Thank God the FMW didn't grow at the same rate or you would be paying 20 bucks for a half gallon of milk and 30 dollars for that hazelnut mocha cappalatte.
That being said, I don't think the minimum wage is the issue, and dealing with CEO pay is something I think we need regulation on to an extent.
Why? CEO compensation is set by the Board of Directors, who are in turn elected by shareholders. If the shareholders have a problem with the Board or the CEO, lobby your fellow shareholders to run the bum out on a rail. No need for even MORE governmental interference in private business.
And if the CEO/Board are corrupt enough to run the company into the ground, then they declare bankruptcy and the shareholders are paid off with company and/or personal assets. It's amazing how well the system works when you BLOODY WELL ALLOW IT TO.[/QUOTE]
Except for the workers who lost their jobs due to the actions of CEO's with payment plans, still get paid even though they run the place into the ground, shareholders no longer have stock worth anything.
Great system.[/QUOTE]
But what's the answer? I agree with you that those CEOs that do that are scumbags, but the risk of losing your shirt is part of the deal of becoming a common stockholder. High risk, high potential return. If you don't want to take on the risk, don't buy the stock. You're not being forced to, right?
As for the workers, it does stink on ice for them, but again, what's the answer? If a company fails, it fails. To use an example in a specific industry, 90% of all restaurants go out of business within five years of startup, putting all of those cooks, servers, and bartenders out of a job. Risk of failure is a necessary evil in a free market. If nobody can fail, nobody can truly succeed. Everybody just kind of floats around in a pool of mediocrity.