With all Due Respect...

Several days, still lots of mileage from Obama's "outrage" over the NY Times story about Wall Street/ banker/ executive bonuses.

Where the fuck have you been these past few years Barry? ???

When the Washington Mutual guy got millions for a several weeks of watching the company spiral down the shitter... Where was your outrage?

When the airline industries were all going through chapter 11 and the bankruptcy courts granted their execs big ass bonuses while slashing thousands of rank and file jobs and wages... Where the fuck was your outrage then?

When the fat fuck CEO from Exxon retired with HUNDREDS of millions in his golden parachute, after raping and pillaging us all with high prices and record profits... Where the fuck was your god damned fucking progressive populist "change we can believe in" outrage then?

Oh.... you were arguing over keeping your Blackberry...

And it's not just the size, frequency and disconnect-from-reality of these bonuses, it's the content. It would be one thing if these bonuses were salary. As salary they would be subject to a rate of 35% over $357k; roughly. However, the vast bulk of many of these bouses are in the form of stock, options and other items that are not subject to income tax. Instead they are subject to the Capitol Gains tax. If they hold on to their stock for more then one year before selling, their tax rate drops from 35% to 15%. That's the HIGHEST rate.

This is why the term is not "executive salary," or "executive pay," it's "executive compensation."

No wonder corporate tools like McShame and the Boner want to make the bush tax cuts permanent.

Hey. It's nice when a president pulls his head from the sand and takes a quick look around now and then... it hasn't happened in 8 fucking years, but what the fuck had YOUR head in the sand until now, eh Bar? And are you going to KEEP your head out there for the next 4 years? ??? I really don't think it's going to take us long to get answers, at least to the second question. Just watch and see how much bi-partison negotiation watering down goes into this stimulus and other bills. And watch and see if he has the guts to stand up to the MEDIA and their bullshit cheerleading for the assholes on the right who fucked us over for... 8 yrs... since Ronnie Raygun... their entire existence. (you thought I was going to say far left, eh?)

I got a compliment from Lisa not long ago, saying it was nice to see I still had my skepticism. Hey. I just watch and listen.

And look for a good reason to take down my Kucinich banner.

It stays.