The envy and jealousy people have towards wealthy businessmen is one of the most dangerous things we face in this country (and this world). What's wrong with success? What's wrong with doing such a good job that you earn millions (or tens of millions, or hundreds of millions) for your work?
Looking at the website posted for executive pay, you get down to #65 before you find someone making less than $20MM a year. But looking through the companies listed, it's a veritable "who's who" list of successful businesses. Time Warner, Cisco, LinkedIn, CBS, Oracle, Disney, American Express, Discover Financial, Exxon Mobil, Hasbro, Visa, Boeing, Ford.
And that is a worldwide list. Sorry, I just don't have any problem whatsoever with there being 65 CEO's in this whole world who are earning $20MM a year.
Especially not when the pay is WAY more out of whack in the sports world or the entertainment world. Looking at the top paid athletes list, #100 is soccer player Luis Suarez who earned $34.6MM last year. The actors list is even more lopsided... there are dozens of actors earning >$20MM a year. Leonardo Di Caprio is getting $77MM per movie. Adam Sandler is getting $40MM per movie. Johnny Depp is at $50MM per movie.
Yet all people whine about is CEO's. Well... being the CEO of a huge company is an extremely difficult job that the vast majority of people could never do. There is a hell of a lot more at stake in regards to whether the CEO of American Express is doing a good job as compared to whether the latest Ben Stiller movie is any good - yet Ben Stiller is paid 50% more than the Amex CEO.
Out of whack indeed.