Corporate executives worried about becoming the targets of the next Brian Thompson-style killing of those who run an evil company have to choose between a chance of losing their lives versus the certainty of making more profits.
Greed Has Good Odds
Ted Rall
Ted Rall is a syndicated political cartoonist for Andrews McMeel Syndication and WhoWhatWhy.org and Counterpoint. He is a contributor to Centerclip and co-host of "The Final Countdown" talk show on Radio Sputnik. He is a graphic novelist and author of many books of art and prose, and an occasional war correspondent. He is, recently, the author of the graphic novel "2024: Revisited."
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In a system that exists precisely to protect, promote, coddle by all conceivable means and, ultimately, worship the terminally avaricious, how can we expect any different response?
One must wonder if the apparent murder-by-pistol of the CEO of, by some measure, the 5th-largest US corporation, might finally lead to consideration of effective gun control measures since the chronic firearms slaughter of relatively insignificant children and their teachers has only led to an increase in “thoughts and prayers” accompanied by an over-abundance of stylistic congressional hand-wringing.
Since the attack on the CEO was not made by a gun produced by a corperation, it was made on a 3d printer; I could easily see the penalties going up on printed guns and gun making websites or software. I don’t see anything happing on corprate produced gun front anytime in the next four years.
Those who have studied history can see what’s coming. Those who’ve watched television can see what’s coming. It’s a standard plot in pretty much any drama series: the villain gets one last chance to change their mind … and DOESN’T. And then suffers a terrible fate.
The CEOs will keep at it. As will the lobbyists and the politicians owned by the lobbyists and CEOs. And the 99% will finally snap. You can hear the creaking right now, like a minisub on its way down to the Hadean Zone. It won’t be much longer.
The system picks CEOs for large coperations that will push the limits for profits. If you want to be the CEO, keep Wall Street happy and you will be paid millions. If Wall Street is unhappy you will be tossed. So squeeze the workers and suppliers, fund pollitical action committees to tilt the system even further your way and the cover up mess with PR and a smile.