Dear Employees

[JLA]

I received this in an Email and think it speaks to the truth. As a former business owner, I have felt the pain of taxes first hand.

>> 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 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 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.
>>
>> 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.
>>
>> 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.
>> 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, 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

[KYCanuck]

I wonder what prompts crap like this, is it fear of something that hasn't even happened yet or is it simply ignorance of the reality.

Either way if I was one of this guys employees, I would be starting my own business in direct competition to this guy and prepare myself to take all his clients and eventually own my own Mercedes!

For someone who sacrificed so much to get where he is, he is sure quick to throw in th towel when things get tough. The cost of our lifestyles is very high, we love to throw around comments about this being the best place in the world to live and all the freedoms we have but we also expect those freedoms to be free or at least cheap, well the fact is that they are not.

Yes I know all about the corruption and the waste that we believe we should not have to pay for but, the reality is that it is a part of the country we have built....all of us....and we need to learn to deal with it. (Oh yeah, and pay for it!)

For the record, this guy might as well go and sit on a beach because there will be 10 companies with the ambition that he once had waiting to take over his clients!
If you want to know how big of a difference it will make when you move on in anger, put your hand in a pail of water, take it out and see how big of a hole it leaves!

To those employees of this person, move on!

Flame Suit ON

[Lock5]

One of the above gets it, and one don't. You all figure it out.

[KYCanuck]

One of the above gets it, and one don't. You all figure it out.

In the off chance you are referring to me not getting it, don't worry, I get it, I just don't see the sense it whinning about it every day. You have a choice, throw in the towel or deal with it.
I guess the sentiment is throw in the towel and leave the country! Great, can I give anyone a ride?

Myself, I will try to deal with it either by managing the expetation or changing what I can, but threatening people is not going to get it done.
Besides, nothing has happened yet.

[Lock5]

One of the above gets it, and one don't. You all figure it out.

In the off chance you are referring to me not getting it, don't worry, I get it, I just don't see the sense it whinning about it every day. You have a choice, throw in the towel or deal with it.

I would say there will be more than a few that will be like the car dealer in Frankfort,..........1. look at your balance sheet,..............2. look at your monthly expenses,............. realize that you can live out the rest of your life with the first number, so you eliminate the second one. You will find alot less folks willing to sacrifice whats needed to start and run small businesses when their take of the bottom line keeps shrinking.

I have owned and sold two small companies. I'm speaking from experience.

[JLA]

Let me put it another way.

From this day forward you will be required to work 15 minutes more each and every week, and will be paid $5 less each and every week. At what point do you say enough is enough? That is the point of this.

That is why I sold my business, more and more hours, less and less money. My situation was a franchiser that required me to sell more and more products at or BELOW cost. You don't need a college degree to figure out the problem with this, and if I didn't follow their rules they could take my business from me. So I got out. Granted no one lost their jobs, and like KYC said someone will probably pick up the slack, but who knows. JMO

[Dolphin]

I think the above posters are sorted by the ones that collected a check every week for showing up at the Job and followed specific instructions!

and the ones that made sure those said checks were written, cleared the bank and were made good !!!


Simple as that !!!

it takes both to make it all work out !!!

[E_]

I was with the guy that wrote that about half way down but I can't beleive someone with such a supposedly accompolished life could be such wuss all at the same time. Instead of packing up why not take some of that AMERICAN will power and FIGHT the legislation. Be more like Mr. Pickens!

I totally agree about the issues he states in the first part and how it is unfair but the real issue here is that an alarming amount of CEOs and business owners anymore do not have the ethics require to be in such a position. Who is really getting bailed out? WAYYY MORE money is going to businesses that had shady practices and were only in it for the quick buck and to be a parasite on society instead of a leading symbol for all to follow.



__________________________________________
Please try not to call each other out too harshly on here as that as well as pornography, and racism and the main things we want to avoid and have done sooo well with thus far.

[JLA]

__________________________________________
Please try not to call each other out too harshly on here as that as well as pornography, and racism and the main things we want to avoid and have done sooo well with thus far.

[E_]

No worries nothing bad, just wanting to remind everyone to play nice.

[Lock5]

I totally agree about the issues he states in the first part and how it is unfair but the real issue here is that an alarming amount of CEOs and business owners anymore do not have the ethics require to be in such a position. Who is really getting bailed out? WAYYY MORE money is going to businesses that had shady practices and were only in it for the quick buck and to be a parasite on society instead of a leading symbol for all to follow.

There is a big difference in a CEO and a smuck like me that starts a business from scratch. A CEO is hired to manage and exsisting businesses profits/losses, a small business owners job is to create something from nothing, the first takes brains and mangement skills, the second takes intestinal fortitude(B*lls). If the taxes and regulations keep going skyward you will soon run out of people packing a pair big enough to create something from nothing. Then I guess we will all be on the governments payroll?

[Dolphin]

Well said Lock5

[E_]

LOL, thats why I now work in healthcare...

[KYCanuck]

Don't get me wrong, I understand this I just don't like the idea of making threats for something that hasn't happened yet.

The fact is, the world keeps turning.

[Dolphin]

Was Thomas Jefferson A Prophet?

What the non-Indian has attempted to due to the Indians, a few non-Indians are now doing the same to all non-Indians.

Jim


In light of the present financial crisis, it's interesting to read
what Thomas Jefferson said in 1802:

When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we
shall become as corrupt as Europe.
Thomas Jefferson

The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who
are willing to work and give to those who would not.
Thomas Jefferson

It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A
principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world.
Thomas Jefferson

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the
government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of
taking care of them.
Thomas Jefferson

My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results
from too much government.
Thomas Jefferson

No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.
Thomas Jefferson

The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and
bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny
in government.
Thomas Jefferson

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood
of patriots and tyrants.
Thomas Jefferson

To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas
which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.
Thomas Jefferson

And last - but most interesting:

'I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our
liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow
private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by
inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will
grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until
their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers
conquered.
Thomas Jefferson

[Dolphin]

Don't get me wrong, I understand this I just don't like the idea of making threats for something that hasn't happened yet.

The fact is, the world keeps turning.

Well whatever KYcanuck Stop By this summer for a cold One and we can discuss this further

[KYCanuck]

Thanks Dolphin and for the record, I agree 100% with the first part of that letter, I have a good friend that built a very sucessful business from the ground up with a lot of VERY hard work. He is still one of the hardest working people I know and that is 40 years later! He deserves everything he has and stands a great example for all who know him!

I think I am just alergic to Tax complaints!

I hope I can get by for that Cold one this year though, we don't get up to that end too often! Thanks for the offer and I love a good discussion!

[$parechange]

I have made this speach many times. Kate and I owned our business for over 20 years. I worked 12 hours a day 7 days a week. Then we went home and worked at the kitchen table for 3 more hours. The first years were killers for both of us and the family life suffered. However we were very lucky and did get into our industry at the right time. After 2 years we were making money and after several years we were very well off. We sold the business a few years ago and we still put in our time. They pay us well and we are not terrible overworked. I am not ready to retire yet and give up the kind of money they are paying. But all that was said above is true. I have employees that think one day we woke up and were millionairs. t took hard work and sacrafice to get to the position we are in now. I say hurray for him, he deserves what he has earned. I always told my employees. If you want to own it, it is for sale. Step up and GET_R_DONE. Nope they didn't buy it. One of the largest dental company's in the world did. Thats our story in a nut shell.

[E_]

JEff as blunt as you are I still can't see you saying the last part of the above message...

[$parechange]

Well I might have flowered it up a bit here. But that is truly how it went.

[Dolphin]

The Recovery and what it will take !!!



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