A practical example of why the economy is where it is.

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daveomak

SMF Hall of Fame Pitmaster
Original poster
OTBS Member
★ Lifetime Premier ★
Nov 12, 2010
27,123
4,978
Omak,Washington,U.S.A.
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. Let me relate to 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 year's 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 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. 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 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. 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 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 over two decades of my life for.

Yes, business ownership has its 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.

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 the government suddenly 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. 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'll fire you. I'll 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.

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, steam-rolled 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, THE BOSS
 
That was excellent!!

Not a word went by that didn't make me think about all the whiners who have their money handed to them on a 

plate served by our government.

I can understand giving help to those who have worked most of their lives, and then by some unforseen circumstance

becomes disabled (not alcohol or drugs) to be given disability.

What I can't see is paying someone to be on drugs, or an alcoholic, or some woman who wants to sleep and have kids

by every man they meet. Giving them our hard earned money, giving them a place to live, giving them food. DON'T GET IT!!

Plus they get free medical.

Sorry folks, that crap just hurts me.

Mike
 
WOW, nicely said. Do you mind if I use the letter for my Christmas Bonus letter to the crew? Now they (the govt.) hit me with an extra "levy" to pay for the added unemployment benefits they handed out.

After all these regulations/taxes, My bean counter informs me that I get to keep only 2% more than what Uncle Sam takes away.

I thought the 13th amendment protects us from involuntary servitude. 

Mike, I don't get it either, It just doesn't just hurt you and I, this stuff hurts the country we love.

My $.02
 
I firmly agree, Dave
Beating_A_Dead_Horse_by_livius.gif
 
Very well said, where'd you find it?
I got it from a friend in e-mail...
 


WOW, nicely said. Do you mind if I use the letter for my Christmas Bonus letter to the crew? Now they (the govt.) hit me with an extra "levy" to pay for the added unemployment benefits they handed out.

After all these regulations/taxes, My bean counter informs me that I get to keep only 2% more than what Uncle Sam takes away.

I thought the 13th amendment protects us from involuntary servitude. 

Mike, I don't get it either, It just doesn't just hurt you and I, this stuff hurts the country we love.

My $.02
Not at all..... I'm sure the originator will not mind either... I do not know where it originated but anyone want to guess on how many times it has been forwarded.????

2%... if you were in the right circle of friends you wouldn't even file taxes....
pot.gif
 ...
 
 
Pretty impressive letter but I don't think that goes for all businesses. I am all for small business being able to make it and succeed in this country and economy. And I have no problem with small business paying less taxes to make it easier on them. But it's pretty hard to feel sorry for big companies that make millions a year in profit and yet feel that they have the right to move jobs overseas, cut benefits, and lay employees so they can make "MORE PROFIT", to pay their CEO's. True it's a business job to make as much money as possible, but where's the line between making money and paying employees?

I'm old enough to remember when it used to be that a business considered itself part of the community and they cared about their employees because they wanted the employees to care about the company. But now many companies know that if they can't get what they want in one city, then they'll just move the company to another city where they can get what they want. And if the employees don't like it then they'll go where they can find employees that will.

I happen to work for a small Electrical company. The owner of my company started his business out of the back of his truck. He pays all the same taxes that was stated in the letter, plus he pays us(his employees) a good union wage. Yet now, it's a union electrical shop that does yearly business in the millions and is one of the largest electrical shops(union or non union) in the state. 

So what I'm trying to say is that a company can succeed paying those taxes, benefits and wages. It is hard but it's not impossible. GE can do it and not pay ANY Federal taxes! The government knows that small business creates most of the jobs in this country, so why would they try to mess that up?

Instead of complaining about how much you have to pay in taxes why not complain about how much those bigger companies "DON'T PAY" in taxes. That puts a bigger burden on those that do pay and try to do the right thing.
 
Don't blame the companies for moving over seas. Blame the ridiculous tax codes. Our government has driven almost all business and industry over seas.
 
I got it from a friend in e-mail... 

Not at all..... I'm sure the originator will not mind either... I do not know where it originated but anyone want to guess on how many times it has been forwarded.????

2%... if you were in the right circle of friends you wouldn't even file taxes....
pot.gif
 ... 
We need to stop feeding the monster .Work for cash.
 
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