back-scratching

The mutual back-scratching by which executive pay is currently set is ridiculous, and is an immense waste of the resources of public companies that ridiculously over-pay the back-scratchers ..

'Say on pay' moves full speed ahead 2009

He indicated a move for more independent remuneration committee chairs, saying: "What's happened in the past is that with a lot of chairmen sitting on each other's remuneration committees, there's been a bit of back-scratching going on and a sort of circular process of rewards being pushed up across the board."

Parties draw up battle lines over excessive executive pay 2012

In other words, just the usual horse-trading, log-rolling and back-scratching.

Matthew Yglesias » Cutting the Stimulus 2009

As far as I'm concerned, the mutual back-scratching by which executive compensation seems to be set is just a means of cheating stockholders out of the money wasted in absurd levels of compensation.

Bailed-out banks: Meet the pay czar 2009

You may be closer to the truth than any of us will ever know ... what with the corruption and back-scratching going on among and between many of our government officials and private-interest groups.

Taking Odds On A Western Wolf Hunt 2009

I think I can safely predict they will not investigate back-scratching of the media and political elite, or say there is no need to dream up new offences because phone-hacking and paying police officers for stories are already crimes.

The Leveson inquiry will miss the real scandal | Nick Cohen 2011

Last week's prime minister's questions was all cosy back-scratching.

David Cameron is out of his tree | Simon Hoggart's sketch 2011

But they had been receptive to the charge only after becoming convinced by every tale of backroom vote buying and back-scratching that he was not the idealist they had thought he was.

O: A Presidential Novel Anonymous 2011

Investment skyrocketed and London surged back to world financial leadership as Thatcher broke up the little log-rolling, back-scratching association of accepting houses merchant banks at the feet of the governor of the Bank of England.

Notable & Quotable 2012

You may be closer to the truth than any of us will ever know ... what with the corruption and back-scratching going on among and between many of our government officials and private-interest groups.

Taking Odds On A Western Wolf Hunt 2009