Problems With the People at the Top

One of the advantages of staying out of management for years and years (not just accidentally but by active pursuit) is that I've been able to criticize it with a clear conscience. Because once you're in charge, you can't complain, right? (Reason enough to punish Keith Cowing by making him the NASA Administrator.)

Anyhow, I've been hearing for months now how evil and disgusting it is that corporations have been giving bonuses to CEOs and other high officers in the midst of bad economic times or for making bad economic decisions in good times. I don't know, quite frankly. As a stockholder of several companies, I do write letters, usually when it comes time to fill out my stockholder's ballot. I vote for throwing out the entire board, when it suits me, not that it makes a whole lot of difference. Why do companies reward someone for acting against the company's best interests? I have no clue. That outrages me, too, thank you very much. (But, I hasten to add, I'm an owner. That's my business. If the companies in which I'm a stockholder do not take federal bailout money, it's not the government's or the media's business, either.)

But then where is this same outrage when elected officials try to ram legislation through Congress that is directly against the best interests of the United States? What about amnesty for illegal immigrants? What about spending nearly $800 billion on a spending bill that more Americans do not want? Where is the outrage against the arrogance of power now? Never mind, I forgot. It's Obama, and he can do no wrong.