McDonald's is funding homosexual activism--and I'm NOT lovin' it!

Charmaine and the Penta-Posse
at a McDonald's
somewhere in Middle America
circa 2005 Buying a McDonald's hamburger now promotes the homosexual lifestyle. Here's a sample open letter to the McDonald's leadership, supplied by the Family Research Council,

Dear Chairman McKenna,

We are writing to request that you end your "Corporate Partnership" with the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) and refrain from making corporate contributions to this or other homosexual organizations.

[If individual members of the board of McDonald's wishes to give to any charity, have it your way, so to say -- but a corporation should not
use earnings for charity. Charity is a test of the individual heart -- not corporate or government largess.]

We also request that you adopt a policy which would prevent your corporate officers from using the McDonald's corporate name to lend legitimacy to work they may do for such organizations. The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce exists to generate business for companies that are owned by homosexuals. While we do not object to McDonald's doing business with any suppliers who can provide a quality product or service at a good price, we also do not understand why anyone would engage in affirmative steps to seek out suppliers based on their sexual behavior, or assist in promoting businesses for that reason.

[Your Business Blogger(R) has spent thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours in McDonald's PlayPlaces. I'm not sure I've ever seen a homosexual in a McDonald's. The demographics do not fit the fast food market segment.

No. The homosexuals do not want to eat at McDonald's any more than they really want to serve in the military. Homosexuals are on a marketing campaign for normalcy. And they are looking for a stamp of approval in basic cultural institutions: Ronald McDonald, marriage and the military.]

However, the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce does not exist just to promote the economic interests of their members. They also promote an extensive political agenda, including explicit support for legislation and litigation that would:

* Undermine the unique treatment granted to marriage between one man and one woman under the law
* Treat homosexual and "transgender" behavior on the same basis as race under federal civil rights laws
* Label disapproval of homosexual behavior a form of "hate" under so-called "hate crime" laws.

[Parents should ask if McDonald's will embrace open unisex restrooms where transgenders and transvestites and cross-dressers can have proximity to the wee ones.]

The NGLCC promotes a controversial social and political agenda that is offensive to tens of millions of your customers. A corporation like McDonald's, which prides itself on providing a family-friendly product in a family-friendly environment, should not be associated with any narrow political agenda. Thank you for considering my views.

Let the homosexuals dine on fast food at Starbucks. With the rest of the liberals.

Nope. The next time I need to take the Penta-Posse out for fast food -- Lord, the money we spend -- we will not go to McDonald's. And neither should you.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Market Research for McDonald's

Your Business Blogger(R) has enjoyed eating at McDonald's the world over. I'm not sure of the support for homosexuals in, say, China. See China's New Statue for Brotherhood and World Peace. And learn where the ad, I'm Lovin' It was developed.

Posted at 9:04 PM | Permalink
Comments (5)

Glenn Beck on CNN Today is Cinco de Mayo. Memorable for Your Business Blogger(R) for a number of reasons. One of which is our anniversary. The guys say this is not fair -- because it is so easy to remember...

So Charmaine and I are a-celebrating. Off to New York City. The Big Apple. See some old friends. Take in a couple of shows. Charmaine is looking forward to them...

I wish I was with her.

She will be appearing on The Glenn Beck Program: The Fusion of Entertainment and Enlightenment. (Which might be about the best reason to tune in CNN these days. CNN is trying.)

Delectare et Docere

She will debating the wisdom of the trend for co-ed dorms in institutions of higher education. See more at the jump.

Hit time is 7pm and 9pm eastern on CNN HeadLine News. Tune in and let us know what you think.

Martha McCallum on FOX Charmaine will also be appearing on the FOX News Live Desk with Martha McCallum to discuss today's hot topics:

Michigan and Florida Delegates, Celebrity Endorsements, Oprah Winfrey in Rev. Jeremiah Wright's church.

Hit time is 1pm eastern on FOX News.

Thank you (foot)notes:

National Review Online is running an article by Your Business Blogger(R) and Charmaine on Hillary Clinton's management style:

JACK & CHARMAINE YOEST: The woman can’t manage. “Bad Management” 05/05 4:00 AM More at the jump.

Please email us your comments.

May is also the anniversary of getting my car. (This is important to car guys.)

Continue Reading »

Posted at 10:26 AM | Permalink
Comments (0)

Stacy London This ad is not approved by The Harbour League.

Save the Date: May 13, 2008.

"Stacy London is co-host of The Learning Channel's What Not to Wear and has been with the show since its first season. After growing up in Manhattan, she graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Vassar College with a double degree in 20th-century philosophy and German literature."

Stacy London is a very bright young woman with a father almost as famous, Herb London.

[Stacy] began her career as a fashion assistant at Vogue magazine and later returned to Conde Nast as the senior fashion editor at Mademoiselle. She has styled fashion photos for other editorial publications, including Italian D, Nylon and Contents.

The Harbour League is hosting a star-studded event on May 13th in Baltimore, Maryland. Make plans to be there. Eli Gold runs the non-profit think tank and writes,

I want to make you aware of a very special evening that The Harbour League will be hosting. It is an evening that will give you a chance to meet and chat one-on-one with leaders of today's conservative movement.

America's Secular Challenge
Stacey Herb London

On May 13th, 2008 The Harbour League will host an evening with the board. This will be the first time that our entire board will be in one place at one time to answer your questions regarding today's conservative movement, where we are and where we are headed.


The Harbour League's Board of Trustees includes: Eli Gold, Chairman; Herb London, President of the Hudson Institute; Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform; David Keene, President of American Conservative Union, as well as various other leaders in the movement.

The evening will begin at 7 pm (doors open at 6:30pm) with a talk given by Dr. Herb London entitled, "America's Secular Challenge: The Rise of a New National Religion". Dr. London will suggest that the rise of secularism in the United States is a flaccid response to the challenge presented by the fanaticism of radical Islam.

In the so-called war of ideas we are handicapped in our ability to thwart the inroads of fanaticism by a reflexive belief in relativism, one dimension of secular humanism.

The rise of secular humanism not only challenges the traditional antecedent of the nation, it is an ineffective response to the challenge of Islam.


The result? If you don't know what you believe in, you are unable to defend what is worthwhile. Something that if understood can change Maryland for the better.

Following the talk and question and answer session, there will be a dessert reception that will give you a chance to talk with any member of member of the board regarding the movement.

I also would like invite you to a private VIP dinner prior to the evening's event. For the first time we will open the board's pre-event reception and dinner to the first fourteen reservations.

The cost for dinner is $200 per plate (dinner is discounted for members). This is an opportunity to have an intimate dinner with these opinion leaders. So reserve your spot soon! Dinner reservations can be made by calling The Harbour League at 410-753-4560.

The presentation and dessert reception is free for Harbour League members, $5 for non-members. Please feel free to forward this invitation to your colleagues. A RSVP is highly recommended since seating is limited. Media covering this event should contact The Harbour League in advance.

I hope to see you at the event on May 13th.

Sincerely,

Eli Gold
Chairman

When you RSVP click "America's Secular Challenge."

Stacy London will not be there. Sorry for the bait and switch: Terrible marketing. My bad.

But her father, Dr. Herb London, will be there. Meet the proud papa and get a hint on why she is a success. And buy his book.

More on Stacy London at the jump

Your Business Blogger(R) and Charmaine and one of the Penta-Posse will attending -- we hope to see you there!

UPDATE: Alert Readers noticed that Your Business Blogger(R) originally spelled Stacy as "Stacey." Error corrected and she provided a nice pub shot -- a class act.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 7:33 AM | Permalink
Comments (0)

Following is an excerpt from a panel discussion hosted by iConcept Media in New York City.

Pull Out Quotes,

If it's not core, Ship it off-shore.

If your business is growing more than 20% a year, you must buy some debt or sell some equity -- this is the only way to fund receivables, unless you have a cash business (or a Dell business model...).

In marketing run the numbers down the funnel: how many touches going in at the top, to an action, to a sale at the bottom of the funnel. Work that sale backward up the funnel to learn the size needed for your marketing budget. (And remember: Half your marketing budget will be wasted. You get paid to figure out which half. Apologies to John Wanamaker.)

Your job in business is to create a customer and make a profit. If you are not doing this, you do not have a business; you have a hobby.

Your Business Blogger(R) is honored to be speaking in Baltimore on March 26th; in Washington DC, on April 3rd and in New York City on May 29th.

For more Solutions To Your Management Problems please visit Management Training of DC, LLC

Visit USAToday Columnist Steve Strauss.

See Birol's Blog for Advice, Assistance, Attitude

And while in New York City, go visit the Indian Bread Company.

If you are looking for the perfect gift, go visit NYCSubwayLine. Your Business Blogger(R) did all his Christmas shopping on-line and got the coolest backpacks, clutches, hoodies and shirts for the Penta-Posse. The hoodie is The Dreamer's favorite. The cutting edge, high quality products are the brain-child of actress Lynne Lambert,

One day, while waiting for her train, Lynne found herself staring up at the subway signs with its big colored circles with the letters and numbers inside and thought "Why hasn't anyone ever done anything with these quintessential NYC icons? I bet people would wear them if it was done right!" And so the NYC subway Line was born. Licensed from NY State's Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the tees have appeared in movies like "Bring It On" and "Prime," on MTV, BET and VH1 by artists and their audience, and worn by celebrities such as rapper "Fabolous" and President Clinton. Recently, Ms. Lambert was awarded the Make Mine a Million Business award that was founded by Count Me In for Women's Economic Independence along with OPEN from American Express where she received financing from OPEN, one year of intensive business coaching and mentoring from a dream team of successful women entrepreneurs, business software and training from Intuit, discounts on shipping and business services from FedEx, marketing assistance from QVC, and assistance on work/life issues and financial security from AIG.

Posted at 8:22 AM | Permalink
Comments (0)

Your Business Blogger at the
Stern School of Business, NYU Solutions To Your Management Problems,
Invitation to The Harbour League Seminar-fund raiser for 26 March 2008.

You Are Invited!

60 second script.

This is Jack Yoest Your Business Blogger with Solutions to your Management Problems.

I want to invite you to a short seminar – that you won’t want to miss.

In this short two hour meeting I will talk about what management is – and what it is not.

Here are corrections to common management myths:

Management is not barking out orders.

Management by walking around -- is not management.

Management does not empower subordinates.

A Hands – on Manager is not a manager.

In our class I want to emphasis three tactics that will help change your practice of management

1 -- Discipline – As a former Armored Cavalry officer I like the Army’s definition – and it’s not what you think.

2 -- Selling – If you’ve ever carried a bag like I did as a sales guy – you know that in every transaction – especially in office politics -- someone is selling, someone is buying – and managers always get this wrong.

And finally 3rd – Stop it – Every client I’ve ever worked with – every project I’ve ever managed – we’re working too hard because we’re working on the wrong things.

Don’t make these mistakes.

Go to www.yoest.com for details and registration

Posted at 10:51 AM | Permalink
Comments (0)

Web Log Awards
Finalist Please remember to vote for Reasoned Audacity for Best Business Blog. We will be in your debt. Thank you!

Alexis de Tocqueville In the United States associations are established to promote the public safety, commerce, industry, morality, and religion, wrote Alexis de Tocqueville in Democracy in America.

If Tocqueville were driving today into Anytown, U.S. of A., the first road sign he might see would be for local Rotary. And he would not be surprised at the mission of this civic organization.

The Business Monthly 'Service Above Self'

In 1905, attorney Paul P. Harris gathered three friends together in downtown Chicago as professionals with common interests for the common good. The group expanded and began to rotate meetings among members' offices, lending the name of "Rotary," with a wagon wheel (now the familiar cogwheel) as the logo. As the membership grew, they realized that internal networking was not enough. Harris wanted to serve more than just that group.

Rotary International is recognized as the world's first service club. The organization's first contribution to the community was a horse. A local preacher's "transportation" died and the congregation could not afford another. The Rotary stepped in. Harris's Rotary then built the first public restroom in Chicago and the Rotary began to grow.

Rotary members donate their time, talent and treasure to the local communities.

Succession Management...

Thank you (foot)notes:

This article was orginally published in The Business Monthly as Rotary Governance this year.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 8:02 PM | Permalink
Comments (1)

Our business schools teach that structure follows strategy. And this big stuff is important to know.

gapingvoid.com
by Hugh MacLeod But what Your Business Blogger most often sees is where the boss misses the basic questions -- the easy stuff.

Such as,

What is the business owner's most common company-structure challenge?

In our egalitarian new-age of Aquarius where we are all equal to each other and the boss considers the individual input of each of her employees to be the equal of her own or anybody else.

After all, we are all family here.

This, of course, is nonsense.

(Unless you are all family.)

Anyway, companies should be designed on the old-fashioned hierarchical organizational chart so that praise can easily flow up. And the heart-burn can flow easily down.

Your Business Blogger is noticing a horrific pattern where the owner would have direct, non-stop communication with Every. Single. Employee.

This is a well-known time waster, that some business owners employ instead of managing the time of the employee. This abomination is known as an,

Open Door Policy

Which leaves the harried business owner at the mercy of his minions who'd stubble by to cry about a missing cat or babble about a boyfriend.

Not that I could ever tell the difference when I was a company President. That whining all sounded the same.

The business owner must remember that he is the center of the universe. And if he forgets, he must pay someone to remind him. These rented friends are called consultants.

And Your Rented Friend, Your Business Blogger, will remind you (you may not need to be taught, you might only need to be reminded) that You Are The Apex.

Now, yes, you are the center of the universe. But let us elevate you, the business owner, the harried manager away from the center of the circle to the top of the triangle.

The best management structure is a pyramid, not a wagon wheel.

The wagon wheel has you, the boss in the center with the many, many spokes coming directly to the hub. The spokes are the employees, each with a direct line to the boss. This is not good. Your management team -- usually made up of cronies and boot-lickers -- is bypassed and ignored. Why talk with the first line supervisor? When entry-level nobodies and interns can walk through The Big Guy's Open Door and shoot the breeze. As if all were equal.

As If.

The amateur boss soon becomes an armature spinning in circles.

But not now. Not after reading this article.

The best structure is a pyramid with the business owner at the tippy top with a few, no more than ten, direct reports. The employee wanting to bother and waste the time of the boss will have to crawl over layers of managers before getting to you, the owner.

Whose Door Is Always Open. Because Employees Are Our Most Important Asset.

(Yes, you can keep that silly policy, but with luck no one will get close enough to you to use it.)

So here's your 4 step by step guide to moving from the hub and spoke to the triangular pyramid, pointing, reaching to the sky.

First. Appoint a deputy. A second in command. A chief of staff whose job is the management of your most valuable resource: your discretionary management time. It could be your secretary. Right-hand man or Girl Friday -- your hatchet person.

Second. Put each business function in a box. Every action and process in to a discrete description. An organization chart box with hard edges with one single line going in. And if a manager, no more than 10 lines going out. Then,

Third. Put employees in a box and a label. Just as you would any commodity which/who could be easily replaced. Remember what that famous Frenchman Charles de Gaulle said, The graveyards are full of indispensable men.

And finally, Fourth. Close your door.

The best company structure is a pyramid shaped org chart. Get yourself at the top to be on top of your business.

Thank you (foot)notes: Management Training Tip: Time is your most valuable possession.

Posted at 9:49 PM | Permalink
Comments (2) | TrackBacks (1)

Microsoft has one real point measurement for hiring.

IQ

Your Business Blogger has hired (computer) coders, sales reps...and government bureaucrats.

When given the option of head count and budget flexibility, I always recommended to my managers to hire the most expensive talent possible -- the Super Stars.

Even when hiring government workers.

Into Good and Evil reminds us that when talent really counts, when talent determines life and death, who would get hired? He points us to Professor Kingsley Browne in The Ace and the Turkeys,

"Given the cognitive and temperamental patterns required, it is not surprising to find that the ability to fly aircraft successfully in combat is an ability that not many have. Indeed, it is not an ability that even all combat pilots have. Aviation analysts recognize that the majority of combat kills are scored by a small minority of pilots. Mike Spick has observed: "The gulf between the average fighter pilot and the successful one is very wide. In fact it is arguable that there are almost no average fighter pilots; just aces and turkeys; killers and victims."

Fighter pilots, like sales guys in a role playing exercise, can practice and give a passable presentation, but,

As one Air Force pilot stated, "Most guys can master the mechanics of the systems, but it's instinctive to be able to assimilate all the data, get a big picture, and react offensively. Not a lot of guys can do that."

But the Air Force has a challenge most sales managers don't: Separating the Aces from the Turkeys,

Ideally, one would have only "aces" or "killers," leaving the "turkeys" and "victims" to another career path. The difficulty lies, however, in the fact that there is no known way to separate the aces and the turkeys prior to combat. Unfortunately, many of those who will end up being turkeys often do not know what they are getting into. These pilots may have the ability, intelligence, and know-how to fly the plane well, but they ultimately lack the "fighting spirit" that they will need in combat. " (Buffalo Law Review,Winter, 2001, 49 Buffalo L. Rev. 51,Women at War: An Evolutionary Perspective By Kingsley R. Browne)

But the hiring manager does have an advantage over an Air Force Wing Commander, the civilian Ace has a track record of Kills.

The best indication of future performance is past performance. Our armed forces are hampered by looking only to recent combat or aerial engagements -- and there aren't that many of those dogfights. The hiring manager has different metrics of combat measures for top business talent. Eat what you kill. Who had produced the best numbers?

In this human resource practice and strategy, there are down-sides as Anita Campbell, my editrix at Small Business Trends citing the Trizoko Biz Journal mentions. She and others make the valid point that Super Star and Aces are nearly impossible to manage. And, indeed, can only be managed by Super Star managers.

But if these crazy iconoclasts can be harnessed, a big 'if' to be sure, big numbers are sure to follow. For example, when I had a modest software company, I learned the hard way that a one genius coder was worth a half dozen coders. And not because he (and he was usually a 'he') was faster, but that his work was nearly bug-free. Which saved me from hiring three coders just to patch.

With my sales teams, Pareto's 80/20 Principle always played out. But the top guy, usually a deviant was always a standard deviation above the norm. My #1 sales guy was sometimes double the sales of #2, the rest of the sales team on the long tail. That #1 guy drove me nuts. But I loved his numbers.

And government bureaucrats? Goodness. I once had an agency head 'lose' a $100 million department. It was necessary to find it for obvious political reasons, but we only became aware of the lost unit because I was working the Y2K rollover and really needed to find all the laptops. We finally found it. Hidden away, quietly working away. And there were lots of good excuses why it was floating alone off on its own org chart, in its own universe. How they got paid is outside the scope of this post. I was assured that it was not illegal.

So Anita and Trizoko Biz are right, Super Stars are a pain.

But I wonder how many $100 million business units are lost. And could be found with a few dozen more IQ points.

Was this helpful? Do comment.
Consider a free eMail subscription for this site.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Your Business Blogger's columns appear in Small Business Trends on Tuesdays and Small Business Trends Radio on Fridays. Please tune in.

Posted at 10:38 AM | Permalink
Comments (1) | TrackBacks (1)

Tip O'NeillTip O'Neill was a master politician. And people always wanted favors from the former Speaker of the House. Before a visitor would come a-calling, Tip would tell his staff,

"Don't take nobody, nobody brought.

Tip found it best to bestow favors only on the advice of a known, trusted third party.

The vector -- the connector, would be known to both Tip and known to the supplicant. Introductions made. Wheels greased. The fix in.

The Irish know how to do these things. Tip O'Neill. Ronald Reagan. Chris Matthews.

And Sam Ingersoll.

Last night I was on the phone with Sam. He has a compelling case for not killing kids. With Down Syndrome.

Like his son.

Sam's site is terrific. The flash demo will make you cry. Emotion sells.

But I didn't know who Sam was. Or anybody that knew him.

How was my suggestion of any currency -- donations, links, recommendations -- going to reflect on my reputation? And the credibility of Charmaine and groups with which we may have some influence.

So I suggested to Sam that he name names. An informal Board of Advisors on his site. An easy avenue for due diligence beyond Googling.

People who could vouch for Sam. Who could provide connections to Sam.

What the Chinese call guanxi. Personal connections; social capital.

Sam is now assembling a Board of Advisors.

(Unlike a Board of Directors, Advisors don't need Directors and Officers insurance -- however Advisors' advice doesn't have to be taken either.)

Sam is doing the right things -- Which is Leadership defined.
Now Sam is doing things right -- Which is Management defined.

For his son Gabriel. Making the world a better place.

Visit Gabriel's Angel Network and donate.

Was this helpful? Do comment.
Consider a free eMail subscription for this site.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Also see Pro-Life Blogs.

What if you needed access to a 'Tip O'Neill'? How would you get the appointment? See Find a Friend. A pro uses intermediaries.

More on Tip O'Neill at the jump.

See Don Surber's Best Posts.

A DC Birding Blog is hosting the Carnival of the Vanities for 22 Feb.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 7:38 AM | Permalink
Comments (2)

Your Business Blogger has a weakness for thinly capitalized organizations in trouble. I recently advised a non-profit on a number strategies. Challenges included hiring talent, fund raising, and risk management.

But the real problem was a board that meddled with day-to-day management.

A recent Wall Street Journal article provides an excellent overview of corporate governance by Jack Falvey.

#1 Directors do not manage a company
#2 Growth is a universal goal.
#3 Directors need only deal with two basic numbers -- revenue and expenses
#4 Succession planning is a board duty
#5 Compensation
#6 Doing homework

A good board of directors provides consulting, contacts and access to capital.

Advice for the next decade. Not the next day.

Was this helpful? Please comment.
Consider a free eMail subscription.

Thank you (foot)notes:

ChristianSarkar.com has more at 9 Prophecies from Peter Drucker.

Small Business CEO has info and links on "Managing" your board. Blog Roll/bookmark Steve Rucinski. I did.

Rob Sama is hosting Carnival of the Capitalists.

Posted at 7:23 AM | Permalink
Comments (0)

IVACTwo decades ago Your Business Blogger worked for IVAC, a medical device company. A competitive organization driven by sales numbers. Redundant, you would say. All companies are, or should be this way. But this manufacturer went to unusual lengths.

The W-2's were published.

Each year we would learn that the top sales guy would earn around $250K. And the company president earned less, way less, than the top sales guy.

As it should be. The top sales guy in a for-profit enterprise, I would submit, is more valuable than the CEO in any single year.

In outstanding sales-driven organizations, the 'top wage' earner may not be the 'top person.'

In any one year, the sales-person should be compensated based on the sales cash he generates for the company. That's where his focus should be and he should be rewarded accordingly. By contrast, the Top Person should be focused on growing the company longer-term -- and she should be rewarded accordingly as well. With long term compensation in stock options.

In outstanding non-profit organizations, the reverse should be true.

Salvation ArmyAnyway, Anthony Begonia from the Salvation Army reminds us that the recent Forbes citation is a bit misleading, about who earns what at various non-profits. The reference uses Top Person and Top Salary categories:

Salvation Army
Humanitarian relief, church
Alexandria, VA
http://www.salvationarmyusa.org

Top Person: W. Todd Bassett
Top Salary:* $ 175,050

(* at extended entry)

These numbers may indeed be for the same person in some for-profit organizations. And probably for the Red Cross.

But not the Salvation Army.

Commissioner Bassett (and his wife's!) total compensation is $98,326.00 See my previous post for background.

The Top Person does not have the Top Salary.

Other differences include commission/total earnings, of course. Forbes would be more accurate to list 'Top Person' and 'Top Compensation.'

The purpose of a non-profit charity is to improve the human condition. The purpose of a for-profit is to maximize shareholder value.

The leadership of for-profits are enriched with cash. The leadership of non-profits are enriched with righteousness.

Because appearances are important. Jimmy Bakkers gold-plated bathroom faucets paid for by little old ladies' social security checks demonstrated the disconnect between doing well and doing good.

Jack Welsh can get away with million dollar paydays.

Jimmy Bakker cannot.

The top sales guy gets paid commissions on sales for yearly performance. The CEO should get compensated for valuation increases over a number of years.

Non-profit measures are a test of the human heart. I am not persuaded that the non-profit CEO of the Red Cross should be earning $650k. Like Jimmy Bakker's gold-plated faucets.

Cash Flow summary:

The Top Wage earner in a for-profit company should be the individual who generates the most cash over the year.

The Top Person in a for-profit company should be the individual who creates the most value over the years. (Plural.)

The Top Wage earner in a non-profit company should be the individual who monitors the cash.

The Top Person in a non-profit company should be the individual who creates the most good.

This matrix might be a solution to complaints of inflated Top Salary for-profit CEO incomes.

Was this helpful? Do comment.
Consider a free eMail subscription for this site.

Thank you (foot)notes:

This is an update for previous correction.

Business Pundit has more on Executive Pay.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 8:48 AM | Permalink
Comments (3)

Christine and Tom DeLay, with the Hammer Cake

I ran into Tom DeLay and his wife Christine at an event earlier this year in your Nation's Capital. Before he was indicted for "criminal conspiracy," allegedly moving money from corporate donations to Texas political races.

Having studied the man in the flesh a number of times over the years, I believe the charges are most unlikely. The facts alone point to his innocence.

Nevertheless, with such a public political indictment, throw 'innocent until proven guilty' out the window -- the accused must be proved innocent. And even then, the headlines will have moved on to fresh kill. Only bleeding is allowed above the fold.

For the innocent individual, political hardball can be devastating. Ray Donovan, the smeared Reagan nominee, after his exoneration asked, "Where do I go to get my reputation back?"

So too for the corporation: Where do you get your brand back? If your company is aligned with a political loser(or worse), is your brand damaged goods?

Given those realities, Your Business Blogger has to ask: Should corporations even make political donations?

Let's start at the beginning of this funding cycle. Not at the end user -- the politician -- but with the goal of the corporation.

The purpose of a corporation is to maximize shareholder wealth -- it's nice if the corporate citizen increases the stakeholder well being, but that's not the job of the for-profit enterprise.

Political contributions should be a board-level policy where donations are made only if the corporation's interest is advanced. Not to advance the agendas of individuals in the company.

For example, Starbucks donates 100% of its political contributions to the Democratic Party, supporting the Kerry campaign in particular.

I would submit that Starbucks should only make donations as an investment in the continuation of the corporation's goals. And not the personal worldview of Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz. Unless the corporation is the extended playground of the founder. Which may well be the case.

Here's why. A Congressman will get some 150 personal phone calls each day. Some he takes immediately, some tomorrow, some delegated, some ducked.

The unwritten cascade: Friends First, Horrendous Enemies second, constituents third. A known donor to a competitor's campaign would have his call returned with a lack of urgency not seen with the above-mentioned group. Interns make those returned calls. Next week. Maybe.

(One politico had code words for his donors. Any large contributor was known as "A Great American." Those calls were put through fast.)

If you are not a constituent, money does buy you -- well, maybe not love, but at least a returned phone call.

If a company board recognizes a real corporate need to influence a political issue, through interest or association groups, follow these rules:

Corporations should donate only to winners in the political process.

Corporations should never donate to underdogs. Losers get the company nothing, not even good will.

Corporations should donate to both political candidates (through interest groups) only when both are in a statistical tie.

Individuals can, of course, make their own decisions. But this should not involve the Company kitty.

Starbucks Howard Schultz and George Soros have not separated the private personal from the public business. For example, individuals can care and contribute deeply on both sides of abortion.

However, the abortion issue should not be funded by corporations unless they benefit from that industry, such as Planned Parenthood Clinics.

Corporations making charitable donations will be covered in upcoming posts. (The answer may surprise.)

Captain's Quarter's reviews the weak case.

Right Wing NutHouse has hunting Repubwicans.

GOPBloggers advocates full disclosure of funding.

The StakeHolder sees nothing amiss.

Sacred Monkeys reports the Texas Democrats have been hit hard.

Legal Fiction doesn't care for DeLay but has questions.

Michelle Malkin has overview.

See Mudville Gazette at Open Post.

The Political Teen has video.

Outside the Beltway has blogger reaction.

Update 25 Oct: Brand Autopsy has more on Starucks.

Update 17 Jan 2006 The Window Manager has more on movies.

Posted at 9:04 PM | Permalink
Comments (1)