How Come the "Price" of Bosses Keeps Soaring?

No one deserves millions of dollars in salary. The response is not "maybe," it is "never." These millions that these filthy rich parasites take are their share of profits, which by definition are the stolen labor of the workingclass. It is a sign of weakness of the workingclass that this continues. What we need is a serious labor movement to put an end to capitalism and establish socialism, where there is no profit motive, no private ownership of the means of production and no private ownership of land, and where the wealth that we, the workingclass produce (and it is labor that produces all wealth) is shared as equitably as possibly with everyone. When the workingclass gets hungry enough, we will have a labor movement. We are already in a labor era so these parasites better study Economics 101 again. Karl Marx's Capital would do them good. Economics 101 is Marxism-Leninism.

I will try to avoid the "patented condescension" and simply explain, if you can disagree with me reasonably. Deal?

Those executives listed above, a few of them I know personally, are responsible for creating their company's success. Of course, they are rampant egomaniacs, which is the key to their success.
Oracle, Apple Computer, and Cisco Systems have experienced unheard of growth, resulting in breakthroughs that seem commonplace by their constant use today. The decisions made by their executives hopefully enrich not just stockholders, but consumers as well. Very good, but why so much money?

Are you injured in any way because somebody else will make $50 million? You might be upset if you are a stockholder, and the company is losing money because of the executive. But trust me, your 200 or 300 shares may be upset, but the ones holding 3 million shares will be outraged and vote him out! Never mind that the 3 million shares people will vote in a frat buddy, their aim is make more money, not waste it.

Why did you choose Silicon Valley execs and not actors or sports figures? Is it fair that second-rate actors make millions or that athletes earn so much? Sure. There is only one Michael Jordan, and becoming the legend he is took enormous amounts of work and dedication. I view business success exactly the same way. There is only one Bill Gates, tough and smart enough to tell IBM executives that he will license his software, not sell it outright. He could have fallen flat on his ass with that act of hubris. A few members of the finance community take heroic places with me because of their ability to create new ways to finance start-up companies. One of the best bond dealers in the world made $550 million in one year because he had a skill NOBODY had, and everybody wanted a piece of his action.

So does their making $50 million take away from you would earn? It doesn't seem that way any more than Michael being a great ball player makes me a worse one. Of course I am by comparison, but he is not taking away my talent any more than Larry Ellison is taking money away from anyone. Did they earn it? I would say most do, and some don't. We sniff out the frauds real fast because we're tightwads, and we don't want some tenderfoot steering a multi-billion dollar ship into the ice.

It is incorrect to say that executives do not earn their salary because it is their decisions that determine the direction and health of the corporation. It is also incorrect to state that they are not workers, especially in light of the vast amounts of education and training they accumulate and the extensive hours they work. If you eliminate the profit motive, you also eliminate any incentive to risk and to invent. Silicon Valley, Golden Corridor, and Research Triangle all dry up because who wants to work his ass off, risk his career and get the same pay as a person who just shows up for work for the free coffee?

I know I exposed myself to numerous attacks, and I'll just sit back and watch the flaming assault.

Um Mark. That was brave, but nobody here really cares about an independent opinion.

I like your politeness, I bet you even say, "God Bless You" after a person sneezes.