Welfare Queens

The top dogs of the Big Three automakers zoomed
into Washington, tin cups in hand, seeking handouts
of taxpayers' money. They came in their three
separate corporate jets, flights costing thousands of
dollars, couldn't even jet pool.

GM's president didn't like the idea of being asked if
he was willing to give up his $22-million salary.
Ford's Alan Mulally made slightly less last year- only
$21.6-million.

The American Insurance Group (AIG), shortly after
a multi-billion handout financed by taxpayers,
treated four executives and friends to a pheasant
hunt in England. Total cost: $86,000. AIG had, a
month or so before, provided a $500,000 retreat at
a fancy California spa for its top dogs. After sipping
fine wines and shooting pheasants, its hand was out
again for a few more billions.

Remember when Ronald Reagan created the myth of
the Welfare Queen? This was supposedly a brazen
creature who showed up in a Cadillac to collect
welfare checks, several of them. The effort to portray
as rich cheats those forced to subsist on welfare
continued for another decade or so. Too bad Reagan
isn't around to see these real live Welfare Queens.