Much of Lee's $400 million is actually in stocks and stock options -- meaning that he has wealth, but not cash, and the company has given up shares of its stock (shares that were already outstanding), or options on shares, but not in the same way as $400 million in cash would have.

I don't know enough about the accounting behind it all, but they didn't give 1/1000 of the market cap away -- the market cap remained the same (unless investors decided they didn't like the $400 million, and, thus, started selling/not buying, driving the price and, thus market cap down), their profits barely took a hit, and they retained value in the company.

And the company is perfectly within its rights to provide absolutely ridiculous amounts of compensation to people. And, if I was offered $400 million, I'd take it.

As for taxes on the wealthiest, I concur -- taxes at the high end need to be raised. With the one caveat that the taxes need to be consumption-based, not wealth-increase based. If Lee keeps all his $400 million in stocks, etc., or gives it all to charity (while driving an '83 Honda Civic and living in a trailer), then I don't want him taxed -- let him build businesses, support charities, etc. If, on the other hand, he throws a $15 million birthday party for his dog (as far as I know he hasn't, but it's a hypothetical), then that whole $15 million gets taxed -- and I really don't give a hoot in a holler about whether it was made as salary or as capital gains.

$400 million doesn't bother me (don't invest in ExxonMobil, don't buy their gas). Reducing incentives to invest and save bothers me.