Good. Great. Outstanding. Just how much? Talk a look at the article - http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/26/business/26diller.html?hp&ex=1161921600&en=64d537855d1f77e
d&ei=5094&partner=homepage in the NYtimes. Appears there is some debate in the matter of his total compensation, but it is agreed that it lies somewhere between $295 and $85 million USD for the year. That's not Yen or Pesos, it is US Dollars.
That comes out to somewhere between $808, 219 and $232,867 per day or $33, 675 and $9,703 per hour (BTW that includes Sundays and doesn't use the standard 10 hour work day, but is divided over 24 hours). Sure these are quick numbers that I dashed off in a couple of seconds on my calculator, and they probably aren't perfectly accurate. Oh well - what's a few thousand bucks here or there, when you are making $9,703/hr in your sleep?
I'm not class warrior, but I find this disgusting. Particularly when the Republicans want to make this kind of wealth something that can pass from generation to generation without any kind of taxation. They also want to make any dividends that this vast type of wealth offers completely free from taxation (they are pretty close right now). All this when we are trimming academic aid, social programs, and every child born in the country today is estimated to have nearly $30,000 of government debt hanging over his head when he pops out (visit http://mwhodges.home.att.net/debt.htm for a quick summary by a middle/right-wing character). This is coupled with crippling personal debt, sky-rocketing health care prices, high energy prices. There is only so much money in the GDP and when the people who prop-up the Republican regime are removing it out at this rate, it affects everyone.
The poor, put-upon Have-Mores like Barry Diller or Lee R. Raymond (formerly of Exxon) need not worry though - if the Republicans should win this election they can count on making Bushes tax cuts permanent and protecting their fortunes, partially earned in their sleep, from the troublesome US government.
Meanwhile, the Have-Nots, prepare to be the greatest force for change in our upcoming elections - have the past six years of Republican government helped them? How will they vote? Are they better off today? Does the $300 tax rebate make up for the $30,000 of government debt their child now owes?
BTW, the Republicans and the Have-Mores would respectfully ask that you pay no attention to the ongoing quagmire behind the curtain...