Conservative Hypocrisy on CEO Compensation

Four conservative Republican Senators are questioning, even threatening, federal funding for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America because they are concerned about the nearly $1 million annual compensation package for CEO Roxanne Spillett. Charles Grassley (IA), Tom Coburn (OK), John Kyl (AZ) and John Cornyn (TX) are expressing concerns about whether the head of a non-profit group should be earning so much money when the organization lost $13 million in 2008, is having difficulty funding local clubs and is even closing clubs in some cities. To quote the Senator's letter to the national organization, they "..find it hard to reconcile this loss given the amount spent on executive salaries, perks and lobbying expenses..." They also questioned the organization's travel expenses. To summarize their concerns, they are troubled that such a large compensation package comes at the expense of those the organization serves: the children.

Did I miss something here? It sounds to me like the Boys & Girls Clubs is operating in a manner that would make these Senators and their corporate cronies proud! All four of these senators have aggressively defended CEO compensation in the wake of scandals in the financial and health insurance industries. They have shown no empathy for the employees and communities who have been harmed as a result of layoffs and closings that have been accompanied by even higher CEO compensation. Where is their concern about the effect that $1 million, $5 million, $10 million and higher compensation packages prevalent in corporate America has on ordinary workers? How do they reconcile corporate compensation with high unemployment levels and rising poverty? How do they reconcile it with rampant layoffs, reduced work hours, and lower pay for ordinary workers? This is an incredibly clear example of the hypocrisy among current Republicans over the issue of income disparity which is growing worse in our nation.

Don't get me wrong, I actually agree with their concerns about the compensation policies at the Boys & Girls Clubs. I just wish these senators would show as much concern about the compensation policies of corporate America.