I agree with all of your points. Mine is that no one (except the one Time mag article) is painting corporate aircraft in a fair light. You get Joe average riled up (and they mostly have a right to be), and jobs start falling, because no one has the balls to step up and explain how these are tools to make income, which in turn pays loans back, shareholders, etc. And keep people employed.
I agree that the sins of a few are really starting to screw alot of pilots. It galls me to see what the top brass gets away with. We talked about this in the office yesterday, and the thought came out that the heads of those flight departments should have pointed out the bad idea it was to take all those planes to DC to ask for money. Maybe they aren't in that kind of environment, but I bet they regret it now. Both our director and chief pilot echoed the thought, and in our environment, I'm thinking they would have.
I'm fortunate that ours are truly used for business, 100%. BUT, what I don't know is if the harsh glare of publicity will change the resolve that we NEED them (a sentiment that has been expressed in our co.)
I keep throwing out this story about the company my Dad flew for. Major US company, comes on hard times, sells airplane, closes department, adds the coin to the pot to try to make the dividend promised. My Dad stays on part time to set them up with a charter company, and is in the office one day when the leading salesman comes in. He looks like crap, loaded with bags, rumpled, and obviously beat. Dad asks how it's going, salesman replies, "I have to work twice as hard to produce half as much since we lost the airplane." And this was only a KingAir 90.