Vator, I can completely see where you're coming from, but I suspect that management has a reasonable understanding of not only what's happening this year, but also for several years to follow. What I'm suggesting is that they're leading us into a very successful future and that's why they're entitled to what they're being granted. The BOD knows what they're planning for the future, and they concur.
Don't get me wrong, I think executive compensation is generally out of control everywhere, but I cannot see a reason why our executives should be punished, while other executives everywhere continue getting excessive rewards. I fell much the same about other highly paid occupations like athletes, TV and movie stars, etc. I believe that most of these people would do the same job if the decimal point was moved one or two places to the left, and they'd still feel well rewarded, but with the money there for the taking, they will take it. Who can blame them. Many of them do a great deal of charity, but again, at least in part to decrease their taxes, but it still does a lot of good.
I've voted for the management position, and will continue to do so as long as it essentially mirrors what others in similar companies are getting. I'd like to see it change, but doubt it will in my lifetime. Back when I was a kid, and my dad was an executive, taxes were so high that earning a few more dollars was almost meaningless as most went to the Govt. Now as taxes have come down, executives have become far more greedier as they're permitted to keep so much more of what they earn. On a personal note, I'm selling my Tahoe properties for 1031 (Starker) exchanges not because I don't like the properties, but because the exchanges give me tremendous tax advantages, and also I'll be buying in places my kids want to be when I'm no longer here. We've always enjoyed Tahoe, but I can still do so in a hotel, or renting a house myself.
Frankly I doubt if most of our votes matter that much, except for establishing the size of the management win, it's very rare that management loses on any issue they're really behind. In all my years of investing I've only seen a very few votes that went against the management position even with massive individual efforts to prevent them.
Gary