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Today's Nuze

"Every government interference in the economy consists of giving an unearned benefit, extorted by force, to some men at the expense of others."

Ayn Rand

Nobody's listening.

JUST LISTEN TO THE WEALTH ENVY

By
Neal Boortz
@ June 11, 2009 7:42 AM Permalink | Comments (29) | TrackBacks (0)

Making an issue of CEOs flying private jets is nothing but wealth envy.  Plain and simple.  It is playing into the ignorance of government-educated voters who couldn't make change without a computer.  Here's what brings this to mind.  Private jets are back in the news after a new study found that more private jets were used in 2008 than in any of the previous five years.  Awful, right?  I know ... so just take a look at how ABC presents this story:

 

As hordes of Americans watched their retirement savings disappear and their home values plunge after the economic crisis started in September, many corporate CEOs rode high, literally ...

 

So how much do these fancy jets cost each company? In 2008, the median value of CEO travel for the year was $141,477, up from $109,743 a year earlier. Equilar notes that high fuel prices might have contributed to part of that increase.

 

But apparently, more CEOs took advantage of the jets last year. Equilar said 79.2 percent of those Fortune 100 CEOs got jet benefits last year, up from to 74.7 percent in 2007. Some companies have since announced plans to cut back on jet use.

 

These big companies often argue that it is necessary to fly executives and their families around on private jets. This is not a lavish perk, they say, but a safety and security requirement as well as a time-saving tool for the busy leaders.

 

Tell you what.  Commercial aviation only services about 500 airports in this country.  General aviation .. and this includes these private jets .. serve about 5000.   I don't own a private jet, but I am a Marquis Jet Card holder, and I'll jump in that Citation Encore at a moment's notice if I have a good reason to do so.  Those of you who don't like it can drip crocodile tears on your People magazines.

 

Here's an idea.  Let's tax private business aviation right out of business.  The immediate result would be the loss of over ten thousand jobs in places like Wichita, Kansas and Savannah, Georgia.  That would just be the beginning.  With executives unable to access their facilities in areas unserved by major airports, those facilities would begin to shut down.  A corporate executive is not going to fly commercial from New York to Atlanta, and then drive four hours to get to his plant in South Georgia.  Those out-of-the-way facilities will simply close and relocate closer to major commercial airports.  Tens of thousands of more jobs lost in rural areas.  Sounds like a plan, doesn't it? 

 

We can say goodbye to the Corporate Angel Network too.  This network of corporate aircraft owners have provided over 20,000 free flights to cancer and other patients needing treatment in faraway places.  Real bad dudes, these corporate executives.  Let's get these corporate jets away from these pigs. 

 

Isn't it odd that you haven't heard of the Corporate Angel Network?  Now just why do you think that is?

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What others are saying

  • Tax 100% Net Worth
    If you taxed all of America's net worth 100% it still would not be enough to cover just Social Security, much less the National Debt, proposed health care, etc.

    http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D98OIT0G2&show_article=1
    By Joyce M/Blythe @ 06/11/09 03:51:49 PMreport abuse
  • Sure, let's tax those jets!
    Absolutely, let's tax the evil filthy rich's nasty perks like corporate jets. That was tried in 1990 -- a luxury tax -- and it killed jobs in the boating and private aircraft industry. http://irwinsplace.blogspot.com/2009/05/unintended-consequences.html
    By Red @ 06/11/09 02:33:27 PMreport abuse
  • collateral damage
    As with the secured debt holders of GM and Chrysler, our socialist-in-chief simply consider the loss of jobs created by private aviation to be necessary collateral damage required to adhere to "higher ideals". I'm going to go throw-up now.
    By Waldo @ 06/11/09 02:06:41 PMreport abuse
  • Some thoughts on this nuze item
    The compensation for a GM CEO would come to about $7850 an hour, if he or she only worked 40 hours a week, and only took two weeks off a year. If GM is lucky, it will cost them $10,000 extra every time their CEO has to go through a commercial terminal, if they don't lose his luggage or suffer delays. As Neal points out, there are additional expenses and time lost going commercial. When it's all said and done, flying execs around on private jets saves money.

    That stunt where those Detroit CEO's drove their hybrid to DC cost a nice chunk o change.

    Did abc have a discouraging word for America's current CEO over his flying his family to New York for dinner and a play (or for flying halfway across the country to sign an environmental law)? The ap story abc posted about date night didn’t, though they reported some GOP criticism of it in paragraphs 7 and 8. It’s quite a contrast to abc’s take on private exec travel. Their lead was, I kid you not, “President Barack Obama made good on a campaign promise…” What a guy. We’re so lucky to have him, just ask abc.

    The over half the hatred of corporate and private aviation is the “If I can’t have it they can’t either,” mentality. It’s destructive, hateful, and evil. It’s the same basic thinking of the, “If I can’t have her, nobody can,” aholes.

    I'd like to hear Neal bought him a restored WWII piston job.
    By CowboyUp @ 06/11/09 02:05:23 PMreport abuse
  • lead by example
    When those on the Federal payroll (President, Congress, generals) give up their private jets, they might have the moral authority to ask CEOs to do the same. Anything less is hypocritical.
    By Andy C. @ 06/11/09 01:03:36 PMreport abuse
  • Corporate Jets
    My father is the chief pilot for a major manufacturing company with plants all over North America. Every year he has to make a presentation to the executives to justify why it makes business sense to keep the flight department. If it were not saving the company money, they wouldn't have the jets. They are not an executive perk, they are a business tool.
    By Brewer @ 06/11/09 12:12:55 PMreport abuse
  • Your Right On This One
    Neal, You are absolutely right on this. I live in Kansas, not Wichita, and I have friends that work at Cessna. They are not rich,they work on an assembly line. Idiots out there fail to realize these are the people that will be hurt the most and there are thousands of these workers. Also what about the pilots employed by these companies? They are not rich either and have families to support also.

    I know for a fact that executives at companies big enough to have these jets are targets for extortion and bad things that neither you or I ever hear about.

    Finally, the Angel Flight network is a valuable tool for people that cannot afford to send their loved ones across the country or to a neighboring state for treatment, and it is absolutely free. It is unbelievable to me how the inmates are running the asylum, they are only hurting themselves and I guarntee there family and friends.
    By Average Joe @ 06/11/09 12:07:07 PMreport abuse
  • Hypocrisy
    The article opens up with "As hordes of Americans watched their retirement savings disappear and their home values plunge after the economic crisis started in September,...greedy CEOs blah blah."

    It's funny how the AP didn't open up with that same line when Bozo and his wife were shutting down NYC for their date night. To top it off, The CEO's travel is on the company's dime, it wasn't seized from taxpayers. Plus, the CEO is doing it out of necessity and work for the most part, while Bozo was doing it for date night.
    By Club-a-Liberal @ 06/11/09 11:35:06 AMreport abuse
  • Corporate Jets
    I don't suppose there was anything wrong with Barack Obama painting his logo on a leased airplane and flying around the country during his presidential campaign. Of course he'd say there was no other way to reach so many people in so many places in so litle time. Well, this is exactly the argument for corporate travel.
    By Jim @ 06/11/09 11:11:59 AMreport abuse
  • American Frightways
    As far as non-business use, if that executive is paying the fare out of his own pocket, okay.

    As far as business use, if the company deems it an acceptable expense, who am I to argue (disclosure: some of the companies whose stock I hold - or perhaps more accurately, have held for me in 401K retirement accounts - own and/or operate corporate aircraft)

    That NY executive going to south GA could fly commercial into Columbus instead of Atlanta.
    By Jubilation T Cornpone @ 06/11/09 11:03:32 AMreport abuse
  • corporate jets
    Many large companies (including mine) have written into the by-laws for executive governance that traveling execs. must (MUST!!) take private jets as a safety precaution. The company (and thus the shareholder) has a lot of money invested in the exec. such that his/her time (and life) are extremely valuable. You just can't get the work done (yes, even in first class) that you can on your own jet. We are working, not sitting in the leer jet like DiCaprio sipping martinis. WE'RE WORKING YOU MORONS!!!
    By Evan @ 06/11/09 11:01:57 AMreport abuse
  • private jet wealthy envy
    I wonder how much the President of the US spent on air travel since starting office?
    By Steve @ 06/11/09 11:00:58 AMreport abuse
  • Cost of doing business
    It is pretty obvious that the majority of the increased cost was due to inflated fuel prices. This is easily inferred from the numbers in the article. Notice a very slight jump in usage, yet a large jump in cost.

    One should also keep in mind that many businesses traveled a lot more last year to try and grow business in failing markets.
    I work for a relatively small, privately owned business, and we spent 90% more on travel in 2008 than in the previous year.
    By Andre Bradshaw @ 06/11/09 10:57:07 AMreport abuse
  • Airport politics...
    The execs at NCR have already given as part of their reason for moving the corp headquarters from Dayton to Deluth, GA easier access to fly overseas to meet people.

    It's not a big step to start closing down any faciility that is too far from an airport with commerical service for the execs to get to.

    Is it really cheaper to move an entire plant instead of a four hour drive?

    Of course not. But the execs will find a way to do it anyway.
    By Pete from Dayton @ 06/11/09 10:54:28 AMreport abuse
  • Wealth Envy
    Well, Neal, it's like this: If these guys are flying on their own dime, or wasting their private company's dime, that's all well and good and you're right to call it wealth envy when someone protests. But if these companies are taking stimulus money or other such coporate welfare handouts, then they're doing it on my dime, and I have a problem with that.
    By JR @ 06/11/09 10:37:00 AMreport abuse
  • How do Union leaders travel?
    Out of curiosity, how do the Union leaders get across country? Anybody check up on them? Or is that forbidden under the 'Change' doctrine? I'll bet nobody in the media is asking that question. Al Gore, shouldn't you be asking questions like that?
    By Chuck @ 06/11/09 10:23:34 AMreport abuse
  • I want one, too!
    The Marquis Jet Card program provides access to NetJets for 25-hours of flight time and it’s simple to purchase and easy to use. Marquis Jet Card pricing begins at $132,900 plus government imposed fees and taxes for 25 hours on NetJets Citation V Ultra.
    By The Charlie Scott @ 06/11/09 10:17:36 AMreport abuse
  • I don't think it's the Jets that people are upset about...
    And it's not wealth envy. People are upset that jobs are leaving the country for cheap labor. Or, companies are cutting back in departments to "save money." All the while, CEO perks increase in cost and usage. Not everyone can be a CEO. But there are a lot of folks that can/are very good employees that can't find a job.

    I don't believe we should tax the hell out of private jets. I think we should tax the hell out of jobs performed for American companies by lower wage earning countries.

    People are pissed because some companies found a way to exploit (yes, that's the correct term by definition) cheap labor to decrease costs who's portions will show up in the form of executive perks with an end result of lost jobs.

    It's not rocket science to know why people are pissed. And it ain't wealth envy. These are people that aren't begging to be CEO's. They are people wanting a solution to jobs leaving the country.
    By Samael @ 06/11/09 09:58:47 AMreport abuse
  • Drumbeat
    This drum never gets old does it? It gets old reading it though. Pick a new pet project to harp on.
    By Tony @ 06/11/09 09:46:36 AMreport abuse
  • the funny thing is...
    BO has a private jet...and we all get the "privledge" of paying for it.
    By anonymous @ 06/11/09 09:33:54 AMreport abuse
  • Unintended consequeces
    Once again, the democrats are speaking before they think. And then they still don't think past their noses.

    Almost everything they are talking about doing have so many drastic unintended consequences it's downright scarry.

    Neal,

    Where can we go? Have you found Galt's Gulch yet? Anything close?
    By Ben Dover @ 06/11/09 09:33:50 AMreport abuse
  • Pelosi's perks
    any news story on how much Strechy's sky limo costs?
    By steve @ 06/11/09 09:33:46 AMreport abuse
  • Not just wealth envy
    There could be a subtext to this whole thing that is not directly stated in the closing paragraphs. What I allude to is the forced urbanization of the US. I believe the attempt to make everyone "big city people" is something the far left Liberals want as they believe that will increase their support or at least decrease their opposition. It seems that living out in the country or small towns often "causes" people to be conservative. If they are forced into the big cities they will want to give up their freedoms. Therefore if you make it so that big corporations move all their operations to major metropolitan areas you can force a move of people into the cities.
    By Bill @ 06/11/09 09:25:51 AMreport abuse
  • wealth envy
    i have a REAL wealth envy article by the WSJ. not some talk show host who makes fun of them. our leaders need to consider what these people say. their citizens too. and they got guns. :O)

    http://blogs.wsj.com/wealth/2008/07/31/does-america-have-a-case-of-wealth-envy/
    By tshirt-doctor.com @ 06/11/09 09:13:39 AMreport abuse
  • Both
    Envy AND Jealousy are an ugly thing..and so are liberals when they complain about these matters.
    By Meal @ 06/11/09 08:53:06 AMreport abuse
  • Pelosi has overcome her envy
    Her private flights home every weekend on Air Force jets are WAAAAY more expensive than the pedestrian stuff the average CEO flies in.

    I understand she is flown in a 12-seater, but being Air Force versus Civilian makes the flight a lot more expensive.
    By John @ 06/11/09 08:41:38 AMreport abuse
  • Angel Flights
    I have heard of those, I live in the Dow area of MI and they fly to Texas daily. I worked with a lady who credited Dow with being pivotal in extending her father's life. And that was 10 years ago. I did not hear about this in the press.
    By Becky @ 06/11/09 08:20:53 AMreport abuse
  • Good for goose and gander
    At Andrews AFB in Maryland, there is an entire fleet of private jets, mostly Air Force, but some with Navy, Army and Marines. These jets are centered around the 89th Airlift Wing, and are part of the overall VIPSAM fleet. Military jargon for Very Important Person Special Air Mission. These private jets are for government officials (such as Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, President and Vive President) to buzz about the country and world without all the inconvenience of commercial air travel. Their rationale is it is safer (security), faster and more effecient to travel direct to their destination than spend too much time traveling with commercial transportation. So I ask you, if the exact same reasons are applied to the (free) private jet fleet provided to our dear leader and his minions, why cannot the same justification be used by our critical business CEO's ?? What's good for the goose is good for the gander!
    By G. Harold @ 06/11/09 07:54:08 AMreport abuse
  • And Up Next
    .......we are going to hear these libs want to tax first class & business on commercial flights.

    I can hear it now, " Will if we can't why should they"

    AND IT KEEPS GETTING FUNNIER!
    By D.D. @ 06/11/09 07:50:43 AMreport abuse
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