This kind of says it all, doesn’t it:
To All My Valued Employees,
There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job. 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.
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.
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 put 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 spent 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. I was married to my work.
Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made $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 Nordstrom’s for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the discount store extracting any clothing item that didn’t look like it was birthed in the 70′s.
So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9am, mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5 pm, 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.
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 that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for.
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, and yes – 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 federal government?
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, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth because I wanted to make even more money.
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.
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.
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 won’t be my problem.
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 citizens! Hip?
So, 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, 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
Typical blowhard. Penny-wise and pound foolish.
1. He thinks his taxes are too high. Boo hoo. If he tried running a business in any other 1st world country, he’d find the taxes are much higher. If he’s not living high on the hog from the past eight years of taxes cuts aimed at him and those wealthier than him, then he should see that tax cuts haven’t benefited him. If he has, it’s time to repair it.
2. He’s pissed because he chose not to have a life.
3. He’s pissed because the government wants to give money to his customers in order to keep them buying his product. He’d rather that the government give money directly to him so he can “hire more employees” to service the customers he no longer has.
4. He should try selling the business rather than closing it down. It would generate some additional income for him, put the business into the hands of someone who still has some sanity, and let him enjoy the retirement which he so obviously needs.
Please tell me this was a joke.
Heh… Yes, Ryan, it was a joke. I’m sure it’s getting forwarded all over the place.
Agree with Ryan… this is a nice right-wing perspective on things. So how’d we get into this mess in the first place since the plan to save the economy for the last 6 years has been to cut taxes and drop the interest rate to zero? Oh, yea, I forgot–that worked just greeeeeeeeat. Let’s do more of that!
I think the article is extreme, but I can also see his points. Anything to an extreme is…well….extreme. But, the feeling that hardworking, honest, productive people, who’ve paid, and will continue to pay, taxes – are penalized because their tax money is going to people who made financial and/or business errors, is very real. That being said, if you don’t do anything for this bailout, we’ll all suffer, so we have to find the right balance.
How many people who disagree with this letter have owned, or currently own a business? I have but could only survive for a few years before I had to make the decision to either be married to the business or to my wife. I chose the latter. I have tremendous respect for those who make the commitment to start and maintain a business of any size. Until you’ve done it successfully your paradigm is limited. I would liken it to having a child. Before you do your mind is filled with all kinds of preconceived notions about what it will be like and how you will handle difficult situations. Then, you have one (or more) and your paradigm is forever changed. Now, that doesn’t prevent people without children from ranting about how they would do things, or how you should too for that matter. Regardless, if you haven’t experienced it you cannot possibly speak as an expert on the subject…unless of course you are employed by a public school or university. Can anyone provide specific, verified details about how the Bush tax cuts ruined our economy? I’m not asking for political rhetoric, just facts. Additionally, can anyone detail the impact of the Fair Housing Act on our economy. Honest and calm debate is all I seek. There’s enough anger in the world and I don’t want to add to it. I hope everyone weathers this economic storm and we can all look back it this in a short amount of time with a sense of relief. Warm regards, Greg.
after reading ryan’s comment i thought damn he’s got a point. But just seconds later i realized he is retarded.
number 1: have you ever owned a business, an actual business, im not talking about that website i get taken to when i click on your name.
number 2 reason is just stupid, the author was just showing the sacrifices he’s made to appear more human to his employees. It’s true running a business does not mean your on a pedestal of affluence without work as most employees would like to believe.
number3: the government wants to give money to his ‘customers’ but the government would not need to give money to these ‘customers’ if they had a job. They would have a job if the companies they worked for weren’t so outrageously taxed in the name of giving the ‘customers’ money. ryans number 3 reasons, is exactly why everything we are suffering right now.
number4: seriously, where are you getting this information from? sell the business? to who? who would want to buy a dying business in this time and age? this argument is irrelevant.
Now companies have to fire employees becuase they cant afford to pay them, simply tax cuts would be a whole lots more effective in maintaining jobs, than presupposing everyone will just lose their jobs, and throwing money at them to “stimulate” their spending.