Posted on 01/06/2009 12:53:51 PM PST by Lilpug15
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
If this is a real guy he just made mistake #1: He admitted he will leave the country to avoid paying taxes. In that case the IRS will still tax you in absentia, and throw you in jail if they ever catch you. They won’t accept the claim that you’ve renounced your citizenship.
It was probably written, for real or not, before the election to try to bring home how Obama's "change" will mean lost jobs.
Signed,
John Galt
Even if the employee was a very productive and loyal to the company? Doubt it.
I agree.
If they were very productive and knew the value of hard work, it would be highly unlikely they’d be sporting an Obama sticker on their car.
Welcome to FR.
I can’t seem to find that in the email.
No, pay your taxes, give them the 50% of your wealth (not income) they demand for leaving, then leave and start over. They’re determined to suck you dry and destroy you anyway, so give them what they want and move on.
I think that was the point, if you read the whole thing. Business suicide. He said, if taxes were raised, he’d sell the business and move out of the country and retire—thus everyone’s out of work. Except, he’s got money and they’ve got nothing. Sounds pretty smart to me.
My brother-in-law owns a business. He plans to let go the Obama supporters first. And yes, even if they are hard-working, good contributors to the company. A decision has to be made, and that’s the best reason, in my opinion, to choose one person over another. It would be better to keep a slouch that voted for McCain, or better yet, didn’t vote at all, than to keep someone who helped contribute to my company’s demise. And, who knows? Maybe that hard-working Obamabot employee who is all smiles is stealing from you—if he voted for Obama, he thinks it’s morally okay to steal from the rich. I say, cut ‘em all off. That should be the new criteria for all business owners when making lay-off decisions...Who did they vote for? Give them their Obama hope and change. In an unemployment line.
The company I work for (18 years now) DID send out a letter very similar to this one. Was I shocked? Nope..... they take every opportunity to swipe at morale; to make employees feel obligated to them. Wealthy peeps seem to think they must control the minions (i.e. our esteemed and crappy govt).
The latest, after the letter at work, was that we should all be thankful we have jobs period and no pay raises.(which is true, but being talked to like a child is annoying). While I understand the frustration of biz owners that scratched up from the bottom, what is most overlooked is another group of biz owners....those that grew up wealthy & still have this same mindset. It is bizarre.
See new tag line...
Before we opened a business I might have agreed with you. Now, I have to respectfully disagree.
It’s time for people to really understand that actions have consequences. As a country, we’ve spent years shielding people from this elementary knowledge. For me, the gloves are off.
If, as an employee, you choose to cast your vote for a nominee that boldly says he will raise your employer’s taxes, you’d better be prepared for the consequences.
That was during the 10 years he got the biz off the grounf. Look at his quarterly taxes - he’s clearly successful now and has plenty to retire on.
That’s an impressive rant. It also reflects the general feelings I heard people express lately.
I took that to be his business taxes not personal taxes. He had just talked about state, federal, property, unemployment, and workmen's comp.
“You sound like present day schools where we don’t want to harm their poor little precious self esteem. “
wrong. actually run a business and send this email out to your employees, who have no control over what washington does, and see how morale and thus efficiency and performance at YOUR company dies.
One web reference cites the author of this letter as: Michael A. Crowley, PE Crowley, Crisp & Associates, Inc. Professional Engineers 1906 South Main Street Suite 122 Wake Forest, NC 27587
Thanks! I wasn’t sure if it was sent by a real person or not! WOW if it is!
Where I work the employees need a kick in the ass. It won’t hurt their precious morale a bit.
I find it most amazing that among the people I work with they cannot seem to grasp one simple truth: Business does not exist to provide them with jobs and health insurance and paid vacations; business exists to produce wealth and make profits. All those other things are simply byproducts.
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