A Reason To Smile

May 15th, 2008  a Thursday

Maybe what the world needs is a new approach to its own finances.  A more fair way to make sure everyone is taken care of.  OK, I'm just a bear with a blog so, you ask, what could I possibly know about such a complicated subject as global economics.  Well, I'm no expert, this is true.  But I know a lot about people and what is good and bad in them.  I'm just saying, emphasize the good and see what happens.  Here's what I'm thinking.

It looks like Barack Obama will finally earn the nomination for President.  But what if that isn't really the best use of his talents?  What if Washington will never really change and he just spends all his time as President fighting the Republicans and the broken system and finds he cannot accomplish the important things after all?  It seems amongst all his gifts and talents, the ability to inspire people to donate money is one of his best.  He raised $55 million in February alone this year.  And they say the campaign can cost over $1 million per day.  (Considering what we have seen in the race between Barack and Hillary, it's hard to believe that the American people have so enthusiastically funded such shenanigans.)  Both candidates are fond of pointing out how average Americans are so dedicatd to the cause that they are giving up an evening meal out each week and instead sending the money they saved to the campaigns.  So they don't eat at a restaurant, but I'll bet they still eat.  That's more than we can say for millions of kids who won't have dinner tonight.  Maybe Barack should just form his own political system and ignore the American government thing.  Keep raising that money and use it as a power tool for good.  Be the President of something else where the sky is the limit.  Just whatever he and the global community can accomplish together.  Pie in that sky, right?  Maybe.

But there could be other ways to fund the new world order.  Let's take professional athletes and team owners.  This was a fan posting on a sports site. I honestly don't understand the big deal over A-rod's contract. Jeter earned $21 million last year. A-rod? $25 million. Someone can certainly make a case that A-rod is $4 million better than Jeter. Manny earned $20 million. A-rod with his vastly better fielding, baserunning and better batting is easily $5 million better than Manny. This is the MLB and there is no salary cap. Alex Rodriguez will be paid $27 million/ year in his new contract. Considering that there are other players earning $20 million or very close to it, paying the best player in the game $7 million more isn't too outrageous.

How about an agreement that no athlete makes over a million a month (the global cap instead of the salary cap) and if his contract is worth more than that in the marketplace, he donates the rest for the greater good.  The littlest Dutch Boy told me that the sale of A-Rod merchandise alone practically pays his salary.  So how about just a dollar donation for every A-Rod jersey sold.  That would help.  Throw pro football, basketball and hockey into the mix and that's a lot of dinners.

Or what about American Idol Gives Back.  They were really proud of themselves the first year raising so much money, and with good reason.  But they embarrassed themselves by publicly predicting way too high the second year, and messed up the show something awful which I wrote about the next day, and now they are saying maybe they shouldn't do it every year.  Maybe every other year.  What could their reasoning for that possibly be?  $60 million is sure a lot better than zero on the off year.  After watching Simon and Ryan each getting into their cars after some social event on tv and arguing over whether the Bentley was superior to the Mazzerati makes me think that maybe they should be put on the same system as the athletes.  Global cap for them, too. 

Or how about any hit song that sells more than a million copies donates a quarter for each one sold after that.  How about writing more songs just for that purpose (think We Are the World).  Like public service for rock stars.

All I'm saying is that some things ought to be illegal.  A baseball player making two and a quarter million a month (more than another entire baseball team's salary from what I hear), a judge on an amateur singing show making 3 million a month, a female talk show host making 18.7 million a month and any kid going to bed hungry on any night.  

I know that's just not how things work.  And there are some people doing great work out there through their foundations.  Bill and Melinda Gates, Bill Clinton (hard to believe that's the same guy who has been on the campaign trail with the red face wagging his finger, isn't it?), Bono and no doubt lots of others who donate to their favorite charities but just don't make a big deal about it.  Good for them.  It means a lot.  A great start.

Come on, Barack.  Just think about it.  President of the Foundation to Make Sure No Kid Goes Hungry Tonight.  What do you say?  Say yes and I'll make sure they each get a teddy bear. 

GR