OH, the irony. In the same week that Yankee Stadium hosts its final game, Lehman Brothers goes belly up, the government bails out AIG, and the financial picture still looks grim. What does Yankee Stadium, Wall Street and the government have in common? Sadly, it’s you, the taxpayer. For, without you, the gluttonous behavior we have witnessed, but turned a blind eye to, would never have become commonplace. Somehow those of us who make decent livings are paying for those who live like kings and queens, and royalty has always known we would be there to foot the bill. And isn’t it ironic that we pay the price, but we are also to blame for the behavior?

Companies that are hugely profitable get massive tax breaks because that just makes SO much sense. Government and big business climb into bed - literally and figuratively - with each other while we pay their bills. Companies that are hugely profitable and want to build facilities that they can’t afford, take cash directly out of our pocket to pay for it, lying about where the cash is coming from. Some business leaders destroy their companies with greed, take their fat bonuses and retreat to their Shelter Island compounds, leaving the taxpayers to clean up the mess.

And who the hell knew that we taxpayers who have such a hard time saving on our own had 700 billion, yes, billion, dollars tucked away that the government has tapped to stave off financial ruin. Dave in Brooklyn owes Carol $5 for incorrectly assuming Brady Quinn would be under center last year. Clearly he has no intention of paying. So, we at the Fantoo Girls ask, who do we speak to in the ‘government bailout’ department to get our five bucks back?

As the moral compass becomes an ancient relic, the behavior of our corporate and government leaders dips to an all-time low. The Yankees organization, a team that has been supported by millions of loyal fans, through thick and thin and wins and losses, rips off the very people who have poured the foundation upon which its history is built. A stadium that could cost close to 2 billion dollars is going to be funded to a large degree by the taxpayers, yet the taxpayers never got to vote on whether or not they thought it prudent to have their money earmarked for Yankee Stadium. Why? Because they would have voted no, and then the Steinbrenners’ would have never been able to build such a luxurious sporting venue before George takes his final bow.

It all boils down to this: the super rich don’t care about the average taxpayer. Those who go into politics aim to join the super rich. Those who buy sporting teams these days don’t do it out of loyalty to the team or the sport but because they see an opportunity to make billions of dollars, get chicks, and pay for that jet they so desire.

When will the average taxpayer finally snap? When will they write that seat license check for $20,000, going further into debt to hold onto one of the last remaining things in life that bring joy only to recognize how absurd it all is? How crazy it is that a 21 year-old kid is making $35 million dollars to throw a ball, and the check-writer is making $75,000 and wondering every day if he’s going to lose his job because his employer is cooking the books?

Bailouts and building unnecessary billion-dollar stadiums when people are having a hard time paying for education and heating oil. It’s so nuts! Since it is completely illogical and irrational, and no one seems up to the task of stopping it, expect the downward spiral to continue beginning with a brand new curse to go with the brand NEW Yankee Stadium.

I’m starting to think I might like being a Red Sox fan.

This entry was posted on Sunday, September 21st, 2008 at 2:36 pm and is filed under Fantoo Blog Home. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.