High CEO Pay Is ‘Repulsive’

“Gulf Between Top, Bottom Gets Wider” (May 31) was shocking. At a time when 40 million Americans cannot afford healthcare coverage, millions more are barely making a livable income and Medicare, Social Security and other social programs are in danger, it is repulsive to read that chief executives are making approximately 300 times the amount of the average worker.

This greedy injustice is justified by the theories of a competitive free market. Our cutthroat capitalism has caused the American Dream to become the American Nightmare.

As a baby boomer I can’t help but panic, as it is nearly impossible to save money given the cost of housing, transportation, healthcare, education, utilities, etc.

All the while, the “American Aristocracy,” as they should be called, are raking in $20 million to $50 million per year. These same overprivileged CEOs mastermind consolidations of corporations, and then downsize the workforce so that most people have way too much work to do and are short-changing their families and their health to keep doing “more, faster and cheaper.” Or, they lose their job to overseas outsourcing.

Dale Palmer

Altadena

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Now that we have seen how much the top CEOs in California earn, how about a follow-up article informing us of how much they personally give to philanthropy?

Joy Picus

Woodland Hills