President Obama sent a pretty strong message to CEO's and other senior execs living high of the hog (our hog) on TARP Money.

These poor folks, used to making tens (even hundreds) of millions of dollars a year will have to settle for a million or so. No corporate jets and a reminder there are other things on the menu besides steak and lobster.

As a dedicated capitalist I have no issue with this. We, the people. are essentially the controlling shareholders and the way back to profitability is cutting costs.

Starting at the top. Afterall, it's where the stink of the current economy started. So it seems only fair.

Frankly, I've always admired CEO's of public companies who take low salaries and bet on the value of their stock options. If the company performs, so does the stock and the CEO and other employees all do well.

The counter argument to this is that companies will have a tough time keeping top talent with all these pay cuts. The argument doesn't hold water because if these execs had any talent, they wouldn't have made such a mess of things.

I'm guessing there are more than a few very bright people who'll won't mind working for a million bucks or so a year, if they can be rewarded when they turn things around. Stock options are a great motivation to perform. I've had them and it was worth it.

There is little if any sympathy on Main Street for anyone working on Wall Street. But let's keep it real Mr. President. Companies who have stuck it out without being on the government dole are entitled to pay their people what they want, not what you want.

Please don't even consider crossing that line.