Ok, so:
...the former head of the Los Angeles Urban League, sheriff's deputies from San Francisco and Orange Counties, a lawyer for a large home-building company and a leader of a textile workers unionwalk into a bar.
What do they all have in common?
Two obvious things, as far as I can tell.
First, they are all, in one way or another highly dependent on government policy for their financial well-bring (note that the same could be said of a defense contractor, an insurance company executive or a host of others).
Second, they are the ones who set the compensation of the California legislators and constitutional officials. In the face of an ongoing state fiscal crisis, they just gave the legislators a 12% raise.
Hmmmm.
I notice the potential for some seriously distorting feedback here. What do you think??
Well, I've never been a fan of blue-ribbon panels. Seems to me a jury-style determination would be more apt and less of a conflict concern.
Pick 12 citizens and let them decide. You'd prbably want to pay them better than most juries, though....
I think I might be sick.
No, no! This is the wrong reaction, my friends. The right reaction is this: How can we get our employers to adopt this sche... er, this method of determining raises for us?
A modest proposal, for employers: Allow my raise to be determined by my underlings, with the understanding that their raises are determined by me. We shall, ah, keep each other in check, and pass the savings right on to you.
Hairdressers and phone sanitizers.
"If," he said tersely, "we could for a moment move on to the subject of fiscal policy ..."
"Fiscal policy!" whooped Ford Prefect, "Fiscal policy!"
The Management Consultant gave him a look that only a lungfish could have copied.
"Fiscal policy ..." he repeated, "that is what I said."
"How can you have money," demanded Ford, "if none of you actually produces anything? It doesn't grow on trees you know."
"If you would allow me to continue ..."
Ford nodded dejectedly.
"Thank you. Since we decided a few weeks ago to adopt the leaf as legal tender, we have, of course, all become immensely rich."