Lakomka
01-27-2009, 03:26 PM
"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 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 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
>
> 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
>
>
>
>
> Robert M. Goldman MD, PhD, DO, FAASP
> Chairman of the Board-A4M
> World Chairman-International Medical Commission
> Chairman-World Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine
> President Emeritis-National Academy of Sports Med
> 1510 West Montana Street
> Chicago, Illinois 60614 USA
> Phone: 1-773-528-1000
> Fax: 1-773-528-1043
> Email: [email protected]
> [email protected]
"
>
> 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 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 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
>
> 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
>
>
>
>
> Robert M. Goldman MD, PhD, DO, FAASP
> Chairman of the Board-A4M
> World Chairman-International Medical Commission
> Chairman-World Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine
> President Emeritis-National Academy of Sports Med
> 1510 West Montana Street
> Chicago, Illinois 60614 USA
> Phone: 1-773-528-1000
> Fax: 1-773-528-1043
> Email: [email protected]
> [email protected]
"