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Greed eventually proves disastrous to the greedy

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  • Rubi Reyes •
  • Originally published January 18, 2009 at 11:11 p.m., updated January 18, 2009 at 11:11 p.m.

Editor, the Advocate:

The trouble with unrestrained financial gluttony is that it sets the stage for it's own downfall in the final analysis.

Consider layoffs. These add to the gaggle of consumers no longer able to buy anything.

Sure, those who remain like ticks on a dog with high salaries are able to buy but seldom do once they have already acquired summer homes, several high-priced cars and trucks, and private jets for fun trips.

Now, consider an alternative that would help maintain taxpayers for IRS, reduce the number on unemployment compensation, home and vehicle losses, less revenue to the state agencies (sales taxes and a gaggle of other taxing income), losses to federal taxation, and to businesses "en toto."

What alternative? A stimulus package? Great, if it can continue for 12 months a year, ad infinitum. Close the loopholes that allow millionaires and billionaires to avoid taxes altogether? It'll never happen. The winners (like Madoff and others) never cut their own throats. Some of the losers do, when hope passes them by like a shadow in a rising sun.

So what alternative can overcome the perfunctory non sequitur "plat du jour" actions of our top leaders and financial gurus if they put a muffler on greed and stifle their self-serving interests a bit for the greater good?

Well, here's one idea: It won't sit well with the fat in empowerment, wealth, and fame, but is logical as a shot--in-the-arm for the economy.

Suppose there is a need to cut costs and the word "layoffs" by top execs starts to snake its way through the halls of justice. What now, Diogenes? No, there's no need to look for an honest man with lantern in hand.

What is a "needful thing" is to cut across the board. That is a voluntary (by the company heads) reduction in salaries of everybody by a given percentile to save fellow workers' jobs. That is including the top dogs from CEOs to Chui, the janitor.

Now, that mango is hard to swallow by the greed tick but where it will suffer a little bit. It can save many fellow-workers from committing suicide or becoming desperate enough to join the criminal elements in the streets, either in the drug trade or in other anarchist-minded mayhem.

The final question to our top 20 percent of Americans: "Do you really want families of our military to suffer here, too, in addition to that of their siblings abroad, risking their lives protecting your interests?

Many of whom use IRS loopholes to avoid taxes on millions in profits?

That is putting a blindfold on lady justice.

I so perceive and opine.

Joseph De Solis

Palacios



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