Who wants to be a half-millionaire?

I guess it serves the government right for trying to do a good thing. It literally did a reverse Robin-Hood -- took money from the hands of hard-working taxpayers who are losing their jobs and facing foreclosure -- and put it in the hands of greedy business executives. Before the check was even signed, they arrived by private jet to make the case that they can't afford to keep business afloat.

Now all you hear about is the exorbitant bonuses executives are still receiving after having been bailed out.

Then again, not all businesses that received bailout money continue to spend wastefully. Wells Fargo for example -- which benefited from a $25 billion federal rescue -- canceled a 12-night luxury retreat in Las Vegas for its staff. Now let's think about this for a second. The relative cost of this "luxury retreat" compared to a $25 billion-dollar loan... is trifling! When CEOs start pulling the Sarah Palin, and by that I mean selling company jets on eBay, then I'll be satisfied.

While we wait for such a phenomenon to occur, word on the street -- Wall Street, that is -- is that greedy executives are finally going to get what's coming to them. Pres. Obama has announced a plan to cap the salaries of executives whose companies received bail-out money at $500,000.

Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout.

My only question is: How far down the pole will these salary caps go? At some of the bailed-out banks, traders and bankers make more than the big boys on top receive.

Now of course, adversaries are devising a slew of cockamamie excuses to challenge a cap on executive salaries. My favorite appeared on CNN earlier this week. Wolf and Andy were discussing how opponents believe a salary cap will drain the 'bail-out sector' of talented managers.

Because why would a talented manager work for a company where multi-million dollar bonuses are no longer offered???

If by "talented" these people mean those who have received the highest salaries in the last decade, then the "talented managers" are the ignoramuses responsible for our current state of recession. I'm willing to bet that the statistical correlation between pay and performance of executives at these levels of corporate America is slim to none.

While I find the continued greed on Wall Street atrocious, I have to admit that I'm somewhat sympathetic to those who stand to lose millions with an executive salary cap. Really now, how would you feel if all of a sudden your annual income was missing three zeros after the comma? Granted, these big wheelers weren't earning the salaries of the average Joe six-pack (another one for the Palin fans). For Joe, an annual salary of $500,000 is more than plenty to live a pleasant life.

But for a business tycoon who's been pocketing millions, $500,000 is chump-change. More seriously, when you've living an extravagant lifestyle and are suddenly unable to afford it, you stand to lose important items like your home and car.

Perhaps 'mansion and yachts' are more accurate in this case....

At any rate, I think a salary cap will provide Wall Street with a much-needed "corporate cleansing." If these pay caps help corporations get rid of people who work there only because they receive millions each year, then Obama is doing these corporations a serious favor. They'll actually start employing honest, ambitious leaders who want to do something other than line their own pockets as fast as possible.

One can only hope.

-Alisha Laventure