[lucysmom]

They have to make a profit, and there are too many regulations ( passed by greedy governments, and approved by greedy taxpayers who are hoping to get something for nothing); and excessive demands by unions.

There is enough greed to go around from CEOs, whose pay and perks know no limits and are unrelated to performance (seems the most creative idea they've had in the last decade is shipping jobs to low wage, third world countries) to seeking and getting outright government subsidies and tax exemptions.

Its too bad that corporate behavior doesn't provide much evidence that left to self regulate they will operate with much integrity. Regulations generally come AFTER some egregious misbehavior is discovered.

Getting something for nothing seems to be an American value shared by those at the top with those all the way down to the bottom. We don't admire integrity, fair play, hard work, and honesty, we revere wealth and wealth becomes its own morality.

Or, you get a group of greedy lawyers and politicians who go after your profits based on junk science like many tobacco industries

Junk science? You're kidding, right?

[Sunnyflorida]

"There is enough greed to go around from CEOs, whose pay and perks know no limit"

So what? They choose to be CEOs for the perks and $$$. You CHOOSE not to be a CEO and you do not have the perks etc. Your life is the result of YOUR chooses. I know many of these people and they work their buts off while you sit around and FReep. Quit whining about what you DO NOT have in guise of complaining about what others have. Plus the OWNERs of a company have the absolute right to pay their employees whatever they want. What is wrong with that? Do you think the Congress or a bunch of stupid, lazy, ignorant, envious FReepers should? Give me a break.