Monday, January 26, 2009

Turns Out I'm Sugar Mamma to the CEOs

This bailout makes me want to storm executive suites and board rooms with a wooden spoon in one hand a pair of leather gloves in the other.

WHO THE HELL DO THESE CORPORATE CEOs THINK THEY ARE?!!!!!!!!!!

Today we hear that Citigroup is buying a corporate jet for $50 million. How much was the check they just received that included my hard-earned tax dollars?

Last week after Bank of America took over Merrill Lynch, we heard that Merrill's CEO (who no longer has a job now) had just spent $1 million renovating his office--most likely having to put his designer on hold while he groveled to Congress for some of the bailout funds.

These are just two small examples out of hundreds I could go and research if I wasn't so irate.

I'm a dyed-in-the-wool liberal. I believe the government does have to help prevent hard-working citizens (and their children) from living below the poverty line--or even at the poverty line.

BUT I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS BAILOUT FOR ONE MORE MINUTE!!!

I don't believe GM employees should lose their jobs. I don't want entire areas of our country to turn into rust belts. But they're about too.

And you know who needs to take responsibility?? The CEOs and other corporate leaders who drove their companies into the ground.

If you ask me, it would be too kind to string them up by their wrists, slather their armpits in pollen and let some bees loose.

When their personal bank accounts and stock holdings have been zeroed out, then--and only then may they be welcome on my doorstep (and they better be on their knees) to ask for help.

Every day we're hearing about more stores closing, friends losing jobs, companies laying off employees.

The bailout money isn't stopping any of this. When will citizens rise up and scream NO MORE?!

I could rant here forever, but I think I've already been incoherent enough for one day.

I blame it on my anger.

It's fierce, it's white and it's hot.

Hmmmm...sorta like me.

17 Deserve Mamma's Love:

Anonymous said...

Gag. That's all I can think to say. :(

Ariel said...

Sigh. I wonder what a million dollar office looks like?

Pgoodness said...

My husband just survived yet another cut today at Ford...yet there are more middle and upper management jobs that are duplicated and useless than people in his department now. And they actually do the work to keep them making cars. Makes no sense to me. All CEOs should be forced to take salary cuts before jobs are cut. I own my own small business and I can't tell you how many times I've NOT taken a paycheck so that my staff could.

Kyla said...

It is terrible. The cuts need to be made at the top, but the people at the top want to continue spending in outrageous ways. UGH.

The Panic Room said...

I could write pages and pages and pages about how I feel about all of this economic fallout. All I will say here is I hope people are watching the footage of what is going on in Iceland and really soak it all in. I have a feeling that is the kind of footage we will be seeing coming out of Detroit if things don't change soon. We cannot spend our way out of this problem and certainly can't borrow our way out of it. To be totally honest I am just plain scared.

Jessica Gottlieb said...

Anger suits you.

I can't add a word to this, just an "Amen sistah"

jodifur said...

That's the most outrageous I ever heard.

K said...

Oh you could not be more right! Dh was laid off today, well he has 3 weeks left and gets a 2 week severance. Yeah...2 whole weeks! This after he had to fire 65 people on Friday, to do the dirty work, to disappoint and sadden his co-workers and friends. It was hell for him to have to do it and now the ax has fallen on him/us.

Where the f*** is our bailout? We just closed on our house a month ago... G**damned CEO's...

flutter said...

all the more reason why they shouldn't have been bailed out. I am so glad I paid for part of that citigroup plane!

Bayou Belle said...

From your Republican friend over here I think this is one thing we completely agree on when it comes to politics and government.

1A said...

Love the pollen / armpit / bees picture.

Gwen said...

It's really difficult to maintain any kind of zen in the face of such utter ridiculousness.

Urgh!!

Anonymous said...

I don't touch this subject because I just become so livid I could rip my keyboard in two. I just focus on what I can control. Those folks who screwed us will get it in the end. Like JT said...What goes around comes around.

:)

Elle Dubya said...

i haven't supported any of these bailouts - not a single one - the market has to correct it self - companies that spend irresponsibly don't deserve our governments help.

Amy said...

I so totally agree. Well said.

Maggie McGary said...

I read this post a few days ago and, after hearing about the Wells Fargo "junket" (what's up with the continued use of the word "junket" for these lavish staff outings--how about calling them what they are: boondoggles?) I'm so mad I figured I'm come comment here instead of blogging about it to myself.

Like you write about here, I'm so mad now I'm about to explode. The worst part, to me, is not only are they so blatant about their plans but they continue to defend them. Are you f*cking kidding me? This quote from a Wells Fargo spokesperson is about to give me a coronary:

"Recognition events are still part of our culture," spokeswoman Melissa Murray said Tuesday afternoon. "It's really important that our team members are still valued and recognized."

This on the heels of my husband--who heads a non-profit--being at his annual meeting and spending hours with the board deciding exactly which staff will have to be cut when they all return to the office. These people are at a 7-day meeting, working 12-hour days, putting on a meeting for medical professionals to learn what they need to know to keep people--including kids--alive, and what recognition do they have coming to them when they return to the office? A "We're so sorry but we've been forced to cut your job."

Multiply this by a million companies facing the same thing--yet people like this woman still honestly believe that they're entitled to spend taxpayer's money on this $hit? Not to mention that many of the people paying those taxes this year are the very ones who don't even have jobs.

I don't know whether to cry or go postal.

PunditMom said...

Speak it, Mamma. I am SO with you on this. Uh-oh, I hope people don't accuse me (again) of being a Republican in Democrats' clothing.