Is the State of our Economy Any Surprise?
I was watching CNBC this morning while getting ready for work as I normally do even though my high flying business brother tells me I'm one of about five people who watch it. I don't really beleive him, he's just on a whole different program so CNBC won't touch on much of what he needs to know about.
Anyway, Ted David had a very interesting comment midway through yet another talking head interview (the PR side of me was thinking about how HUGE a score that would be to get interviewed on CNBC but there ya go, always on the clock somehow).
It was in regards to the big pile of indictments that are being handed to the Enron crooks like Andrew Fastow, his wife, his executive board and the board of directors.

What David had to say was something like this: How can big business expect to rebound from all of the corporate scandal, theft and misappropriation of funds when the ones mainly responsible for committing the crimes aren't getting jail time. Instead they get probation and a hefty fine.

To which I would add, they get a slap on the wrist and a fraction of the huge sums they stole taken back as a "penalty" for defrauding America. The Enron fucks should be put in running wheels and made to provide electricity to California until their black and empty hearts give out for the raping they did to all of us. What's to dissuade another greedy CEO from doing the same thing? Nothing at all. In fact, it could be said that they're more encouraged by the incredibly lenient proceedings against these criminal bastards. Why not take a stab at the brass ring? You only get a slap, some spanking in the media and no one will trust you again but don't worry, the old boy CEO network will find you work somewhere. Because some company is stupid enoguh to hire known thieves because a known thief with CEO experience is better (in their twisted logic) than an unproven.

I'm sure old Gil Amelio's found new work since trying to auger Apple into the ground at high speed back in the 90's.

How can the America public regain some measure of respect for big business and think about investing their money in it again? Make an example of some of these outrageous and brazen thieves. Put a soft punk bitch like Grubman in a general prison population and watch him get filleted and served up like a nice big juicy Christmas ham. Make his experience into a reality TV show so the other CEO fucks can see what awaits them if they get caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Do it again and again until thnigs change. Audit random companies, send in an army of CPA-bots to comb over a company's records to find the thefts. Make it far too uncomfortable to steal from the company's these scum suckers are working for.

The galling thing is the right under your nose thievery of giving enormous bonuses to idiots who've done nothing but ride a company into the ground. Fifteen million dollars for taking a company and turning it into junk? Why? Bonuses for executives even while they're laying off thousands of people? You bastards won't ever see any of my money.

What we need isn't stronger Viagra (which is in the works because I'm guessing those old limp dicks build up an immunity to the little blue hooker humper), what we need is a morality pill. Something to fake morality in these crooked assholes. Hey, I don't care if its real or not but I do want some ethical code in any company I invest in.

How can anyone believe in American business when these thieves are essentially getting away with the crimes they commit? Even after being caught? Even after drawing salaries far in excess of their actual value? Even after bleeding a company dry and taking a large severance bonus for a terribly badly executed job? CEO thieves are like ticks on an artery, they just can't pull out, they must keep sucking and sucking and sucking until they explode.

Maybe we just need a sharp pin to jab in them? Would a butcher knife work just as well?