Mick, thanks. You ably, as you so often do, verbalized your position very clearly and very well. I found little to disagree with.

Big business is driven by profits. Investors in those companies demand it of boards of directors,and operating officers. Are most CEOs overpaid? Yes, I think so. But as long as the stockholders are happy with the job they do, they will continue to draw huge salaries. The stockholders are less concerned about employees filling lower level jobs, and as long as there is an ample labor pool, I doubt there will be any changes.

I don't know how much is accomplished by protestors such as those we saw in Canada over the weekend. They get a lot of press, but I doubt they make much impact in board rooms of corporate America. An effective, well organized boycott of the purchasing of products I believe would. Depending upon how you view it, unfortunately, or fortunately, the protestors are not well enough organized, I believe, to mount an effective boycott.

If people were aware of the awful working conditions, low wages, etc. of workers in foreign countries that produce so much of what we buy in this and other countries, I think they would think that it was pretty terrible. I doubt very much that those same folks would stop buying those goods because of it though.

And Carol, I don't believe there will be any major changes in the economic system in the U. S. As others have pointed out, it would require that "big business" do a 180 where profits are concerned, and that's just not going to happen.

My thoughts anyway.

DougR