Spread the pirated wealth.

$497,000,000 This is the combined $ - not paper value - but cash value - of the severance packages of the 12 CEO's who recently fell in the wake of their crumbled house of cards. It is not productive to list the amounts given to each individual, as it may only garner personal vendetta that will move us more toward resentment and negativity, at a time when we need to be thinking constructively on how to organize ourselves for the greater good. It is worth noting, however, that the cumulative $ figure would have been + $22 million - had it not been for the fair judgment or at least constraint of Mr. Willumstud of AIG, who left his package perks on the table....

$497,000,000...hmmmm even if we agreed to pay each of the exiting CEO's $5 million for their failure, admittedly a collective failure involving others beyond themselves, but a failure none the less, what could we constructively do with $437,000,000?

The first check I would write would be to those hard working Americans between the ages of 59 and 65 who were so close to retirement they could taste it. But today are very likely sitting down, hunched over, searching deep inside themselves to pull out another significant dose of energy and enthusiasm to pick up the pieces and keep moving forward. Those Americans who may just be too weary after working and contributing to their 401k's for 30 years, to face another 10 years of work, merely to rebuild what they lost last week. Those hard working Americans who, have sent their kids to college, donated to charity and continually thought of others as they went about their day to day business. What can we materially do for these people?

Although it is documented, in gov't records, I don't know how many families had this milestone shattered this week. I don't know what the cumulative "lost" cash value in their retirement accounts represents, but my instinct is that $437 million evenly split among this group could create, at least of glimmer of hope and renewal of spirit. Just for grins, what about forcing those 11 individuals who are sharing $497,000,000, to look this massive group of people in the eye - and offer a solution. My fear is you would see a choreographed shrug, insincere apology, turn and departure. Although I don't know any of these people personally, my guess is that they would do this with little regret or apprehension. I mean they are powerful, bright people. Don't you think they have the ability, if not the capacity, to organize themselves around something that is meaningful, and work together to accomplish it? They have had a few weeks to do this.....voluntarily. I am not holding my breath.

Of course I am not naive enough to think this would ever happen, but what disturbs me, is doing the right thing doesn't even enter into the conversation any more, and we all readily dismiss it as if it is a pipe dream.