THE RAPING OF THE AMERICAN DREAM

THE GREAT AMERICAN SCAM
America is being ruined by corporate greed. The American way of life as we know it is going to end. No more security in employment (lifetime job variety). No retirement security via pensions (work till you drop). Who's responsible? Corporate Executives. These guys (and a few girls) put their buddies on the Board and give themselves & their cronies, excessive, gross, evil & sinful pay & bonuses. They call it 'pay for performance', what a fricken obscene joke. And they have perfected the poker face so they can actually say that without a smirk. Hence we get Enron, Worldcom scandals and thousands of hard working people out of work.

I CAN'T LIVE ON 100 MILLION A YEAR!
Corporate America justifies this raping of the American Dream saying 'we need to compensate these executives astronomical salaries in order to recruit and retain the best leadership'. What fuckin bullshit. They can't find a CEO for lest than 100 MILLION dollars. They get away with it cause we let the fox run the hen house, while no one has the power stop them. "We're accountable to the shareholders." Who are these shareholders? CORPORATE EXECUTIVES of course, not the poor grandmother with 5 shares of AT&T they claim to benefit.

GREAT MINDS NEED GREATER GOLDMINES
We all know the true movers and saviors of corporations are the low paid secretaries (sorry administrative professionals) or some poor file clerk who's been employed for 30 years and knows everything, how all the systems & departments work and more importantly what doesn't work. They bust the unions and force concessions meanwhile they double their income for such innovative direction & leadership.

'GOTTA JUSTIFY MY SALARY'
For some dim-witted asshole, who can't even operate a computer or send his own email, to claim his excessive salary is warranted because he has to make the HARD decisions, is a in-your-face bold face crock of bull. Would be hilarious if not so pathetic. Let's see, where should I jet off for lunch today, Paris, London? Where should I play golf today? How many people should I fire so I can make the budget balance & justify my outrageous salary? Which politician deserves a 'contribution' to see things our way? Hmm should I make that product in white only or offer a choice of three colors? I've personally met & talked with several presidents and CEO's during my professional life and needless to say they ain't too swift. It's all about connections and the old boy network.

I'M RICH...AND I DON'T CARE
I really don't know how they can sleep at night, or face their meagerly paid workers in the elevator on the way up to their ivory tower complete with executive dining room and 5-star chef. And they just keep increasing their 'pay packages' until it's time to 'retire' and go and plunder some other Corporation that needs 'direction'.

LET THEM FLIP BURGERS
In 1997,Congress raised the federal minimum wage to $5.15 an hour ($10,712/Yr). And that's where it has stayed, making this the longest period of time the minimum has gone without an increase - thanks to the stinginess of President Bush and that Republican Congress. And that $5.15 is worth 20% less than it was in 1997. Factor in inflation, and the minimum wage's value is at its lowest level since 1955.

SLIMDAVE420'S BUSINESS MODEL MANDATE
"No one shall be compensated more than 2x the salary of the person who reports to him. Period!"

PLENTY TO GO AROUND
At current minimum wage of $5.15, his supervisor should make $10.30, his 1 level mgr $20.60, 2 level mgr $41.20, 3 level mgr $82.40 and 4 level $164.80. Few organizations these days have higher than 5 levels of management (less managers equal more $$$ for the head honcho). So Mr CEO should only make $329.60 per hour and be embarrased at making that much. So that's $329.60 x 40 hours = $13,176 per week x 52 weeks = $685,152 total annual salary. And no fricken bonus. If the company doesn't perform, deduct from salary. No stock options either. With my Business Model in place, just watch the minium wage skyrocket, truly lifting up the masses and everyone gets a slice of the pie. Inflation would be kept in check as everyone has a finite income.

SHOW ME THE STOCK OPTIONS
In the 1990s, executive stock options proliferated — and executive pay soared, rising to 367 times the average worker’s pay by the early years of this decade.

BEAUTY SCHOOL DROPOUTS
In the 1960s and 1970s, CEOs of the largest firms received, on average, about 40 times as much as the average worker. But executives wanted more — and professors at business schools provided a theory that justified much higher pay - 'performance pay packages' = 367 times the average.

WHAT'S NOT IN YOUR WALLET?
The average U.S. hourly wage in October 2006 was $16.99 ($35,339/yr), more than 3x the minimum, the greatest gap between average wages and the minimum since record keeping began in 1947. Under my model, executive pay would be $1087.36/hour or $2,261.708.80/year at the most. Still a handsome income but far from sickening $249,420,000 that Mr Richard D Fairbank of Capital One Financial made last year. "What's in your wallet?" Not much, thank you Mr Executive.

RAISE TO THE CHALLENGE
The November 2006 Index indicates that while base pay decreased slightly, higher bonuses resulted in an average total cash compensation per executive of $4,795,096 (a 31.2 percent increase over 2005.). I sure wouldn't object to a 31.2% raise! What do they usually give us 3.2% if your lucky!

TOP TEN HALL OF SHAME (2005 total compensation)
# 1 Richard D Fairbank - Capital One Financial $249.42 million
# 2 Terry S Semel - Yahoo $230.55 million
# 3 Henry R Silverman - Cendant $139.96 million
# 4 Bruce Karatz - KB Home $135.53 million
# 5 Richard S Fuld Jr - Lehman Bros Holdings $122.67 million
# 6 Ray R Irani - Occidental Petroleum $80.73 million
# 7 Lawrence J Ellison - Oracle $75.33 million
# 8 John W Thompson - Symantec $71.84 million
# 9 Edwin M Crawford - Caremark Rx $69.66 million
# 10 Angelo R Mozilo - Countrywide Financial $68.95 million

THE TOP TEN RAKED IN A WHOPPING $1,237,000,000 that's 1.2 BILLION, ENOUGH TO PAY FOR 35,003 LABORERS AT THE $16.99/HR AVERAGE!!!! SHAME, SHAME, SHAME. OR 115,477 AT MINIMUM WAGE! AND THAT'S JUST THE TOP 10!

Meanwhile they eliminate pensions, benefits and make employees pay a percentage of their medical coverage. All the while demanding more productivity and promote outsourcing the back office duties overseas to pay slaves pennies on the dollar. It's outrageous and needs to stop.