> WORTH READING EVERY SINGLE WORD!!! > > > > 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 interest. > > > > 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 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 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 who > > overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same > > luxuries that I earned and sacrificed more than 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 real > > 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, the 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; > > 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
_________________ "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." Winston Churchill
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