Posted on 02/05/2009 5:23:02 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Since Barack Giant Killer Obama thinks its his business how much CEOs and captains of business should be paid predicated on receiving federal money one has to wonder why this principle is not being applied fairly across the board? If receipt of federal money is enough to constitute total government control over salaries, lets apply it everywhere. We can start with the salaries of university presidents.
Back in 2005, Senator Charles Grassley (R, Iowa) wanted to launch an investigation of the president and board of trustees of American University in Washington because of a giant severance package of $1.3 million given outgoing President Benjamin Ladner who only had a base salary of $633,000 in 2003. The severance seemed excessive, to say the least.
In 2005 Bloomberg published a story investigating the salaries of a handful of the nations top paid university presidents. The numbers then all exceeded President Obamas new $500,000 cap for the evil CEOs of 2009.
Here is the list of the highest paid public university presidents that Bloomberg reported in 2005:
1. Mary Sue Coleman-Univ. of Michigan: $724,604 2. David Roselle-Univ. of Delaware: $720,522 3. Mark Yudof -Univ. of Texas System: $693,677 4. Carl Patton-Georgia State U.: $688,406 5. John Casteen III-Univ. of Virginia: $659,670
The leaders of private universities were even more lavish:
1. Donald Ross-Lynn University: $5.04 Mln 2. Audrey Doberstein-Wilmington College: 1.37 Mln 3. E. Gordon Gee-Vanderbilt Univ.: 1.33 Mln 4. John Silbert-Boston Univ.: 1.25 Mln 5. John McCardell-Jr. Middlebury College:1.21 Mln
And dont imagine for a minute that just because the university is supposedly a private one that it takes no federal handouts.
Certainly these sums have grown since 2005 not to mention that some of those mentioned above may no longer be in those positions. But these numbers can be used as a frame of reference.
So, lets be fair with Obamas communist inspired meddling. Each and every one of these university heads should also take a pay cut to that $500,000 level. Why not? They DO receive federal money, dont they? Dont we want to be fair to everyone?
Now, I dont want government telling anyone what they should be allowed to make, to be sure. But, my little exercise shows that Obamas populist gobbeldegook has nothing at all to do with the right thing, here. It all has to do with giving Obama a soapbox upon which to stand so that he can vent his faux outrage and give the people that warm feeling that daddy is looking out for them. Its class warfare, plain and simple.
Obama isnt looking for fair and right. Hes only looking for a photo op and a chance to use hectoring to advance his image among the uninformed and uneducated.
LOL, wow-great point! If “BIG EDUCATION” takes federal money, we need to limit the pay to 500,000 as well.
How about lawyers, government officials, professional sports players and Hollywood stars? They will want to get some of that maximum wage cap from the big 0.
Very good article. If 0bama wants to actually be ‘fair’ then he should cap the salaries of ALL those who are on the Government payroll.
Howz about Harvard start paying taxes...BIG taxes? After all, it’s their grad loons coming up with ideas that could easily be debunked by any community college econ prof.
How about the football coaches at West Point, Annapolis and the Air Force Academy?
Why bother to go after the workers when you can snuff the hive.
Rhetorically speaking.
I guess that football coaches at the military academies would only get their salaries 'capped' if they have LOSING RECORDS!!...lol
Now, that wouldn't be nice....... beating on the source of campaign funds, now would it?
/sarc
Might as well cap the innovative spirit in all of us. The Soviets thought entrepreneurship driven by love of the state would result in accomplishment. It did not work to well.
If the public knew of the outrageous six figure salaries paid to public officials, bureaucrats and other government union thugs, they would freak.
Why do you think there is huge growth every budget cycle, they get fat pay raises.
The largest component of any government budget is salaries and benefits for the unionized masses and their patronage bosses. Mostly components of the various departments of the executive branch, they are the most appropriate target when speaking derisively of "special interest groups".
If you cut the salary of everyone working for Harvard making over 100,000 per year how many poor kids could be awarded a scholarship?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.