The Economy and Politicians

The following wasn't written by me, but it might have been:

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 9

A.M., mentally check in at about noon, and then

leave at 5 P.M., 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'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,

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, THE BOSS

Atlas is finally very much ready to shrug.