From our "Someone Has to Pay" Files

Huffington Post: "Top Banking Groups Complain Of 'Unfair' Pay Clawbacks"

"Banks and other large financial companies that could be seized and liquidated by the government are balking at a proposed plan they argue gives regulators too much power to snatch back executives' pay if their institutions fail."

California Progress Report: "Corporate Profits Skyrocket at Expense of Workers' Wages"

"Between the wall-to-wall coverage on the cable news networks of the Casey Anthony trial and the latest exploits of the Kardashian sisters, it's unlikely that a new study showing that we have a wageless recovery under way will ever see the light of day. And that's really too bad, because it happens to be one of the most important stories of the year.

"The report ... found that while national income rose by $528 billion between mid-2009 and the end of 2010, 88% of that growth went to corporate profits and only 1% went to workers' wages. What's more, the share of income growth going to wages was far lower than in previous recoveries."

California Progress Report: "Tax Reform That Benefits The Rich Isn't Tax Reform"

"It's becoming clear that, despite the efforts of the Zombie Death Cult to stop it, Californians are going to vote sometime between now and November 2012 on whether taxes will go up in order to ensure everyone can live the California Dream, instead of suffering in poverty, hunger, illness and without education or a job.

"The question now is, what kind of tax proposals will we see?

"Taxes need to go up across the board. Everyone needs to pay more. But whereas most working Californians need to pay only a little bit more, the rich and the corporations need to pay a LOT more. The state's recession and its budget problems stem from the inequality caused by 30 years of successful conservative policy to create huge tax loopholes for the rich."

Capitol Alert: "Steinberg says no-pay decision needs to be challenged"

"Legislative pay has resumed in the wake of last week's budget deal, but Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said Wednesday that lawmakers still take exception to Controller John Chiang's decision to cut off their wages last month. ...

"In the moment, of course, it was a popular decision," Steinberg told The [Sacramento] Bee's Capitol Bureau. "But over the long term, do we really want any governor of the state of California, or a controller, or it could be an attorney general, to say, 'I demand more cuts. I demand solutions different from what you presented or else people aren't going to get paid.' "

Sounds good to us!

Cartoon (c) Union Communication Services