Two unfortunate counterparts to democracy are greed and corruption. Rush Limbaugh has said that the salaries and perks extended corporate executives are none of the people's business. This is one of the few areas where he and I part company. I wonder if the recent near-collapse of our economy has changed his thinking. When business failures result in government bailouts, that cost is passed to taxpayers. Excessive salaries often result in stockholders being cheated. These consequences of poor and careless management alone place executives' salaries and perks in the public domain.
Solutions:
•Serious and effective regulation.
•Executives' salaries should be based solely on merit and results, not some predetermined largess by board members who rubber stamp recommended salaries hoping one day to be similarly rewarded.
•Severe civil remedies and harsh application of the treble damages aspect of the RICO statute designed to attack organized criminal activity and "preserve marketplace integrity."
•Harsh prison sentences for those convicted of criminal activity in the marketplace.
As a retired FBI agent who investigated and caused the imprisonment of corrupt government officials and businessmen, I can assure citizens that these solutions will favorably mitigate our marketplace problems.
LANE BONNER
Plant City
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