Yahoo finance headline - "Rich hoard cash as their wealth hits record high" - and water is wet.

[NRaleighLiberal]

THAT single phrase is why trickle down cannot work in this society. "Rich" means not only people, but corporations. (then again, we now know that corporations are people). The "haves" don't spread it around - they just seek more.

Between the greed of the rich and the irrelevance (due to manufactured news = lies) of the media - THIS is what we are up against.

[nilesobek]

1. When the country breaks down totally,

in a civil war between the haves and havenots I hope that mattress money provides solace when the barbarians are tearing down the iron gate.

On second thought, the money is probably in the Cayman Islands. We should send in the marines to the Caymans and get all our money back.

[hifiguy]

2. The ultimate clincher argument to the "free market" worshipers

could not be simpler: Greed is not self-regulating, never has been and never will be, and said greed inevitably leads to a system wide collapse.

[badtoworse]

3. Corporations are owned by investors who are real people...

...and corporate management is supposed to act in the interests of those investors. There is nothing wrong with that.

[stillwaiting]

5. That's not working out too well for most Americans these days. Hideous opinion in light of that.

Wage slaves and debt slaves are following from just that so I would have to disagree with you.

Greed, inequality, and economic injustice levels are near or at record levels so there needs to be some pushback against investor interests. I guess you won't be part of that pushback based on your callous remark.

Investors have made it crystal clear over the past few decades that they have little to no respect for a huge majority of the population. There needs to be a populist movement to oppose that bad behavior. It's simply gone too far.

[badtoworse]

6. I see the reasons for those things in a very different light

Corporations operate in a competitive environment and aren't in a position to change many of the drivers that have made it hard on American labor. They didn't execute the trade deals, like NAFTA, that encouraged offshoring of jobs and greatly diminished the value of labor. They didn't implement the highest corporate income taxes in the developed world that have driven companies and jobs to less onerous tax regimes. They didn't pass regulations that make it difficult and expensive to operate in the US.

Sounds great to say corporate greed is the culprit, but in my book, government policy is the reason we're in the mess we're in now. The world is a competitive market place and our government does not want to recognize that. Businesses really don't have a choice.

[NRaleighLiberal]

7. I worked in big corporate Pharma for 25 years. here's my list.

Companies now focus on shareholder value, not customers
There was a creation of mutual admiration clubs for promotions, based on butt kissing or bullshit, or CYA, rather than true leadership talent
The huge and inappropriate wealth gap exists between the top tiers (who often did very little to add value, came to meetings totally unprepared, and were horrible at decisions) and those who did add value

In my years there I learned more about how things go wrong than what can possibly go right.

Corporations may be tied in many ways that you list, but they are made up of people - and that is where the greed and cronyism is clearly exhibited.

[badtoworse]

8. For what it's worth, I agree with you about the "empty suits"

They add nothing. What gets me is the assumption that corporations can address all of the inequality created by the global market place, stay in business, deliver a reasonable return to the shareholders and the only reason they don't is simple greed.

In my experience, you need to deliver in order to remain a crony. At some point, the empty suit gets discovered for what he is and he goes. Sometimes that takes longer than it should, but it does happen.

By the way, my wife worked in big Pharma (Schering, Wyeth and finally Pfizer) for about the same period of time as you. She left Pfizer after the merger with Wyeth about 4 years ago. She used to say exactly what you're saying and it pissed her off no end.

[LondonReign2]

4. Ahhh, but if we just give them *one more* tax cut

jobs will magically spring to life! I'm sure of it.

[ChiciB1]

9. I Heard A Quote On Thom Hartmann's Show Yesterday That

said "There must be more to life than having Everything!" Is this what this what the world has become?

We own 5 acres of open land, my daughter keeps telling me that our family can live there as one unit and live off the land. However, the problem I see with that is that living off the land when others have nothing, we will have to arm ourselves to keep the raiders out. Maybe even build a fortress, but I'm sure there will be laws to prevent that!

I've got to go stick my head in the sand, living in Florida won't be too hard to do. I can't stand all this wonderful news. I'm scared enough as it is now, getting worse means much more stress!