All About Money
We seem to be bombarded lately with articles about money. No, I'm not talking about financial management, saving for college, or mortgage rates. I'm talking about how much money it seems certain people are worth.
Let's start with celebrities. The big ones are paid tens of millions of dollars per film. Even the minor ones will get a cool million.
For what? Because they can pretend to be someone else? Sometimes a little bit convincingly?
Then there are athletes. It seems I can't open the paper lately without seeing something about David Beckham. Apparently his new contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy is worth $10 million a year, with an additional $40 million a year in endorsements and profit sharing. That's $50 million a year.
For what? Because he can kick a soccer ball well? And people say he's good looking? He must not be all-that though, because otherwise you'd think his wife could break a smile once in a while.
Then there are the 2008 Presidential candidates. Again, we've got tens of millions of dollars being contributed to many of the campaigns, and according to the media, the way to judge who is in the lead is by how much money they've raised.
Why? Why is it that those with big bucks and big connections are assumed to be the best leaders for our country? Why does so much money need to be spent to determine the leader of our country? Shouldn't it be about experience, ideals, and plans, rather than about money?
You may be asking, who cares? It doesn't affect me. But it does.
The politicians are spending all this money to convince us that they are better than their competitor. That their idea to save-the-world is the best. Meanwhile, there are people in our country who are starving. If the politicians really believe what they are spouting, why not tell their contributors that for every dollar they contribute to their campaign, to contribute a dollar to a needy cause?
You and I are paying the tens of millions of dollars to celebrities and athletes by way of constantly increasing prices at the ticket booth. Have you really seen a movie lately that was worth the $10 ticket price? Have you really seen a sporting event lately that was worth $75 a seat?
Perhaps you're like me and you don't go to major league sporting events, and you haven't heard of a movie in the theater worth paying for in several years. Doesn't affect you, right?
But again, it does. When your child wants that pair of Nike shoes, part of the money you pay is going in to the pocket of the athlete who is getting paid to endorse the product. And it's not just expensive shoes. How about milk? Do you think that the celebrities in the "got milk?" ads are doing it for free? Nope. Every time you buy milk for your kids, you are putting a little money in to the pockets of celebrities and athletes.
All this money, every year. So that certain people can have a bigger house, fancy cars (and usually many of them), expensive clothes, and all the Jimmy Choo shoes they want.
Meanwhile, many firefighters, police officers, teachers, and nurses are struggling to make ends meet.
There is something very wrong with this picture.
Let's start with celebrities. The big ones are paid tens of millions of dollars per film. Even the minor ones will get a cool million.
For what? Because they can pretend to be someone else? Sometimes a little bit convincingly?
Then there are athletes. It seems I can't open the paper lately without seeing something about David Beckham. Apparently his new contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy is worth $10 million a year, with an additional $40 million a year in endorsements and profit sharing. That's $50 million a year.
For what? Because he can kick a soccer ball well? And people say he's good looking? He must not be all-that though, because otherwise you'd think his wife could break a smile once in a while.
Then there are the 2008 Presidential candidates. Again, we've got tens of millions of dollars being contributed to many of the campaigns, and according to the media, the way to judge who is in the lead is by how much money they've raised.
Why? Why is it that those with big bucks and big connections are assumed to be the best leaders for our country? Why does so much money need to be spent to determine the leader of our country? Shouldn't it be about experience, ideals, and plans, rather than about money?
You may be asking, who cares? It doesn't affect me. But it does.
The politicians are spending all this money to convince us that they are better than their competitor. That their idea to save-the-world is the best. Meanwhile, there are people in our country who are starving. If the politicians really believe what they are spouting, why not tell their contributors that for every dollar they contribute to their campaign, to contribute a dollar to a needy cause?
You and I are paying the tens of millions of dollars to celebrities and athletes by way of constantly increasing prices at the ticket booth. Have you really seen a movie lately that was worth the $10 ticket price? Have you really seen a sporting event lately that was worth $75 a seat?
Perhaps you're like me and you don't go to major league sporting events, and you haven't heard of a movie in the theater worth paying for in several years. Doesn't affect you, right?
But again, it does. When your child wants that pair of Nike shoes, part of the money you pay is going in to the pocket of the athlete who is getting paid to endorse the product. And it's not just expensive shoes. How about milk? Do you think that the celebrities in the "got milk?" ads are doing it for free? Nope. Every time you buy milk for your kids, you are putting a little money in to the pockets of celebrities and athletes.
All this money, every year. So that certain people can have a bigger house, fancy cars (and usually many of them), expensive clothes, and all the Jimmy Choo shoes they want.
Meanwhile, many firefighters, police officers, teachers, and nurses are struggling to make ends meet.
There is something very wrong with this picture.
posted by Susan | 8:13 AM
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