Conservatives Just Don't Get It
A friend sent me this email as an example of the "other side" of the economy which, evidently, conservatives believe is never taken into account. My suggested response follows...
A friend sent me this email as an example of the "other side" of the economy which, evidently, conservatives believe is never taken into account. My suggested response follows...
The email:
To All My Valued Employees.
To All My Valued Employees.
There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your jobs. As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: The economy doesn't pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country.
However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in your best interests.
First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a back story. This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and hear. Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You've seen my big home at last years Christmas party. I'm sure; all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life.
However, what you don't see is the back story.
I started this company 28 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot studio apartment for 3 years. My entire living apartment was converted into an office so I could p ut forth 100% effort into building a company, which by the way, would eventually employ you.
My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I saved went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective transmission. I didn't have time to date. Often times, I stayed home on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business -- hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.
Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting the Nordstrom's for th e latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the Goodwill store extracting any clothing item that didn't look like it was birthed in the 50's. My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.
So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9am, mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5pm, I don't. There is no "off" button for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, and breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to my hip like a 1 year old special-needs child. You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden -- the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations... You never realize the back story and the sacrifices I've made.
Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the right decisions and saved his money, have to bail-out all the people who didn't. The people who overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for.
Yes, business ownership has is benefits but the price I've paid is steep and not without wounds.
Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, and employing you, is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell you why:
I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don't pay enough. I have state taxes, Federal taxes, Property taxes, Sales and use taxes, Payroll taxes, Workers compensation taxes, Unemployment taxes, Taxes on taxes. I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time.
On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 for quarterly taxes. You know what my "stimulus" check was? Zero. Nada. Zilch.
The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the guy who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check? Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country. </SPAN>
The fact is, if I deducted (Read: Stole) 50% of your paycheck you'd quit and you wouldn't work here. I mean, why should you? That's nuts. Who wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is in jeopardy.
Here is what many of you don't understand ... to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn't need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that $288,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, h ired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries. But you can forget it now.
When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don't defibrillate and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do you? Or, do you defibrillate his heart? Business is at the heart of America and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it.
Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the poor of America are the essential drivers of the American economic engine. Nothing could be further from the truth and this is the type of change you can keep.
So where am I going with all this?
It's quite simple.
If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift and simple. I fire you. I fire your co-workers. You can then plead with the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child's future. Frankly, it isn't my problem any more.
Then, I will close this company down, move to another country, and retire. You see, I'm done. I'm done with a country that penalizes the productive and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be destroyed, and with it, will be my citizenship.
If you lose your job, it won't be at the hands of the economy; it will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country, steamrolled the constitution, and will have changed its landscape forever. If that happens, you can find me sitting on a beach, retired, and with no employees to worry about....
Signed,
Your boss
Your boss
The suggested response:
To All My Valued Employers.
Thank you for your words explaining your life story and how you got where you are today. Yes, we have been "rumbling" about the future of this company because we are paid at existence level wages and if the company goes under, we will all be up the creek - but we will take comfort in knowing that you took the paddle with you. At least we'll know it's safe.
You'll be pleased to know that your Toyota Corolla is still serving even though you dumped it for the new Mercedes you get every year - you see, I drive it here to work every day. It's all I can afford, but it gets me here and back so that I may make the products you sell which enable your nice house and new car. Oh, and the transmission is still defective. Wish I could afford to get it fixed; it's a good, dependable car and with what YOU pay, I can't afford a newer one.
We appreciate that you acknowledge our sacrifices in life so that you might live more prosperously, even though you appear to have nothing but contempt for your employees with your implication that we don't actually do any work, all we do is show up and expect a paycheck. Yet, there is still product flowing out the door. Thank goodness for Magical Elves doing all the work, huh?
So, 28 years ago your friends were making a "modest" $50k per year at only 40 hours per week...are there any of those jobs still available? We ask because it would be a step up from the job we have with you that pays $28k for 40 hours. (And that's in TODAY'S economy.) Oh, and we stay at home weekends a lot, too. We would date more, but for some reason, the people we date don't appreciate a Big Mac dining experience the way folks used to.
Now the economy is falling apart and you are asking the people who keep income flowing your way to sacrifice so you can still get your new car next year.
As you say, you have, "state taxes, Federal taxes, Property taxes, Sales and use taxes, Payroll taxes, Workers compensation taxes, Unemployment taxes, Taxes on taxes. I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him." Oddly, all of those items help your bottom line because you deduct them from YOUR taxes and take your depreciation allowance, interest deductions, and all those other expenses of running your business. I used to be able to deduct my mortgage interest, but since the interest rates rose faster than my pay, the foreclosure ended that. My landlord still gets HIS deduction, though, thank goodness!
You may want to check to see if your accountant is stealing from you because it's impossible for 14 of us to rack up $21,000 EACH in tax requirements during the last quarter. For someone who seems obsessed with their business, you are fairly oblivious to what's going on with your finances. Of the $288,000 you say you deposited, how much of it will you be getting back when you file you taxes and deduct every penny of it?
That single mother pregnant with her fourth child waiting for a welfare check? Well, she used to work here, but was fired when her babysitter got sick and your reaction was that it wasn't your problem. She's been trying ever since to get a job but when people see she was fired, they assume it was due to nefarious reasons. And thanks to the welfare reforms passed over a decade ago, she has a limited time to collect those safety net checks before she is cut loose to swim on her own or drown.
What color Mercedes are you going with this year, by the way?
Why was it when George Bush gave you the tax cuts you desired, instead of raising our wages or hiring new employees, you put that money in your pocket? Incredibly stimulating, wasn't it? What in the world would lead us to think that you would do anything differently if you receive another round of tax cuts? Would you start offering affordable health care? Didn't think so.
If you don't think the "poor" run our economic engine, try running a business WITHOUT them. Who do you think you are selling your product to? Who does the work which enables you to live the lifestyle you've become accustomed to? Yet you disrespect our contributions and accuse us of defrauding you because we have the nerve to want to be paid for our efforts. (You know, we are called THE WORKING CLASS for a REASON)
So, if you only make 3/4 of a million dollars instead of the full million, your motivation to work and to provide jobs will disappear and you will run off to another country, huh? And you expect us to blame the GOVERNMENT?
What a whiny, snivelling, greedy, inconsiderate coward you are! You make it clear that you DON'T give a damn about your employees and their worries were NEVER yours, yet you don't mind exploiting us for every penny you can gather.
So, close your company, move to another country, and retire. Spend the riches we have helped you to accumulate. Turn your back on your country - we'll be better off without you. We're at a time when everyone needs to pitch in together to fix the problems the "Free Market" has caused and if you would rather cry in your Dom about how abused YOU are because you can only have steak four times a week instead of five, don't let America's door hit you in the ass on your way out...
Putz.
Signed,
The hard working employees who keep your company going
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Conservatives Just Don't Get It | 30 comments (30 topical, 0 hidden)
Conservatives Just Don't Get It | 30 comments (30 topical, 0 hidden)
