In part 1 of this series, I explained how the CEO pay ratio is an overstatement, and compares apples to apple pies.  Now, we’re going to look at the different economic bargains and incentives for the types of actors in a corporation.  Next, we will look at why CEO pay is, and should be,... »

CEO’s have taken a beating lately.  Some of the criticism is deserved, but the argument that CEO pay is out of line simply because public company CEOs make 300 times what the average worker does, bears some analysis.  The implication, sometimes stated outright, is that workers deserve more pay, and CEOs deserve less.  That... »

I’m not normally in the business of making arguments for politicians, but Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 plan is getting some unfair criticism, and more than a few people are mischaracterizing the real tax burden Americans face.  Fore example, on Meet the Press this weekend, David Gregory went after Cain, alleging that some people would pay... »

Nothing gets the hypocrisy flowing like a counter protest.  As Jon Stewart pointed out earlier this week, there is no shortage of hypocrisy about the Occupy Wall Street crowd on the Right.  Sean Hannity was called out for having defended free speech when it came from the mouths of retirees and small business owners... »

Earlier this week, Massachusetts Democratic senatorial candidate Elizabeth Warren took a swipe at sitting Senator Scott Brown.  When asked, during a debate, how did she paid for college she said “I kept my clothes on.” The dig was in reference to Senator Brown’s nude appearance in Cosmopolitan in 1982. When asked, Brown retorted, “Thank... »

I’ve never been an Apple guy–I’m not cool enough. I prefer Linux for the same reasons that, when I make bread, I start by planting wheat in my backyard.  Using a pipette.  My (nerdy) objection to Apple computers, that they do not allow enough user customization, is the core strength of the iPhone.  It... »

What if I told you you could get in on the ground floor (or low level) of a technology company. The company is a few years old, and has had increasing losses over it’s history: $27.2M three years ago, $114.1M two years ago, $232.2M last year and on pace to hit $160M this year.... »

Late on Friday night in June, 1998, James Byrd Jr.,  was at his niece’s bridal shower in Jasper Texas.  He was disabled and could not afford a car of his own, so he walked home, as he did almost everywhere.  At around 2:30 a.m., three men, Shawn... »

Progressives (née Liberals) far and wide are crying foul over a letter from the GOP Congressional leadership to the chair of the Federal Reserve Board. The letter has drawn charges of intentional sabotage and that the GOP wants America to fail. Dick Durbin even had to break away from his yeoman’s work of destroying... »

Yesterday, former President Bill Clinton lamented that the green industry needs more money.  A $1.4 trillion industry (2008) needs more money?  That’s almost 6% of the global economy; larger than most major sectors, including construction, utilities, retail sales, wholesale trade, information, mining, agriculture, and transportation.  In fact, it’s bigger than agriculture, utilities and education... »

It has been said that, the more a scandal tends to prove the public’s perception about a politician, the more traction the scandal gets.  A scandal involving Bill Clinton’s dalliances with women that are not his wife is far more believable than one involving George H.W. Bush. On the other hand, a scandal involving... »

Palestinian Leader Mahmoud Abbas is asking the United Nations for recognition as a state.  This is clearly an embarrassment for Obama, as he is now forced to either accept a Palestinian state without any concessions toward peace, or deny the Palestinian statehood and try to explain his erudite rationale to the calm, rational, understanding,... »

On today’s Morning Joe, PBS host Tavis Smiley accused the Bush administration of lying to the American people about WMD in Iraq.  This is a popular liberal canard.  It even made Jon Meacham, former editor of Newsweek, and no friend to the cause defend George Bush: Smiley tries to re-define the word “lie” as... »

Rick Perry keeps saying Social Security is a Ponzi Scheme. It is almost as if he believes that social security is a fraud that involves the payment of purported returns to existing investors from funds contributed by new investors. To be fair, that SEC definition is from it’s criminal enforcement division.  A more neutral... »