> > 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.
> >
> > 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 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 Goodwill 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 th ese 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 that 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.
> >
> >
> > &n bsp;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, 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. <
> > br>
> > 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
> >
> >
> > The democracy will cease to exist when you take
> > away from those who are willing to work and
> > give to those who are not. - Thomas Jefferson
