Live Blog from the Anchor Desk 2/4/09
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Good evening Mr. Cooper and 360.
The presidential plane buzzed my neighborhood today. Practicing manuevers I guess. Too bad I didn't see it but it was shown on my local news.
I just hope they have the right combination of things in this bill to make it work to some extent. But I am not very confident.
Gary-what's the basis for your pay cap being non constitutional if the government holds the purse strings. Why can't the govt say either accept our terms or dont ask for help.
David Gergan and Anderson, what's your take. This raises a good point
Why is the pay capo on ceo’s unconstitutional?
It's not. He just made that up.
Mr. Gergen I am not sure about the salary cap thing, but I
guess if you take taxpayer money there are conditions. I
think President Obama is on the right track with regards
to the stimullus.
How can a company that ask for taxpayer money get paid 70 million dollars in bonuses? I'm outraged...
The situation we find ourselves in is the first to ever happen to our country. We need to put money back in the market and hope some of use will be saved in the initial stage. It astounds me that the republicans are still worrying about party lines and their personal agendas when the country is truly dying.
Thank God, if nothing else President Obama's agenda is the american people and saving this country.
Anderson,
Dick Cheney, Rush and the rest of Republicans should really shut up and enjoy the ride. They put us in this situation with 8 years of Bush.
Obama has only been here is 15 days.
CEOs on welfare can't? Let me laugh. They want us to pay for their vacations at vegas too?
How about this, why not take add up what each person made for the past 10 years and who paid taxes maybe put a cap of 100,000 per year then take and give 10% back in one check dont you think most people would pay off there bills get there home loans up to date and go out and get the BALL GOING ,thanks
Funny how that guy who was being arrested by the police called 911 on the police. LOL
Anderson, would you and David G explain what "top, top talent" is in the executive compensation debate. Sorry but I think it's a myth in a lot of cases. These folks are placeholders and they prevent new talent from coming in.
the cap on CEO salaries is a great...those idiots need to show some sensitivity to the tax payers...
USA Employment Stimulus Package:
Our government should restore lost retirement investments for people 60+ years, add in additional onetime benefit, let’s say >$500,000, to entice them into retirement thus opening jobs for younger Americans to fill.
Funded with part of Trillion(s) dollar bailout to the financial and banking institutions seems reasonable. The new retirees and newly employed Americans would invigorate the economy by having money to spend and move us out of recession.
Hey David! i absolutely think he is doing the right thing! i love the ambition his is showing.
When Obama plays Glenda the Good Witch and sprinkles dollars around the neighborhoods of those who don't pay taxes, is he going to make them accountable for how they spend their money?
Dick Cheney attacking the Obama administration? Why am I NOT surprised?
Hi David Gergen....
I am so worried about bailout to bank compaines...... to scary for to hear that was so hard for people to lose their jobs and homes.
Why are we always talking about foreclosure? How about people who get evicted from there homes or apartments after they have exhausted all there savings & after they have lost their jobs.
Housing is the problem everyone agrees. Here is a solution. The gov. should buy all the unsold new homes, rent them with the understanding that within five years the rent that has been paid will be used as a down payment toward the purchase of the homes at 2009 price. This would put a stop to dwindling home prices allow the market to now better gauge the value of the toxic paper associated with housing. You would be creating home ownership with a class of consumers that could never afford to buy but only rent.
I was a prominent and the most dedicated Obama supporter. But, what I see what is coming from his judgment, I am start having a second doubt and gettig disappointing, too. Same Ol.....
Oh, boo hoo! The Ceo's... how ever will they live on $500,000? Sorry, I have no sympathy at all!
Hi everyone!
I am new to this, I hear Anderson mention blogging with him during the show, but I never took him seriously. I thought I would give it a shot tonight.
But look at this fact if these so called CEOs and higher ups had put some of their over the top salaries back into their companies maybe they could have saved jobs for the people under them as well as the fact these people made so much in the past they could retire after one year!
I wish I had made 43 million dollars in one year I would no longer be working!
I understand concerns about executive pay limitations but in a way it's like the kid living with the parents analogy where the parents go
"As long as you're living under this roof you will abide by our rules".
In a way those corporations "living off of" billions of government money should be subject to some basic rules. Once those companies leave home (no longer depend on Uncle Sam) they're free to call their own shots.
Aren't these salary caps only for executives at companies who will take a bailout?
Hello, I was wondering if there is any update about the senate vote on the housing stimulus that gives homebuyer $15000 credit and lower the interest rate to 4%-4.5%.
I think this should help to boost the economy and bring homebuyer on the sideline back to the market. We certainly need housing recover to support the economy recovery.
Hi Mr Gergen, I love you to death. If these banks want tax payer money, they should be willing to get a cap on their salaries. They can go back to making millions, when the country gets back on track financially.
the executive compensation on wall strreet is already paid two thirds in stock which vests over a five year period
Hello everyone, Anderson, Erica ＆ Crew, Mr Gergen...I am glad that the president limit the salaries...I have a question though...is this salary cap temporarily or for good? I mean..what if the economy gets better, are they gonna be able to go back to million dollar salaries? Mr Gergen..what do you think?
@ Professor Gergen: Obama, McCain and Clinton all promised Americans they were ready to LEAD from DAY ONE. I heard this over and over and over. We got down to Obama vs. McCain and the country choose Obama. I can live with that fact. However, what I get concerned about is 3 appointments made by Obama with tax problems. My goodness he had a campaign for 2 years. Why hasn't all of this been ironed out since November? The job numbers continue to grow and the economy is down.
Hi Anderson, Erica, Megan, everyone blogging. Glad to hear the President is going on offense, that did sort of come up over the past couple days. How is 800 some billion in spending and tax breaks not going to be a stimulus? But having said that, I feel that the President's reaching out to congress is very good. Direct communication always help relieve worries.
David, I'm a little hesitant about the salary caps. I understand the need for limits on executive compensation even while companies need to be able to offer compensation to get the best people - this is a delicate balance in these dicey times. I lean more in favor of the caps because we're in a national crisis and everyone - including publicly held companies - have to look beyond the quarterly bottom line if we're going to recover.
It seems to me that these high paid people who these companies were "attracting" were failures anyways.
Why is the pay capo on ceo's unconstitutional?
I TRULY hope that President Obama can pass this plan. It's good to hear that now he has the confidence that it may happen. *fingers crossed*
@David Gergen, the President made the appropriate (and very popular) step with limiting executive compensation. If companies need to dig into the public trough then they play by OUR rules. The fact that they are digging into our pockets means they have effectively opted-out of the “free-market system.” The American Consumer has become the stockholders of our financial system. “DO NOT PASS GO,” do not collect your fat salaries and bonuses on our dime.
If there are rank and file making more than the execs are, then the system needs to be washed out. I'm not worried about those making this kind of money.
Pres. Obama is right to go to the centre as the politicians on both sides of the aisle have been there too long and are fighting ideological battles and old gridlock.
Tax cuts don't work....don't the republicans get that??? Cut out the help to States to give tax cuts federally will only lead to tax increases locally.
Hi all. David G., the president finally made the point he should have made so long ago. The quibbles are over less than 1% of the plan. I don't like some of the stuff either, but it's time to get off the pot! I like the executive compensation move. I think new hires may try to go to healthier firms but if they all have problems it won't affect new hiring. If some senior execs threaten to leave where will they go?
Gergen – Thanks for taking the time to talk to us viewers as always. Personally and ideally, I would have loved if the CEOs would have offered to limit their own salaries. I mean, with Goldman Sachs, what do you DO with 70.3 million dollars? I can't imagine having a wishlist that long...
I just wish the CEOs would see for once that without the little guy there is no top dog, so some appreciation and self accountability would be nice. All it takes is one to set the trend.
Oh yeah-there goes Ali with that big screen and the layout. Love it and how he breaks things down. Makes it make sense. Thanks Ali. Anderson, forgot to say welcom home. Interview was fantastic and sensible. Refreshing! Mike in Syracuse-I agree with the take time and get it right. what's your concern about what's there now?
I hope there are some changes to the Stimulus bill.
Unfortunately, Once the banks accepted the bailout, they opened themselves up to rules and public outrage. But I hate to see the government reaching into private business.
What if the CEOs quit.. Do they have to work? If they quit will the government run the company?
I don't understand why Obama is 'compromising' by getting the pork out. It shouldn't have been there in the first place, and he knows it. He needs to stand up to his own tax and spend party.
HI anderson&erica, YES david gergen we just pray that the republicans dont make trouble for him. they are standing in the way
to show that they want america to fail. they lost the people have spoken he can take the chance.
A tough call on these so called bills? I really can't imagine where they will end up going with this?
David Gergen
Hello everyone — So, is the President doing the right thing to limit the salaries of top executives at companies that get future government bailouts? And do you think he is on the right track with the stimulus plan?
I'm not really sure if its the right thing to do, but it certainly is the politically astute thing to do - the American public is so fed up of hearing stories about Wall Street big wigs giving themselves bonuses etc., that I think the President had to do something like this to swing public opinion towards the stimulus package...
Hello Anderson & fellow bloggers.
Looking at the body language of President Obama his warning of a dire economy becoming a catastrophe is more of a threat to Congress by attempting to bully them. Congress is not a body to be bullied by an egocentric president; President Bush tried that and it didn't work for him.
I am so sick and tired of Republicans and Democrats! It is our money let us decide. Give us the bill(in laymans terms)(If we were all lawyers we would not care about the economy)let the American people decide, let us vote!
Hey Brandi!!!
Welcome back!!!!!! I hope you have good time tonight!!!! and miss you!!
I hope Senators will plan expect pass this week this bill stimulus.
New to the Blog. My TV has been out due to the ice storm for almost 10 days now. I'm going nuts missing my nightly dose of 360*