This Is Not A Bad Idea...

Brett Joshpe - writing at Big Hollywood - advocates putting an item back in the "stimulus" bill:

Until Republicans acted this week, the Senate was actually prepared to bestow hundreds of millions of dollars of stimulation for Hollywood. The “Hollywood clause” would have given movie studios special tax breaks and enabled them to depreciate the costs of production equipment at a quicker rate. Perhaps, however, Congress should consider reinserting that provision. Doing so would give us the perfect excuse to impose the types of compensation controls on the movie industry that President Obama is now demanding of other industries who receive federal help.

Unlike the greedy Wall Street executives though, who have torpedoed our economy by allowing federal bureaucrats to bludgeon them into making bad loans, Hollywood would surely understand the merit of pay caps. After all, it would enable the entertainment world to fulfill its pledge “to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.” (Cut for laughter and gagging and take two!)

Of course Ashton and Demi, and Cameron Diaz, and Julia Roberts, et. al. would have no problem agreeing to cap their salaries at $500,000 - or even lower if it would help The One! They would do that right? Right? Hey Ashton, just remember that if you take my money - then I get to come on the set and direct...