The American Spectator

As the incoming administration of Mr. Obama introduces its chosen members, I yawn while the talking heads of both parties explain first: what’s so good about them, and then why they’re no good.

What can you learn by listening to one side claim that they’ve found seasoned, experienced public servants? To the other party, that’s political-opponent-dialect for “Washington insiders.”

But when you introduce the less seasoned employees, they don’t get much credit for being clean, fresh, idealists. Instead, they’re berated as bumbling neophytes who don’t know how to get things done.

If I correctly interpret what they speak, it translates to “politics as usual.”
— James Gavin
Orefield, Pennsylvania

MANAGEMENT 101

I am not sure about the rest of you, but I am finally fed up with bailouts. We all know what will happen in the end don’t we? Yes. There will be conditions, maybe even regulations, but money will be given nonetheless. Though this tiny voice is just a drop in the bucket, allow me to offer this insight of a simple American about to become fifty.

The practice of business today is far different than what I was taught. Here we have these poor multimillionaires waiting in line, asking our government for a handout because they do not know how to run a business. To use a business term, that is the bottom line. The question no one is asking is what are they contributing? I thought businesses were supposed to invest in themselves. You would think that if a business were experiencing a slow period, the first action would be cutting the profit margin, not cutting jobs.

Why? Because it would be the right thing to do. I believe this is the reason American citizens are so against any bailout, in spite of the political scare tactics used to convince us otherwise. Perhaps if the beggars of our tax dollars were to put a little of their own into the pot, then maybe the average American citizen would be more cooperative. How about selling off those private jets, a few of those homes, several cars out of your collections? Why are corporations suddenly excused from this fundamental business requirement?

Consider if these CEOs were to sell off their assets in order to raise capital, maybe even give themselves a pay cut. How much money do you actually need? Especially when seen through an average citizen’s eyes? Think of it this way: there is even the possibility of selling a car or a jet to a Middle Eastern millionaire, thereby bringing back American dollars into our country’s economy in a non-aggressive manner. How patriotic is that? Perhaps if the CEOs were to act as loyal American citizens in times of hardships, adjusting their profit margin in order to help our country, instead of threatening job cuts, then maybe we would be persuaded.

Not that this really matters, because you will get what you want, and we will pay the taxes to cover it. Why should you have to forfeit anything? Just keep in mind that our perspective of you has changed. In the 1800’s the railroad companies were economic kings. The average citizen, whose lives they affected, used to call them ‘robber barons.’ I suggest we update this title for the millennium. Let’s call them the robber executives.
— Rudy C. Granados
Los Lunas, New Mexico