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Brian Williams Thinks Bailed-Out Biggies Make Too Much—So When Will He Take Pay Cut?
FinkelBlog ^ | Mark Finkelstein

Posted on 02/04/2009 10:43:45 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest

Add Brian Williams to the list of proud multi-millionaire populists at NBC/MSNBC. The Nightly News host just declared on Andrea Mitchell’s MSNBC show today that “a lot of us know that . . . something is basically not right” about how much money some people at companies receiving government bail-outs are making.

You mean, like someone making at least $10 million a year working for a company whose subsidiary recently received a $139 billion loan guarantee from the federal government? Somebody like . . . Brian Williams?

That’s right. As reported here, the US government has agreed to guarantee as much as $139 billion of the debt of GE Capital Corp., a subsidiary of GE, which just happens also to own . . . NBC and MSNBC.

View video.

(Excerpt) Read more at finkelblog.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bailout; brianwilliams; economy; keitholbermann; newsreader; salarylimits; talkinghead

1 posted on 02/04/2009 10:43:46 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest
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To: Behind Liberal Lines; Miss Marple; an amused spectator; netmilsmom; Diogenesis; MEG33; PGalt; ...

Hypocrite-alert ping to Today show list.


2 posted on 02/04/2009 10:44:19 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest (Conservative criticism of the liberal media: www.finkelblog.com)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

Is NBC owned by the tax payer? If yes, then he should be held to the same rules that govern TARP-1 recipients.

On the other point, I agree - Brian Williams is a hypocrite.


3 posted on 02/04/2009 10:46:10 AM PST by indcons (An eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth.)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

Brian’s salary is safe. Barry’s not going to cut the salaries of the members of the Ministry of Propaganda. Or the Ministry of Fear.


4 posted on 02/04/2009 10:46:47 AM PST by livius
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

The very thought I had earlier today. Why is “talent” exempt from the pay cap?


5 posted on 02/04/2009 10:47:13 AM PST by abb ("What ISN'T in the news is often more important than what IS." Ed Biersmith, 1942 -)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

What does Williams do that makes him worth 10 million a year? I don’t get it.


6 posted on 02/04/2009 10:47:39 AM PST by FlingWingFlyer (I wish it was 20 January 2013. I've had enough of this crap already.)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

I think I’m in rare agreement with Brian Williams since I think the government bailouts at taxpayer expence is a mortal sin. These execs should be collecting zero.


7 posted on 02/04/2009 10:48:05 AM PST by stevem
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

GE stockholders got a bailout..and they should be seeing that their Execs are limited to the 500k as well.
Also take away the exec 737 and the smaller ones.
All the employees..NBC,MSNBC, CNBC..should have a limit 500k. Superseding any contract.
Do that and they would shut up.


8 posted on 02/04/2009 10:48:05 AM PST by Oldexpat (Drill Here, Drill There..we must drill everywhere.)
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To: indcons

GE Capital, a subsidiary of GE as is NBC/MSBNC, received a federal guarantee of up to $139 BILLION of its debt.


9 posted on 02/04/2009 10:48:36 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest (Conservative criticism of the liberal media: www.finkelblog.com)
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To: FlingWingFlyer

My mother feels that he dresses very well ;-)


10 posted on 02/04/2009 10:49:29 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest (Conservative criticism of the liberal media: www.finkelblog.com)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

GE and GE Capital are all one company. So the rules should apply to all...unless GE spins off GE capital(fat chance).


11 posted on 02/04/2009 10:50:27 AM PST by Oldexpat (Drill Here, Drill There..we must drill everywhere.)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

I did not know that! Thanks for putting him on the list.

You’re right - this moron is a hypocrite.


12 posted on 02/04/2009 10:51:33 AM PST by indcons (An eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth.)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

I should have paid more attention to your last line but my thoughts were on the last interview where Inmelt (sp?) said that GE Capital was solvent enough to refuse TARP funds.

Also, are guarantees covered under TARP? I did not think so.


13 posted on 02/04/2009 10:53:13 AM PST by indcons (An eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth.)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

GE is nursing on the gubment teet.


14 posted on 02/04/2009 10:53:31 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer (The democRATS are near the tipping point.)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
Government control of private business was the plan all along. Now they've got the proverbial foot in the door

Regulations were not enough of an affront to capitalism for the commies in charge, now they can control some companies from the top down.

15 posted on 02/04/2009 10:55:13 AM PST by Las Vegas Ron (Obama says we should listen to our enemies, but not to Rush)
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To: indcons; All

Just today GE Capital used the government guarantee to sell $129 million of bonds:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aKoXS9o0ENns&refer=home


16 posted on 02/04/2009 10:57:22 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest (Conservative criticism of the liberal media: www.finkelblog.com)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

‘’News readers’’ could be had for a little more than minimum wage. Work on it GE.


17 posted on 02/04/2009 10:58:54 AM PST by Waco
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
Aww come on! Journalism is a holy calling and shouldn't be sullied by crass considerations of filthy lucre. It's not like the commercial world, why a free press with big salaries is even protected by the Constitution or something.

(I would add a sarcasm if it's really needed but I'm hoping that it isn't)

18 posted on 02/04/2009 11:28:14 AM PST by count-your-change (You don't have be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
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To: abb
Why is “talent” exempt from the pay cap?

Free enterprise, just like actors, and ball players and other entertainers, you watch are you don't watch. If you don't vote with your dollars they will not be there long.

19 posted on 02/04/2009 11:42:10 AM PST by org.whodat (Conservatives don't vote for Bailouts for Super-Rich Bankers! Republicans do!)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

On the surface, the $500,000 cap sounds like a good idea. However, this idea will actually create more confusion and chaos for the companies that receive bailout funds. Here’s why:

If you were a talented CEO and suddenly your pay was going from $4M to $500K, but you had the chance to jump ship to one of your competitors (that didn’t take the bailout money) and still get paid $2M+. Would you jump???

Think of it in baseball terms. If the AL suddenly decided to cap players salaries at $500,000 per year, how long would it take Ichiro, A-Rod, Jeter & Mussina to jump to a NL team?


20 posted on 02/04/2009 11:45:33 AM PST by proudpapa (Obama - The Worst One Ever!)
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