GREED --- OINK

I am so tired of the bashing of middle class america, the american worker and Unions being as the reason for all this economic mess. The unions have driven the wages for workers since they came in. Non unionized workers recieve benefits to stay competetive with unionized workers. Without them we all would still be working in sweat shops and jobs like those before unions came into play. They have benefited everyone though many would like to argue against unions.

Unfortunately for most of the american work force they are also employed by publicly held companies. The main objective of a publicly held company is to pay profits to the stock holders.
The biggest wrench that is constantly complained about is having to pay fror health insurance and pensions. If they did not have to pay these there would be much more profits. But where do profits go to? It seems that they all go to the stockholders dividends and CEOs and not back into the company to reduce costs or to pay the health care and pensions.

The big banks keep on increasing interest rates knowing full well that it may cause a customer to default. Last I heard they have been pushing increases to 34%APR just because you pay the minimum amounts. And the banks CEOs take in some of the highest compensation packages.
Health Care Companies may make enough profits to give the CEO 42 million that could be invested into the company for lower costs for the customer. Com on Banks stop the greed grab and be a real bank.

It is interesting Forbes Special Report on CEO compensation that was published in may 2007 states
"The chief executives of America's 500 biggest companies got a collective 38% pay raise last year, to $7.5 billion. That's an average $15.2 million apiece."

So Don't give me that bullshit story you can't afford to pay your workers a salary, Healthcare or retirement package. Show everyone that Reaganomics and the Trickle down Theory works.
Instead of hoarding this $7.5 Billion why don't you see what happens when CEO's go back to a realistic pay and invest this excess back into the company, healthcare and pensions.

I bet there would still be profits to the pay the dividends, The workers will have money to spend
Healthcare would be more affordable and it would stimulate the economy.

There is so much the companies can do and the government need not do anything. It all comes down to greed and corrupt practices or are they willing to clean up their act and share their glutttony on their own.

Many companies spend so much lobbying to protect their pricing and bad practices instead of making changes that benefit society.

Big 3 bailout you are included and part of the problem. How much can your Executive compensation packages go to save your companies? How much have you been spending to lobby against improving gas mileage, 12 Million in the past year? What world do you live in thinking the future depends on $45,000, 10 mpg Hummers. We need affordable, economical, safe family cars. We need to be looking at alternative fuels and break ties with the oil industry. Can you do it? I hope so if you want to be bailed out.

Government - You have your part to play in all this too.
Close the loop holes, Make it more profitable to keep the manufacturing and business on USA soil. Maybe Coorporate taxes could be less if all the loopholes were plugged up and offshoring was penalized. And quite working and being bought out by big busiess and lobbyist and work for and listen to the voters. Lets start seeing things trickle Up.

A good source of information on the CEO Pay .
The AFL CIO 2008 Executive PayWatch