Auto Execs Flew in Private Jets
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Some in the news media have been outraged that the top dogs of GM, Ford, and Chrysler flew to Washington to beg for a $25 billion handout in their own corporate jets. A friend of mine this morning sent me an e-mail saying in essence that these guys just don't get it.
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It should be clear by now that these very highly compensated top executives will sacrifice the workers and the entire company before they will give up their perks.
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Here is my response to her:
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Dear Lisa,
I have flown in corporate aircraft lots of times. I've even logged time as pilot in command. So although I was clearly not the man on top, I hung around with them and their buddies. And got drunk with them, and testified at hearings for them, and went to topless joints with them, and went fishing and shooting with them.
I have seen the successful, hard working, and otherwise fairly normal CEO get just totally consumed with Gollum-like lust and envy because another rich corporate asshole had a bigger and/or faster airplane than him. It is kind of a pecking order. When you or your company has its own airplane(s), normal commercial aircraft are referred to as the "crowd crusher" or the "crowd killer."
Going through the humiliation of homeland security inspection? Shoe-horned into a teeny-tiny little seat with no leg room for hours? Unthinkable.
If we tell these assholes that they can't have their golden parachutes, that they can't make thousands of times as much as their rank and file workers, and that they have to fly commercial (and not even first class at that) they will fucking shit their pants.
I don't have a big problem with any of that frankly. But we need to be aware that their $ millions have completely purchased lots of congressmen and senators and other elected officials. And these jerks have gotten used to getting their way under Brain Damaged Bush II.
They will be mad as hell, and they will feel trapped and desperate. Like an injured, rabid, cornered wild animal. And they will get really devious and mean. Fuck the shareholders, fuck the employees, fuck everyone else. Self interest will rule.
We just need to be prepared for the tremendous aggression that society will face when we try to take away any of the perks of this arrogant, self anointed corporate aristocracy.
Very Best,
Paul
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