Talk about some ding dongs!

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Okay, I am an Orange Cup Cake junkie. From years ago, I loved the junk food. But I detest junk bonds. The kind that a takeover company piled onto the Hostess Company in their deep debt financing of the bakery enterprise. They saddled the snack-food maker with too much debt and ruined the company. Can’t blame the unions they made concession after concession. And sales actually remained up; even during a time of down turn for most snacks. Hostess led the way. Except…it couldn’t foot the ultimate bill. Too much debt.  Debt that lined the pockets of the investment bankers backing the company. "Who cares if it survives...we made our money!"

Then yesterday, before the unions and management decided one last try to put the company back on its feet, it was announced that Hostess would pay executives over $100 million in bonuses.  BONUSES?  For what?

That’s like giving Tony Romo a bonus for all his playoff leadership. Or Jason Garrett for innovative play calling.  Get real, America.

This BS about how much management is worth— is crazy.  Try this on for size.  I have worked with some of the largest corporations in the country and I can tell you… NOT ONE EXECUTIVE I HAVE EVER MET IS WORTH A MILLION DOLLARS. NOT ONE.

I don’t even think baseball players are worth that much…especially if they pitch for the Rangers.

We have to get real about the disparity between executives and workers’ pay. I am not saying everyone should make the same. No way. But they spread as it stands now is laughable. And PLEASE!!! no more bonuses for executives who run a company in the ground or force it to file bankruptcy. If your company has to ask for a handout, don’t put your hand out for a bonus.

I watched in a very successful ad agency here in Dallas where year after year the executives received stock bonuses on the backs of the true workers who earned the profits for the company…while the workers were told, "Sorry nothing for you."  Talk about incentive killers. BTW that agency is now a shadow of its former self.  I wonder why?

You want good people?  You want to attract talent?  Pay them. Pay them fairly and equitably. And make sure the guy who tightens the bolts on the thing-a-ma-jig is paid accordingly and can support his family with an honest wage. (How about that Wal-Mart?) And don;t tell me you have to ship your jobs to China when you can pay the suits gazillions to sit in their offices and run spreadsheets on Excel. Don't buy it.

$100 million bonus for running a snack food company into the ground.  Geese Louise! That’s stupid.I hope Hostess gets its act together. I hope they make some more Orange Cup Cakes. But I also hope the Union stands up to management and says, NO Way, Jose...if they try and pull a fast one.  Shut the kitchen down. 

The Ding Dongs who have been running hostess, should be forced to take their bonuses in Ding dongs if they can't put this company back on its feet.  And for God's sake, don;t call BAIN Capital.