 14th, 2006 at 10:52 amWhich oil company was it a week ago that was blaming the high price of gas on the ethanol they now have to use?
Yea, right.
Why did this administration strip all funding for research into better batteries for autos/trucks? Because bushco IS the oil & mineral extraction business. They hardly deny it anymore.
April 14th, 2006 at 10:56 amThe ’shareholders’ are likely Calpers etc. They won’t get much out of Exxon because unlike GE Exxon is doing fairly well (he’s not Welsh for sure). The most generous was Welsh though and it’s similar to this.
Ultimately if the shareholders feel that it is in their interest to reject any proxies about this then that’s basically how it is. The only other way to get him to give some of it up would be if politicians started highlighting it…:)
He’s been CEO for awhile though and has been successful. He’s definately not running a company defrauding its investors - whatever you think of what they’re doing to their customers, ie, the public. The 400mil is a bit inflated though because the stock options are only play money until they can be exercised, if ever. Their stock would have to hit the strike price which is dependent on oil staying above 50 probably to sustain an upward trend. I doubt the strike price is much more than 10-20 percent above the current price (multiple strike prices of course).
So if your pension fund/iras/mutual funds/etc are holding Exxon stock support any proxy that rips into his pension. Vote.
April 14th, 2006 at 10:57 amHoly toledo! That’s insane.
April 14th, 2006 at 10:57 amJudd,
As a side note, you need to do a story on Rumsfield’s promotion policies for generals. The latest general alluded to it in a CNN telephone interview. Rumsfield personally selects all generals that will be promoted to 4 star, ie, have to go before Congress. He micromanages the 2 and 3 star promotions as well.
It’s sort of like the Supreme Court. He’s packing the Pentagon with people who either think like him or won’t stand up to him. I don’t think that’s great for security.
April 14th, 2006 at 10:59 am“We’re all in this together.”…
That’s what now-retired Exxon CEO Lee Raymond said last year when testifying before Congress about exploding gas prices. Think Progress, however, begs to differ:Last year, Raymond made due with “a total compensation package” of just $69.7 million or…
April 14th, 2006 at 11:00 amLook at that pic of the Exxon CEO > he is hidiously ugly! What a vile and evil man he has! He gets 400 million to retire for screwing over our entire nation > he deserves prison for what he did! Americans must demand that all the ugly Oil Cartel CEOs get life in prison or publicly hanged! They are gross monsters!
April 14th, 2006 at 11:00 amCorrection: What a vile and evil man he IS! (has is typo >lol.)
April 14th, 2006 at 11:02 am#21 Oh, he probably also has his own vile and evil man. :)
April 14th, 2006 at 11:05 amLOL #22 you are probably right > he would have to pay a female/male hooker a million an hour to do him!
April 14th, 2006 at 11:11 am#11 - If he did that he wouldn’t have the appropriate look for his Vogon poetry readings.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:11 amInsanity. This country is insane.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:12 amThe evil you out out into the universe will come back to haunt you….karma.
I cannot wait to see what Bush gets!
April 14th, 2006 at 11:12 amCapitalism is healthy and good for everyone!
April 14th, 2006 at 11:12 am190,000 a day. Now thats a Corporate Whore if ever there was one. Thats about 63,000 gallons of fuel a day
I wonder if we can get Bill O’Rielly to call Mr. Raymond and lower the price of fuel again.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:14 amBut with his education, personal connections and his business acumen, I think he deserves every penny….NOT.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:14 amHmm - 190K/day - must be really tough to deal with those bills like a mortgage, utilities, etc. It’s sad that people like this make more in an hour than many people make in a year. Of course, this raises the broad rhetorical question - what do these people do with all of that wealth? You can only sleep in one bed, poop in one toilet, etc. No one is “worth” that kind of insane salary - what’s sad is that so many people think they’re worth it and are willing to pay.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:17 amLET’S DO OUR OWN PROTEST AND DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT BUY GAS FROM EXXON-MOBILE. GO TO YOUR LITTLE RINKY DINK JOINTS THAT HAVE AS GOOD AS GAS AS THE MAJOR DEALERS AND USUALLY CHEAPER. FOLKS WE CAN HURT THEIR POCKETS IF THIS IS PASSED ON. SO WHAT DO YA THINK.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:19 amSee the fat little piggie gorge and gorge his way to roasting day.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:19 amI’m ready for a revolution. These people don’t deserve their $400 million retirement while the average man works his a$$ off for $24,000 a year. It’s sickening.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:20 amOn second thought if a OIL Cartel CEO swindler like this EXXON guy cannot find a desperate hooker to do them, then they call up Bush Boy to give them a hummer > he does anything for them > lol.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:22 am#24 Ah, yes. Those Vogon poetry readings. Almost like the president’s speeches. Incredibly painful to listen to, if only because of their incomprehensibility. So when will the Administration announce that Earth is being destroyed to make way for a new hyperspace bypass? (Was that what it was? It’s been a while since I read the books and I haven’t seen the movie.) I’ll have my pack of peanuts handy just in case.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:22 amRaymond the EXXON swine looks like he needs dental work badly > or does he just like to eat caviar all day and not brush his teeth > lol.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:28 amYou all are a freakin riot…who says liberals don’t have a sense of humor!!
Actually, I think it is because if we weren’t laughing we would all be crying. I feel overwhelmed by the atrocities this administration has perpetrated to enrich themselves and their friends.
You know what is really sad about this….these rich folk give less as a percentage of income to charity than less fortunate people.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:29 amGoodness, I just hope it’s enough that he’ll be able to feed his children.
/sarcasm
April 14th, 2006 at 11:30 amit’s crap like this that birthed Madam le Guillotine … when the gap between the have-nots and the have-way-the-frick-too-much becomes this wide, that’s when revolutions are born.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:31 amJules to think these Oil Cartel ugly dudes think they are the “Super Race Elite” >lol. Do they even look in mirrors? EXXON Raymond looks like “Jubba the Hut” from the Star Wars Movie!
April 14th, 2006 at 11:33 amRemember, this is one of the most heavily subsidized industries in America. Thats right, our tax dollars are going to subsidize the most profitable industries. What about good old free market economics? Not for the energy industry, they need corporate welfare.
I dare any of the resident trolls to defend this bullshit. Poor people (or average middle class people for that matter) who vote Republican have got to be the stupidest motherfuckers in the world.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:34 amWhat happened to all of the small refineries that were working in the 1980s? Oh, thats right! They were bought out and closed down by the big oil companies because it created an excess of refining capacity. America deserves to have high gas prices considering that the people didn’t care about the continuing consolidation of the oil industry to the point where their is no competition. They have even been subsidized in the last energy bill.
Didn’t these guys lie to congress, but not under oath, that they did not influence or visit Cheney and his energy policy?
April 14th, 2006 at 11:35 am#31 - Buy gas from CITGO, their oil comes from a state owned venezuelan company.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:35 am#35 - Don’t forget your towel. ;)
April 14th, 2006 at 11:38 amOBSCENE
April 14th, 2006 at 11:40 amIf I-Right-I comes on this thread to defend Raymond the fat slug Hut, then he has to be paid big bucks to do it > or it will prove his insanity > lol.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:41 amOh boy! If I wasn’t so fat, lazy and stupid from growing up in America. I’d be out in the streets doing something about this. Woe is me.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:42 am#31 and #43, those boycott tactics don’t work. The different brands trade with one another at the refinery level, they won’t lose a dime. The only immediate answer is to reduce demand. Take public transportation or buy a more fuel efficient vehicle. Long term, demand alternatives to fossil fuel.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:42 am#43 Dang, you beat me to it. :) Oh well, buy Citgo. It’s recommended by a guy that
April 14th, 2006 at 11:42 amBush wants assassinated
#43
that is where i’m going. and the president i gotta give kudos to for not being scared of getting whacked by bushyboy and calling the resident of the u.s. what he is…….A TERRORIST
April 14th, 2006 at 11:42 amRoyalty did not go away after the French Revolution, they merely went into hiding and morphed into the punks ruining our world today.
Our society these days seems to be about how much can be gotten away with, and what tools are necessary (a compliant media, for one,) to keep the masses from banding together to rise up and regain control.
It’s the masses, stupid. Clinton knew how to talk to us while doing the bidding of his masters. That was clever. Now we might have Clinton 2! Just think how awful THAT’S gonna be.
The current administration says we can all go to hell. Not in so many words, but they appear to be laughing at our laws and scorning what little truth escapes their filter.
I remember back in the early 90’s when American Airlines, one of the first to do so, “restructured” the company. They laid of people, eliminated positions, reduced employee reimbursement packages. It seemed a test. Were we all supposed to get upset?
There was lots of talk in the reservations office where I once worked about joining a union, for bargaining power, but the masses in the office were subject to relentless propaganda, and they acted as though anyone who dared bring up the subject deserved to be fired.
The next year, Chairman Crandall and his goons in headquarters made huge year-end bonuses, based on the savings generated from “restructuring”. The only ones who suffered were the people, the masses. They, we, in many cases happily complied with something we should have fought tooth and nail.
Since that time, companies are eliminating pension plans right and left, people are being laid off while their jobs are sent overseas.
And we have a lying administration that seems intent upon ruining the world for the masses, while they, the CEO-kings, make a killing.
The “haves” have, so that others may not. That is the truth. Look at the cost of cars, and look at our roads! Everyone drives an enormous, overpriced vehicle. The rich get a taste and want more, and have standards to live up to.
And the masses paid for it all.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:45 amhe sure would look good on a skewer slowly roasting as we all sat around and drank beer and talked shit.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:46 amOil is at 71 dollars a barrel. There are some two hundred million suckers out there who continue to pay for gas to get to where they want to go.
Don’t blame Lee, he’s got you all fooled.
All you have to do is quit driving everywhere all of the time. If you don’t buy gas, Exxon doesn’t make any money.
Stop being ’socially engineered’ human chattel, American style. It’s stupid. Become a person.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:49 am#52. That’s very funny. Very.
If we could get him on a spit next to Jesse Helms, we might have some tender barbecue.
I like mine southern-style, on a bun with cole slaw and hot sauce.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:49 amDoes it matter where you buy your oil? I imagine that most oil companies, if not all, are making astronomical profits.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:50 amThat just makes me sad.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:51 amIf life were a thing that money could buy,
April 14th, 2006 at 11:52 amthe rich would have it and the poor would die.
Lol Post 52 > Raymond the EXXON swine is very fat, but like a wild pig his body is filled with worms from eating truffles, caviar, filet mignon steaks, and swilling expensive champagne! Cook him, but feed his body to ravenous wolves or a white shark > lol.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:52 am#44 And I just washed it when I did laundry yesterday. Well, while it’s certainly more warm and fluffy than it was before, it’s now had all the nutrients washed out of it. But there are no holes in it, so I can still stay safe with the Ravenous Bug Blatter Beast of Traal (i.e. Rumsfeld) in the room. (I say Rumsfeld because he would answer, “If you’re asking me if I see anybody raising their hands to object, the answer’s No, I don’t!”)
At this point, I think our military would be better served with marvin at the helm. (”You don’t really want me to invade that country, do you? Okay, but there are seven hundred and fifty trillion other things I could be doing in the meantime.”)
Time to get back on topic.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:55 amWhat business is it of yours how much the man makes? Do you own stock in his company? If not STFU. Stockholders are the only ones with any right to question what he makes. All else is cowardly envy and the self-righteous indignation of lazy, stupid losers.
If you’re that unhappy with your lot in life you have two choices; work harder and smarter like an American or riot in the streets and steel what you want like the French losers and ghetto negroes do. If you choose option number two you’ll be shot down by S.W.A.T. and the National Guard.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:55 am“Does it matter where you buy your oil?”
Probably not. This is from Snopes.com:
A boycott of a couple of brands of gasoline won’t result in lower overall prices. Prices at all the non-boycotted outlets would rise due to the temporarily limited supply and increased demand, making the original prices look cheap by comparison. The shunned outlets could then make a killing by offering gasoline at its “normal” (i.e., pre-boycott) price or by selling off their output to the non-boycotted companies, who will need the extra supply to meet demand. The only person who really gets hurt in this proposed scheme is the service station operator, who has almost no control over the price of gasoline.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:56 amWhat will Exxon reduce it to, $150,000? At least all of these jerks are going to crash and burn within 5-10 years when oil runs out. But they’re going to bring everybody down with ‘em.
http://www.lcoliberal.blogspot.com
April 14th, 2006 at 11:56 amI’d rather eat crow and cry crocodile tears for Mr. Raymond.
The fat would burn for days.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:57 amLol Post 52 > Raymond the EXXON swine is very fat, but like a wild pig his body is filled with worms from eating truffles, caviar, filet mignon steaks, and swilling expensive champagne! Cook him, but feed his body to ravenous wolves or a white shark > lol.
Comment by Jay Randal
He’s no bigger than any number of welfare mommas I’ve seen scarfing down the KFC.
April 14th, 2006 at 12:00 pmLol I-Right-I is defending the fat ugly gross swine Raymond the EXXON CEO swindler! How much do you get paid to defend filth like Ray? Or are you just simply insane?
April 14th, 2006 at 12:01 pmEvery once in a while, I like to be reminded of why I’ve always thought it a good idea to round up the conservatives and vaporize them.
April 14th, 2006 at 12:02 pmIRI is a whacko, but his first paragraph in #60 is right on. After all, we, the CONSUMERs, enable the price of gas to be where it is. If the demand for oil was lower, the price would be lower.
April 14th, 2006 at 12:02 pm“The decadent international but individualistic capitalism in the hands of which we found ourselves after the war is not a success. It is not intelligent. It is not beautiful. It is not just. It is not virtuous. And it doesn’t deliver the goods.” (John Maynard Keynes)
April 14th, 2006 at 12:05 pmConsidering there are 24 hours in a day, and everyone must sleep, eat, and hopefully bathe, there’s hardly any rationality in suggesting that someone can work that much harder than someone else to get paid 100,000 times more. It is mathematically impossible.
People like this clearly do not understand that when you take more thna you need, you are taking someone else’s portion of money, space, and food. There’s no other word for it than selfish greed.
April 14th, 2006 at 12:16 pm#67 Mikey,
With all due respect, I disagree. I don’t think he’s “right on” at all. Oil and gasoline have become so intricate a part of our everyday lives that to simply say we should reduce our demand for it is unrealistic. Saying that if the demand for oil was lower, the price would be lower would be like saying if the demand for oxygen was lower, the air would be cleaner. Nice idea, but no longer practical in our day and age. If the greedy, money-hungry oil companies and their investors cared in the least about the humans of the world, they would have seriously heeded the call to reduce oil consumption back in the ’70s when we had the temporary oil embargo. Instead, they took the opportunity to compel the government politicians to keep fossil fuels as the number one (and practically only) source of energy in this country. They could have shifted the focus of their own companies, but they chose to protect and preserve the status quo. Those of us who weren’t millionaires had little choice in the matter.
If you have any need at all for your fellow human beings, you will recognize that Milton Freidman style free-market economics is an extremely inhumane system. It does not have to all be a zero-sum game. There can be a lot more win-win scenarios if the big companies were willing to accept a reasonable profit instead of insisting on trying to collect obscene profits.
April 14th, 2006 at 12:23 pmComment by I-RIGHT-I — April 14, 2006 @ 12:00 pm
I-Right just admitted that he spends time in KFC trolling for welfare mommas. I bet you proposition them for a blow-job for a drumstick exchange.
Typical creepy rightwinger, hates the welfare folks while he sits around ogling them.
Perv deluxe.
-GSD
Also, shop anyone but ExxonMobil.
April 14th, 2006 at 12:25 pmHe’s no bigger than any number of welfare mommas I’ve seen scarfing down the KFC. Comment by I-RIGHT-I
Now RIGHT, better not talk about about people’s mammas or someone might be tempted to bring up yours. Still, your remark in #60 asking us “What business is it of yours how much the man makes?” deserves to be answered.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but to put it in a nutshell, its my business because the government is supposed to protect me from a communistic monopoly of powerful energy companies who have the manipulated the politicians into placing their profit and interests ahead of the welfare of the nation.
For a guy who prides himself on historical facts about the Nazi movement, I assumed you were aware of that.
April 14th, 2006 at 12:27 pmNice retirement package.
Go choke on it.
–
April 14th, 2006 at 12:30 pmhttp://griperblade.blogspot.com - grumblings from the heartland
here’s an idea - forward it to everyone you know!
GAS WAR - an idea that WILL work
This was originally sent by a retired Coca Cola
executive It came from one of his engineer buddies
who retired from Halliburton. It’s worth your
consideration.
Join the resistance!!!! I hear we are going to
hit close to $ 4.00 a gallon by next summer and it might
go higher!! Want gasoline prices to come down? We
need to take some intelligent, united action.
Phillip Hollsworth offered this good idea. This makes
MUCH MORE SENSE than the “don’t buy gas on a certain
day” campaign that was going around last April or May!
The oil companies just laughed at that because they
knew we wouldn’t continue to “hurt” ourselves by
refusing to buy gas. It was more of an inconvenience
to us than it was a problem for them. BUT, whoever
thought of this idea, has come up with a plan that can
really work. Please read on and join with us!
By now you’re probably thinking gasoline priced at
about $1.50 is super cheap. Me too! It is currently
$2.79 for regular unleaded in my town. Now that the
oil companies and the OPEC nations have conditioned us
to think that the cost of a gallon of gas is CHEAP at
$1.50 - $1.75, we need to take aggressive action to
teach them that BUYERS control the marketplace..not
sellers. With the price of gasoline going up more each
day, we consumers need to take action. The only way we
are going to see the price of gas come down is if we
hit someone in the pocketbook by not purchasing their
gas! And, we can do that WITHOUT hurting ourselves.
How?
Since we all rely on our cars, we can’t just stop
buying gas. But we CAN have an impact on gas prices if
we all act together to force a price war.
Here’s the idea: For the rest of this year, DON’T
purchase ANY gasoline from the two biggest companies
(which now are one), EXXON and MOBIL. If they are not
selling any gas, they will be inclined to reduce their
prices. If they reduce their prices, the other
companies will have to follow suit. But to have an
impact, we need to reach literally millions of Exxon
and Mobil gas buyers. It’s really simple to do! Now,
don’t wimp out on me at this point…keep reading and
I’ll explain how simple it is to reach millions of
people!!
I am sending this note to over 30 people. If each of us
send it to at least ten more (30 x 10 = 300) … and
those 300 send it to at least ten more (300 x 10 =
3,000)…and so on, by the time the message reaches
the sixth group of people, we will have reached over
THREE MILLION consumers.
If those three million get excited and pass this on to
ten friends each, then 30 million people will have
been contacted! If it goes one level further, you
guessed it….. THREE HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE!!!
Again, all you have to do is send this to 10 people.
That’s all!
(If you don’t understand how we can reach 300 million
and all you have to do is send this to 10 people….
Well, let’s face it, you just aren’t a mathematician.
But I am . so trust me on this one.) :-)
How long would all that take? If each of us sends
this e-mail out to ten more people within one day of
receipt, all 300 MILLION people could conceivably be
contacted within the next 8 days!!! I’ll bet you
didn’t think you and I had that much potential, did
you! Acting together we can make a difference.
If this makes sense to you, please pass this message
on. I suggest that we not buy from EXXON/MOBIL UNTIL
THEY LOWER THEIR PRICES TO THE $1.30 RANGE AND KEEP
THEM DOWN. THIS CAN REALLY WORK.
Lyle Klein, Director, Research Coordinator
Thanks for your support,
“The secret to success is to know something nobody else knows.”
April 14th, 2006 at 12:32 pm#72 Good point, Joe. And when the taxpayers are subsidizing the oil companies to the tune of BILLIONS of dollars a year, it is our business when they decide to pay their CEO almost $70 Million. So, perhaps if people realized that his $70 million came out of your billions, maybe they will understand how much it is their business what the CEO gets. It’s YOUR tax money. Because you know damn well they aren’t spending all those billions we taxpayers (not consumers) gave them to do what they were supposed to do with it. If they did, they would have used it to help reduce the price we consumers pay. Ultimately that is why they are given the money in the first place.
April 14th, 2006 at 12:35 pmand another bit of information
711 stores sell CITGO gas!
April 14th, 2006 at 12:35 pmA must read book by John Bogle “The Battle for the Soul of Capitalism” Two other good books are “Bull” by Maggie Mahar and “The Number : How the Drive for Quarterly Earnings Corrupted Wall Street and Corporate America”.
Although, unlike Bogle, I don’t have the same faith in the individuals or shareholders. They blindly throw their money into stocks, and as long as the stock goes up, they don’t care, or they are so overwhelmed they don’t know where to start. Most of them don’t have a clue what their investment expenses are or annualized return is. This is orgasmic for Wall Street.
Most stock is owned by mutual funds, “intermediaries”, and the fund managers and their corporations feel they have no fiduciary responsibility.
Corporations today are CEO’s piggybanks, taking money away from the shareholders and/or diluting their shares. They don’t run the corporation for the shareholders, but for themselves.
And it doesn’t stop there. With the $190,915/day, this CEO can buy very good lawyers, tax preparers, financial assistance, health care, other insurances, houses, limited hard assets (unlike dollars which are excessively printed), with great ease. And this $190,915/day CEO will receive preferential treatment from all those places. He’ll get higher rates (i.e., interest rates) for his investments, lower fees, and offered lower borrowing rates (i.e., loans, mortgages). So much for the melting pot analogy. The $190,915/day CEO he’ll be able to buy security services, live in a gated community, send his kinds to the best schools and anything else the kids may want, and basically isolate himself from the common people and their problems.
We are all shareholders whether through defined benefit or defined contribution retirement plans, IRA, ROTH or one of the other 20+ options are Representatives have created over the years. And no matter whether you use individual stocks, mutual funds, or indexes in those plans.
And just think, this is our new American retirement plan.
This impacts our Universities too. Universities are saying they need good people, and they compete with corporations for people. So now Chancellors at Universities and other University administration are receiving very large compensation packages.
April 14th, 2006 at 12:44 pmI wonder are these guys exporting refined gasoline like they did during the last shortage? NOW on PBS had an excellent show on how this happened and how our gas prices were hitting $3.00 a gallon at the same time these CEO were claiming they were running at capacity and putting as much as possible into the market.
April 14th, 2006 at 12:44 pm#78 Was that NOW show on this week or was it just recently from a few weeks ago?
April 14th, 2006 at 12:49 pm#74
i recieved that same e-mail so it shows it is circulating
April 14th, 2006 at 12:51 pm#5 “Hey all you bible thumper wingers, greed is also a sin.” - GSD
****Hey all you Bible-trashing moonbats, envy is also a sin.
April 14th, 2006 at 12:52 pmIt’s only a sin if you follow a religion which says it is.
April 14th, 2006 at 12:56 pmo’shoot, iri, he is nuttier than crack house rat. i think i saw a few reichwingers sucking off of a 15 watt bulb. that might explain some of the incompetance.
April 14th, 2006 at 1:03 pmThat amount of pay is crazy..I’m sad for our country. the good jobs are all gone the price of every thing is going up and up. It’s the old “the rich get richer and the poor get screwed”. We are all just working to pay the rent,talk on the phone, watch TV and drive like hell.If this keeps up a lot of us will be living in shacks and eating from the garbage dump,while the rich live in some gated homes with the army and police protecting them….,.or may be we will just nuke some other poor county and steal their oil….
April 14th, 2006 at 1:05 pm#70 (Wayne), “Those of us who weren’t millionaires had little choice in the matter.”
We have a right to vote don’t we?
“Nice idea, but no longer practical in our day and age. If the greedy, money-hungry oil companies and their investors cared in the least about the humans of the world, they would have seriously heeded the call to reduce oil consumption back in the ’70s when we had the temporary oil embargo.”
I never said they cared or what they do is the “right” thing. That said, if people are dumb enough to keep paying, then why should I bitch about the CEO when he makes obscene money. The people are enabling this to happen. I can assure you that there is no way the oil company will try to reduce consumption, that doesn’t make business sense. You’re not going to change capitalism. Consumers need to demand alternatives. Do it at the ballot box and write your representatives. And stop buying 400hp daily drivers, and 10mpg SUV’s. Why not a hybrid? Why not public transportation? We can’t do that you say? It’s not that simple? Well, we’re screwed then so we should give up. I think not.
Last year I looked around the hills in my neighborhood and noticed all the new houses going up. Lots of consumers I thought. Where I live, we typically get 300 days a year of sun, mostly full sun. Why doesn’t the State require a percentage of all new houses to be solar power equipped?, I thought to myself. Well, I wrote my representative and asked the same question. Yesterday, the governator introduced his solar initiative which, on the surface, addresses exactly what I wanted. So, I’d like to think that some people in government still listen to the people and hear our complaining.
April 14th, 2006 at 1:05 pm#74, variations of that “idea” have been around on the internet for years. Check it out on snopes.com - it won’t work. What would work though is for everyone to take public transportation or carpool to work one day a week instead of driving alone. Try it.
April 14th, 2006 at 1:12 pm****Hey all you Bible-trashing moonbats, envy is also a sin.
Comment by mighty aphrodite — April 14, 2006 @ 12:52 pm
Coming from the ‘goddess’ who slept with her brother. Guess you didn’t do that research before you selected your screen name, eh Madga?
April 14th, 2006 at 1:14 pm#59 - I love you, Wayne. *sigh*
April 14th, 2006 at 1:18 pm#88 Thank you. The feeling is mutual. (It’s okay, Jane understands what I mean.) I was very saddened at his passing because I thought we lost yet another wonderful perspective on Life, The Universe, and Everything. Whenever I go into my boss and say, “I have a question”, he often immediately responds, “42.” Once I think it turned out to be the actual answer, but neither of us knew that at the time.
So, let’s all get together for lunch at Milliways. See you on the other side of time.
April 14th, 2006 at 1:27 pm“It’s only a sin if you follow a religion which says it is.” - Comment by Wayne A. Schneider
April 14th, 2006 at 1:35 pm******You’re absolutely RIGHT, Wayne. ** Note to atheists and “atheists-lite” (agnostics) - do whatever you want, whenever you want - unless it’s codified in law. ** But as one of my brother-in-laws noted, to hedge his “bet”, he is of the Rene Descartes mindset. To be frank, I admire the COURAGE of people SO certain that this is all there is….I would wish you and Jane a Happy Easter, but as I don’t wish to offend you - I’ll simply wish you two a “nice weekend”.
#79 What is this asking questions all about? I had to go and look up my source. It was a lot of work…………. but well worth it.
Here is an excerpt from the NOW transcript: ( http://www.pbs.org/ now/ transcript/ transcriptNOW145_full.html )
It is an outstanding and stunning show on the practices of these oil tycoon crooks.
April 14th, 2006 at 1:38 pmJust putting this out there — Don’t you agree that one’s net worth is the new penis size? What is it with these people? What can you possibly do with all that money?
http://www.haloscan.com/ comments.php?user=atrios&comment=112796178986703636#6609272
April 14th, 2006 at 1:39 pm“#5 “Hey all you bible thumper wingers, greed is also a sin.†- GSD
****Hey all you Bible-trashing moonbats, envy is also a sin.
Comment by mighty aphrodite ”
So is wealth, but the difference is that according to the CHRISTIAN bible, wealth a lack of charity will prevent you from going to heaven, but envy won’t.
I sure am glad you’ve chosen your own path, but from a KARMA standpoint, if Christianity is the correct religion - then your KARMA will give you exactly what you deserve - HEHEHE
April 14th, 2006 at 1:41 pmZookeeper, you and Wayne go ahead and have fun!
April 14th, 2006 at 1:41 pmCEOs and the government are in the process of making it impossible for shareholders to rein in their excesses.
April 14th, 2006 at 1:42 pmJust putting this out there — Don’t you agree that one’s net worth is the new penis size?
That’s hysterical! And pretty much true.
What is it with these people? What can you possibly do with all that money?
Comment by Joe Bua — April 14, 2006 @ 1:39 pm
I asked this question already and the answer was $5,000 hookers, $6,000 shower curtains, millions on mansions, lear jets and sports teams. You know, the essentials in life.
Greedy, greedy pigs.
April 14th, 2006 at 1:42 pmLol I-Right-I is defending the fat ugly gross swine Raymond the EXXON CEO swindler! How much do you get paid to defend filth like Ray? Or are you just simply insane?
Comment by Jay Randal
The problem: He’s an educated highly sought after manager of international business, you’re a burger flipper who thinks you should have what he has.
Solution: Improve yourself. If you do that you’ll improve your life and won’t have time to produce all this left wing loser dreck for the consumption of the walking dead.
Freebee: Life isn’t fair. If it were you’d be the half naked savage in Africa trying to scratch enough to eat out of drought parched earth and he’d be you with all the advantages of being born in the greatest country on earth making every minute count. Laugh that one off numbnuts.
April 14th, 2006 at 1:44 pmSo is wealth, but the difference is that according to the CHRISTIAN bible, wealth a lack of charity will prevent you from going to heaven, but envy won’t.
Comment by Ryan Neat — April 14, 2006 @ 1:41 pm
Isn’t it funny that we’re more Christian than she is? They really should consider who they allow to call themselves a Christian. It’s bringing down their ratings as a religion overall.
April 14th, 2006 at 1:45 pmHey, Aphrodite, how’s everything? Didn’t the bible also say (and correct me if I’m wrong, since I’m SOOO lapsed Catholic) that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into heaven?
April 14th, 2006 at 1:45 pm“Coming from the ‘goddess’ who slept with her brother. Guess you didn’t do that research before you selected your screen name, eh Madga?”
April 14th, 2006 at 1:47 pmComment by unbelievable
***** Go back to ignoring me - Your phony concern for victims of child molestation and incest is nauseating and is belied by your “clever comment”……
“***** Go back to ignoring me - Your phony concern for victims of child molestation and incest is nauseating and is belied by your “clever commentâ€â€¦â€¦
Comment by mighty aphrodite ”
Go back to ignoring our threads. Your glib comments ignoring the stupidity and hypocrisy of a supposed Christian picking an IMMORAL goddess as your name is nauseating and patethic - just like you are.
And how’s that HEBREW lessong coming that I gave yesterday. Did you finally learn that your comment was an immoral puss bucket, just like you are?
And how’s that lesson on sociopaths coming, because you answer all the questions with a big fat yes. Get some help SICKO!
April 14th, 2006 at 1:51 pm***** Go back to ignoring me - Your phony concern for victims of child molestation and incest is nauseating and is belied by your “clever commentâ€â€¦â€¦
Comment by mighty aphrodite — April 14, 2006 @ 1:47 pm
Ah-ha! I’ve struck another chord! That would be me 120,000 and you 0.
Choosing to sleep with your sibling is not the same as child molestation. Don’t try to spin it Madga O’Reilly. You can’t keep pace with me, so don’t try.
April 14th, 2006 at 1:53 pmI didn’t think that the devil would be so fat. I pictured him as being more of a tall lanky guy with a British accent.
April 14th, 2006 at 1:53 pm“Choosing to sleep with your sibling is not the same as child molestation. Don’t try to spin it Madga O’Reilly. You can’t keep pace with me, so don’t try.
Comment by unbelievable”
Unless your sister, and your mother is also your Aunt as is the case with Mighty Moron :)
April 14th, 2006 at 1:54 pm#94 - I love you, too, Jane. *smile*
So, let’s all get together for lunch at Milliways. See you on the other side of time.
I’m SO there.
April 14th, 2006 at 1:55 pmAphrodite, thanks for the Easter wishes. We’re not doing Easter this year, none of the holidays are the same without my parents around. But you have a good combo holiday (do you celebrate both?) anyway!
April 14th, 2006 at 1:55 pmHi Jane - - You’re right Jesus did say that. I wonder if he was speaking literally or figuratively, since He was given to speaking in parables. (I don’t think I’ve felt like a mustard seed since I was a zygote - ha!) Hope you two have a great weekend!!
April 14th, 2006 at 1:55 pm“Hi Jane - - You’re right Jesus did say that. I wonder if he was speaking literally or figuratively, since He was given to speaking in parables. (I don’t think I’ve felt like a mustard seed since I was a zygote - ha!) Hope you two have a great weekend!! Comment by mighty aphrodite ”
The entire statement is a parable you retarded GOON. Wow, you are so stupid your mom has to be your aunt.
April 14th, 2006 at 1:59 pm#90 M-A,
May the holidays and religious holy days bring you and yours the joy they were meant to bring. And because, like Christmas, Easter has a secular side to it, I won’t take offense.
Not to spoil the “good moment” we seem to be sharing, but I feel I should point out that one does not have to have religion to be moral. I have heard some claim the opposite but I disagree. I believe one must have a conscience to be moral, and I do believe I do. I don’t need laws or Gods to tell me what the right thing to do is. Like most major religions, my main tenet is to treat other people the way I would like them to treat me. I wouldn’t want anyone to kill or harm me, so I don’t do that either. And if I am unable to leave up to my ideals (and who among us does) and if we’re not talking about an actual crime, then I have my conscience to keep me honest. I don’t like being dishonest, but when I am, I am bothered by it. A lot. Sometimes to the point of having to go make up for my transgression in some way. For the most part, this works for me and most atheists. But it doesn’t work if you don’t have a conscience, like many members of the Bush family.
April 14th, 2006 at 2:00 pm“I wonder if he was speaking literally or figuratively”
Why don’t you tell us. Isn’t that how it works? You interpret the bible whichever way supports your beliefs.
April 14th, 2006 at 2:01 pmUnless your sister, and your mother is also your Aunt as is the case with Mighty Moron :)
Comment by Ryan Neat — April 14, 2006 @ 1:54 pm
Would explain the retardation.
April 14th, 2006 at 2:02 pmWayne,
Mighty Moron is just project his own lack of self control. Without ‘laws’ from his country and/or religion, he’d be a murdering thief (actually he probably is anyway). It’s a foreign concept for a whacko like that to have their own moral compass. It’s why he’s always looking for the loophole around ‘killing’, including his support for the death penalty despite PROOF that it many time kills the innocent.
I corrected him on his bible scholarship yesterday, but he’s too much of a psycho and a coward to admit he was wrong and acting immorally.
And that’s exactly what I mean about him not having a conscience, or a moral compass. He’s nothing more that an evil psycho looking for an excuse and justification to feel good about his ‘values’. He’s a FREAK.
April 14th, 2006 at 2:04 pmYou gotta love the people who invariably want to give this issue a left vs right slant when, in fact, conservative publications have been ringing the alarm of discomfort for years at what they call “runaway executive compensation”, and say it’s a matter of ethics. Even respected economists say an economy that doesn’t distribute its gains is “poorly performing”:
First a firestorm erupted that threatened to lump Welch and GE into the same class of corporate malefactors as Enron, WorldCom, Tyco, and other scandal-ridden companies. Next came Welch’s defense of his perks as perfectly legal and well-deserved — along with an offer to nonetheless reimburse his former company for use of a corporate jet and New York City apartment, a Mercedes, golf club memberships, and theater and sports tickets, among other things.
Even in Retreat, Jack Welch Leads
“I don’t know if CEOs are any smarter or more ethical than the rest of us,” says Michael Hoffman, executive director of the Bentley College Center for Business Ethics in Waltham, Mass. “But I do know that they’re being paid a lot to be smarter and to be better leaders, and I don’t see that happening.”
If Only CEO Meant Chief Ethical Officer
American workers have rarely taken home a smaller share of the nation’s prosperity, a condition that is undermining bipartisan support for free trade and creating friction between President George W. Bush’s administration and the Federal Reserve.
After 16 consecutive quarters of economic growth, pay is rising at a slower rate than in any similar expansion since the end of World War II. Companies are paying less of their cash gains in the form of wages and salaries than at any time since the Great Depression, according to government figures.
Bush’s Expansion Leaves Workers Behind, Sparking Fed Friction
A 2003 study of 1990s mobility by two economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston found that the chances that poor Americans would stay stuck in their strata had increased vs. the 1970s. Given the economy’s strong showing in the ’90s, that’s a concern. “If current trends persist, a greater and greater share of wealth will keep going into the hands of the few, which will destroy initiative,” worries James D. Sinegal, CEO of Costco Wholesale Corp., which offers above-average pay and benefits in the retail sector. “We’ll no longer have a motivated working class.”
April 14th, 2006 at 2:06 pmWorking…And Poor
Jane
Hey, Aphrodite, how’s everything? Didn’t the bible also say (and correct me if I’m wrong, since I’m SOOO lapsed Catholic) that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into heaven?
Two things about this passage
1) Jesus and all the Jews spoke Aramaic … the word “gamla” meant either a camel or a large rope. Just as we have words which are spelled the same, but have different meanings. Some of the earlier translators or copyist may have taken the wrong meaning here, for no one would ever talk about a camel going through a needle’s eye. But every Jewish house had several large ropes, that were used to tie bundles on the backs of men and animals.
2) It has been common teaching that there is a gate in Jerusalem called the “eye of the needle” through which a camel could not pass unless it stooped and first had all its baggage first removed. After dark, when the main gates were shut, travelers or merchants would have to use this smaller gate, through which the camel could only enter unencumbered and crawling on its knees. This story seems nice but is, unfortunately, unprooved.
I think the key refers to the presumed self-sufficiency of those who are rich … Jesus was remarking that the rich may not see the need for God (and some astutely point out that he wasn’t only talking about the financially wealthy). My two cents ….
April 14th, 2006 at 2:12 pmJane - Yes, we ALWAYS celebrate both holidays. I can empathize with you about your parents - my mom’s birthday is Monday and she loved the holidays. Your weather in the NE sounds wonderful, maybe you and Wayne can do something fun and different. Our Passover seder includes one of my uncles, an 80+ year old rabbi, and LOTS of family. (I think everyone is afraid “this” is his last Passover, but he keeps on going! Ha!)
But this year Easter will be a bit harder - five years ago this Easter Sunday, one of my children passed away. We are taking our kids to the San Diego Zoo Sunday - it was her favourite place. I am looking forward and we shall CELEBRATE her life.
April 14th, 2006 at 2:12 pm“[O]ne does not have to have religion to be moral.”
Although morality, like religion, is a human construct.
And interestingly enough these constructs are often most vigorously stressed by those who, like Lee “Chins” Raymond, seem least inclined to embody them. GWB, for example, does not live religion - he simply uses it, like the (I’m sure unconscious) Machiavellian he is.
April 14th, 2006 at 2:12 pm#109 - “….my main tenet is to treat other people the way I would like them to treat me. I wouldn’t want anyone to kill or harm me, so I don’t do that either.”" - Comment by Jane
April 14th, 2006 at 2:22 pm***** You are absolutely correct - if people treated each other as they themselves wished to be treated, we would have very FEW problems.
#85 Mikey (I didn’t forget about you, I just needed to compose my thoughts on this),
In theory we do have a right to vote, but that is of little comfort. I mean, you don’t actually have a right to vote for the president and vice president. You only get to choose electors who are not bound by the popular vote. When they finally amend the Constitution to eliminate the electoral college and determine the president by straight popular vote, more people will actually turn up to vote. I’ve heard the explanation about how the electoral college is like a World Series, but unless your candidate actually won the final electoral count, then your vote really didn’t mean anything.
But I do take exception to the idea that we are “dumb” because we pay the high prices they charge. Where I live, there were only four gas stations that weren’t out of the way to my office, to and from which I do most of my driving. One of them closed down last year. Considering that it was located at the end of an exit ramp off a well-used interstate highway, it had to be due to incompetence. Of the other three, only one is open 24 hours a day. I could drive around to try to find a Citgo or some other cheaper place, but this is the “country” part of New York State, and I could easily add 15-20 miles to my trip jusy to look for cheaper gas. Unless the gas I find is cheap enough to offset the use of 1/12th of my gas’s tank (I have a Ford Taurus - The Tauri vehicle - that my deceased father-in-law gave us, and it only gets about 20 MPG) it is not economically feasible for me to look for cheaper gas. Others may have that option, but not us. And there is not enough public transportation in this area, so I am stuck paying what they charge.
By the way, this is how the debate should be framed. In fact, this is how the health care debate should be framed as far as money is concerned. The question shouldn’t be “Why do these things cost so much?” The question should be, “Why do they charge us so much?” Once we get the right perspective on the problem, the solution will come sooner.
But I do want to seriously applaud you for taking action and, it seems for now, getting results. I hope that works out for the people of your state. And as long as there is somebody influential enough in poilitics to convince your governor that there’s good money to be made doing this, it should sail through. But if nobody can figure out how to make money off an idea, sadly the idea often dies out, no matter how good it was.
April 14th, 2006 at 2:22 pmSorry Jane - I meant Wayne….
April 14th, 2006 at 2:24 pm“Some of the earlier translators or copyist may have taken the wrong meaning here, for no one would ever talk about a camel going through a needle’s eye. Giacomo”
Why is it you Christians are ALWAYS so ignorant of your own religion.
The eye of the needle refers to the small entrance of walled cities that a camel can only crall through entirely on its belly and with a great deal of pushing and struggle.
This ‘parable’ refers to the fact that unless wealthy people are prostrate, and struggle they have little chance of reaching heaven.
In otherwords arrogant aholes like mighty moron who hates poor people surely is doomed.
April 14th, 2006 at 2:25 pm#110 - “Why don’t you tell us. Isn’t that how it works? You interpret the bible whichever way supports your beliefs. - Comment by Mikey
April 14th, 2006 at 2:26 pm****Mikey, you won’t learn anything if we tell you all the answers….
“But this year Easter will be a bit harder - five years ago this Easter Sunday, one of my children passed away. We are taking our kids to the San Diego Zoo Sunday - it was her favourite place. I am looking forward and we shall CELEBRATE her life.
Comment by mighty aphrodite ”
Wait a second, we’re to believe you had 5 children (not 4) in 15 years, as well as 12 years of military service, 3 years of college 4 years of law school, the bar, and multiple years in private practice?
Sorry butthead, but the more you talk, the less your ‘bio’ makes sense.
April 14th, 2006 at 2:27 pm#117 Actually that was me, not Jane. We really are two different people.
Two things, M-A,
Just out of curiosity, and building on the mutual areement we seem to share, do you think we would like it if some other country decided to invade ours and forcibly remove our leader from power? (I’m talking generally here, not this particular president, whose removal from power I know would please many of us).
And second, I hope you all enjoy your day at the zoo. I’ve never had the good fortune to visit that particular one, and I think the idea of celebrating your child’s life is a wonderful one. I think that the loved ones we’ve all lost would really enjoy a celebration of life over a somber memorial over what we lost. Laugh and be merry for what you’ve been given, not sad at what you’ve lost. That’s the way to go through life. And I am truly sorry that you’ve had to endure one of the worst things a parent could. You’re doing the right thing to appreciate what your daughter gave to you. So go see her favorite animals and tall stories about the fun you’ve had.
And, as usual, peace on Earth to all.
April 14th, 2006 at 2:34 pmThat’s okay, Aphrodite, Wayne and I both try to live the same ethical way. 99% of the time we agree on what is right and fair.
I wish I could come out to the San Diego Zoo with you, I love that place. Hope your celebration goes well.
I’m cutting out for now–everyone have a good holiday/weekend/whatever!
April 14th, 2006 at 2:36 pm#114 - Thank you, Giacomo!! I enjoyed your post - sure beats the h*ll out of some “psuedo-scholars” of the Bible….
April 14th, 2006 at 2:37 pm“****Mikey, you won’t learn anything if we tell you all the answers….
Comment by mighty aphrodite ”
I’m glad you used the word “we”, becuase like most BAD STUDENTS, we both know you don’t know the answers.
You are the WORST CHRISTIAN behind MizzWrong who comes to post here. You’re such a hate filled hypocrite.
How does it feel to have to learn christianity from a Hindu all of the time Mighty Moron?
And I’m still waiting for you to admit you were wrong in the “thou shalt not kill”. Sorry, but I PROVED you were wrong, only your psychotic ego prevents you from acknowledging it.
April 14th, 2006 at 2:37 pmYou know mighty aphrodite, you could start by not calling all of us names and making up lies about us and who we are.
Live by your own words.
April 14th, 2006 at 2:38 pm“#114 - Thank you, Giacomo!! I enjoyed your post - sure beats the h*ll out of some “psuedo-scholars†of the Bible…. Comment by mighty aphrodite ”
You mean like YOU.
Too bad Giacomo and you were BOTH WRONG.
You claim to both be Christians, but you’re as ignorant of those topics as you are EVERYTHING ELSE you write about.
You’re both pathetic.
April 14th, 2006 at 2:39 pmWhy is it you Christians are ALWAYS so ignorant of your own religion.
The eye of the needle refers to the small entrance of walled cities that a camel can only crall through entirely on its belly and with a great deal of pushing and struggle.
Ryan,
Did you actually read my entire post, or did you just get all excited after just the first part believing that you had a genuine “gotcha” moment. Please note, my post referenced exactly what you said and added that this “small entrance” is not a verifiable story. Sheesh.
April 14th, 2006 at 2:42 pmYou claim to both be Christians, but you’re as ignorant of those topics as you are EVERYTHING ELSE you write about. You’re both pathetic.
Wow, Ryan, who crapped in your cornflakes? What’s with all the vitriol …… ?
April 14th, 2006 at 2:47 pmAs for the actual topic of this thread, while Exxon has been a well-managed company (strictly from a profitability point of view, mind you) and stock performance is a large component of executive compensation … these packages, golden parachutes, and perks are WAY beyond reasonable.
April 14th, 2006 at 2:53 pm#118 Wayne, my apologies, I shouldn’t have generalized. I live in a SF ’suburb’ of 70K people with a station on every corner and traffic nightmares. The dumb people I was talking about are the ones who have a far greater choice to change their habits but choose not to for convenience or laziness reasons. Like in the large cities like SF, LA, NY, etc., where the majority of commerce (and therefore the majority impact to demand) takes place.
When I agreed with IRI’s first paragraph in #60, I think he was basically saying that we have a choice (although his delivery is curt). I strongly believe that. I could be an oil executive if I wanted it bad enough, anyone could if they wanted it bad enough. With the same logic, I could use less fossil fuel if I wanted to. Personally, I have better odds at the latter.
Your last comment was interesting to me: “And as long as there is somebody influential enough in poilitics to convince your governor that there’s good money to be made doing this, it should sail through. But if nobody can figure out how to make money off an idea, sadly the idea often dies out, no matter how good it was”
Right or wrong, this is exactly how capitalism works, but I also look at it from the other side - if there is demand, somebody will figure out a way to make money from it.
April 14th, 2006 at 3:05 pmthese packages, golden parachutes, and perks are WAY beyond reasonable.
Comment by Giacomo — April 14, 2006 @ 2:53 pm
Which is exactly what BusinessWeek, the Wall Street journal, Bloomberg, and other conservative, pro-business outlets have been saying for years.
And yet, when this issue is raised at ThinkProgress -or in any other “left-leaning” forum- all of the sudden it becomes a “leftist” issue and akin to advocating communism. Puzzling to me, considering Christian teachings always talk about helping the poor, while chiding excessive wealth and ostentation.
More puzzling still to see the same people berate “Third World sh!t h0les” (IRI, where are you?) for their levels of poverty, ignoring the fact that it is the same kind of concentration of wealth in a few hands that makes those “Thid World sh!t h0les” precisely what they are.
April 14th, 2006 at 3:08 pm#131 I agree. I see the whole embracing of Friedman-style economics as the cause of this particular idiocy. Milton Friedman said (something to the effect of), “A corporation cannot have compassion. Its sole responsibility is to show a profit.” This is why many of the larger (and more profitable) companies act so inhumanely. If cleaning up toxic chemical spills would cost more money (even with lawsuits and government fines) than actually cleaning up the toxic stuff, then that company would choose paying the fines and leaving the toxic stuff laying around. Because to them, there is noting but the bottom line, and anything that works to hurt that bottom line is, inherently, a bad thing. We need to move away from this type of corporate thinking. As I said before elsewhere, it doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game; it could be a win-win for everyone IF the corporations are willing to do with a little less in profits.
April 14th, 2006 at 3:11 pm“Did you actually read my entire post, or did you just get all excited after just the first part believing that you had a genuine “gotcha†moment. Please note, my post referenced exactly what you said and added that this “small entrance†is not a verifiable story. Sheesh. Comment by Giacomo ”
That’s true, and I apologize Giacomo.
In this case I was wrong about my response to you - but not to mighty moron the fake scholar and all around IDIOT.
By the way, while the eye of the needle is the generally ‘accepted’ interpretation, in the Talmud there’s a similar reference that’s a interesting.
“They do not show a man a palm tree of gold, nor an elephant going through the eye of a needle.”
So it’s just as likely that this phrase demonstrates the infeasible nature of a rich man entering heaven as anything.
“Wow, Ryan, who crapped in your cornflakes? What’s with all the vitriol …… ?
Comment by Giacomo ”
You obviously haven’t seen my recent interchange with that FAKE personna mighty moron. The vitriol is well deserved, and in fact it’s a RESPONSE to the psychotic things mighty moron and other trolls have posted. She had the nerve to claim that a pre-emptive nuclear bombing of Iran is not immoral or anti-christian. What a hate filled b!tch.
April 14th, 2006 at 3:18 pm“… these packages, golden parachutes, and perks are WAY beyond reasonable.
Comment by Giacomo ”
Be careful, the Mighty Ho might call you a communist for that kind of reasonable thinking…
April 14th, 2006 at 3:20 pm#132 No problem, Mikey. I often catch myself saying things I didn’t mean when I generalize.
Being a Liberal libertarian, I am not always in favor of capitalism being the only way to solve problems. Sometimes you do what needs to be done even if there is no profit in doing so. At some point, we are all going to have to live our lives in different ways than we do today. But does making money have to be the