It was government involvement that caused the depression we're in, and it's government involvement that is causing it to last past the normal 2-3 year period.
They have
1 flooded the economy with more money, trillions of dollars. Result, higher prices.
2 bailed out 'cant fail' businesses. Result, higher debt, businesses still screwing up.
3 Allowed other businesses to fail. Result, displaced workers.
4 2 + 3 equals interference in the normal righting process, delaying the redistribution of resources needed to right the economy naturally.
5 paid out multiple 'stimuluses'. Result, short term ease, long term debt.
6 taken control of numerous companies. Result, government is now in the banking, investment, loan and auto industries. Unconstitutional. Further interference delaying the normal correction.
As to CEO earnings, here's a few questions:
- Why is no one marching on the NFL to bring Quarterback pay into line too? I think it's ridiculous too. Did any quarterbacks expect a bailout?
- Does a CEO earning $1B mean there is $1B less for you? Absolutely not.
- How many of those CEO's make a pittance in salary, but earn nice bonuses if the company does well? I don't mind those bonuses until they get bail outs or their company goes under and they still get a bonus.
-- Would you want to work under the same terms? (Note, I do. My salary is $1 per year.) Are you going to still going to be rewarded if your company lays off thousands of employees because it's going under?
- Do you really think that the 'rank and file' who 'works 9-5' deserve the same compensation as a CEO who may work 7 days a week and put in 12+ hour days? No. I expect them to be more in line with the average worker as I see in Canada and the UK.
- Should the US limit peoples ability to earn because other countries do too? I don't see CEO's earnings being legally limited in Canada. Just being reasonable.
I didn't agree with government bailing out businesses in the first place.