Do you think the federal government should be deciding who runs a corporation?

[cherokeeprogressive]

I don't.

So here's the question...

Who should run a corporation?

[ben_jenne]

1. I think your 1st and last choices are the same thing.

[elleng]

2. None of the above.

Try a real poll.

[izzie]

3. Had trouble with this one

I like part of the first vote but did the last. I think the start of this mess is the over all banking and not the car corp. and that is where the govt. should start. Best would be just to tar Phil Gramm as he was the big 'dubber' that pushed this free for all and not GMC . The in-to-wed of all these CEO's and power in Congress does not help us or the corp. either. Second rate people in costly suits just run the whole place down. The corp. should just fail as the banks should is my general thinking on this. People with no jobs is what is so scary about it all.:shrug:

[TexasObserver]

4. Very poorly constructed poll, and therefore meaningless.

You have failed to properly characterize the situation with GM or others. They are failing entities that have asked for and gotten tens of billions of dollars in economic aid from the government, after convincing OUR democratically elected representatives it was essential for America.

Your poll suggests strongly that the government tells ordinary, functioning corporations who should run them. They don't do that, so your poll is based upon a falsehood, a lie.


The poll requires one more choice: Other - because this poll presents a false premise.

[obiwan]

8. Agreed.

Sour grapes.

[TexasObserver]

18. If we own 80% of AIG, we SHOULD be making the decisions for them.

[Igel]

20. But we don't.

The US government demanded far less preferred stock in exchange for the $175 billion than it could have. Much of the loan is uncollateralized.

Oh, I guess that's "we" demanded far less preferred stock in exchange for "our" $175 billion (...) than "we" could have.

"We" own far less than the face value of the loan would indicate. Perhaps "we" should have been smarter.

So "we" made a decision "we" disagree with and that "we" don't actually seem to know. On the other hand, aren't "they" part of "we"? The problem is that "we" isn't necessarily "us", and while "they" are a part of one "we" they're not a part of another "we".

Clear?

[harun]

15. 100% agree. Nearly a freeper poll. Pushing the meme of "the government"

Which promotes a us vs. them attitude. "the government" = "us". It isn't some other entity we need to be 100% against. "the government" in this country, when we are doing our job right and they are doing their job right, is to conform to the will of the majority of "the people", us.

We can elect new people in government, we can't elect a new CEO. If taxpayer money is involved, taxpayers get a say.

[TexasObserver]

17. Indeed. The government shouldn't have to overpay for their assets, but we have.

This notion that the government isn't us is one of those rightwing memes of longstanding.

[aquart]

5. Stupid witless choices.

The sort of thing I expect from a Republican push poll.

[ColbertWatcher]

6. "Who should run a corporation?" That depends on who owns it.

If a corporation is owned by private individuals, then they decide who runs it.

If, however, the government has to come in and save that corporation (banks, insurance corporations included) then the government decides who runs it.

[annabanana]

13. (I'm with you). .. . . . . . .n/t

[obiwan]

7. If taxpayer money is involved, the government, as our hired gun, has some sayso.

Because the American public becomes a shareholder in the company.

But if there is no taxpayer money involved, hands off.

[Warren Stupidity]

9. Under what circumstances?

If the government is using our money to 'rescue' an enterprise, then the government should have some say in how that enterprise is run, including who sits on the board and who is an executive. If the government effectively has a majority stake in an enterprise then, just like any other institution or individual with a majority share, it is and should be in a position to dictate terms and control the operation of that enterprise.

[peacebird]

10. Hands off- succeed or fail - but WITHOUT TAXPAYER MONEY

If it's too big to fail, it's too freaking big.

[pnutbutr]

11. no business doing that

The government should have absolutely nothing to do with who runs a corporation or it's actions besides regulations it puts in place to protect employees and the public from harmful practices the business may employ. Workers rights, environment etc...

[ColesCountyDem]

12. If the government loans it OUR tax money, then it should have some decision-making input.

If not, then the elected board of directors and the duly appointed officers should run it.

[rucky]

14. Bankruptcy laws cover this.

Bailout = Bankruptcy on steroids. It should include reorganization, overseen by the courts.

[Liberal In Texas]

16. Not run them, REGULATE them.

With laws like the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933.

[Statistical]

19. IF the govt owns a company or a substantial portion of it then...

it should be no different than a private entity.

If you own even 5%-7% of a major company you will get to personally decide one board sit. Period.

The damage that someone can do to a company by selling a stake that large, combined w/ going on CNBC and announcing why xyz corp is worthless and that is why I am dumping my 25,000,000 shares GUARANTEES that any board will "play nice".

5% is considered a MAJOR shareholder...... then what is 80%+?

The govt shouldn't have any more or less rights than any other entity does.
If you own 80% of a company you get to decide (indirectly) virtually everything that happens.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

21. I think the federal government has a right to express it's opinion.

Particularly when the government is giving said corporation billions of dollars.

Don't you?

[TahitiNut]

22. I think it's OK for "We The People" to DECAPITATE a corporation ... but not people.

I support capital punishment for corporations and oppose it for human beings.

:shrug:

Off with their heads!

[Igel]

23. Depends on the agreement struck during any bailout.

If the business is going belly-up and has no government money invested, and the government's not on the hook (as in the case of the FDIC's insuring customer's bank deposits), I don't see the problem.

The government is not a dictatorship. If we like the idea of decentralized power, why give a single elected man (for the present) and his appointees the power to control and cajole using the threat of controlling? The president presides; he's not the country's owner or father.

[Incitatus]

24. Yes

IF the government is bailing out that corporation. If the corporation doesn't like it, they can refuse the money and go out of business.

[KharmaTrain]

25. When You Have The Most Votes...

Money = power...especially in the corporate world. When we bail out a company, it's no different than an LBO...leveraged buy out as our money now is going to keep the company going, we, as major shareholders not should, but MUST, have the right to determine who sits on the Board of Directors. If these guys were doing such great jobs, they wouldn't have needed our money in the first place.

[ContinentalOp]

26. Uh, as one of the conditions to be met when asking for a tens of billions of dollar loan...

then yes, OF COURSE. They can take it or leave it.

[trayfoot]

27. None of the above........................

it definitely depends on WHO holds the mortgage, so to speak! When taxpayers "bail out" these companies, then I say "YES", the government should play a part in who heads the company.

[DevonRex]

28. If teh corporation has its hand out for billions from us, then we should have a say.

[bemildred]

29. Employees should run the corporation. Democratically. nt

[MiniMe]

30. I think they have more of a right with the bailed out banks right now than the car companies

They loaned money to the car companies, the government did not bail them out. They bought stakes in the bailed out banks. The government owns 80% of AIG right now, so they have the right as the majority stockholder.

[Maru Kitteh]

31. The very minute they accept my tax dollars, you damn skippy.

[rug]

32. The whole damn board of directors should ask for a permission slip to shit.