--
This guy is a dick. If I were working for him and got this letter, I'd hand in my resignation.
To the author: You're not the navel of the universe. I'm oh so sorry you've had to work hard for your shit. So has everyone else. In your darkest hour of disdain for the hapless employees you've hired to help expand your business, never forget: if it wasn't for all these people, you wouldn't be rich, because you wouldn't be able to hire all those people to make money for you.
--
I didn't care for the tone of the letter, but the complaints were valid and your response doesn't correspond to them in any way. He's not showing any disdain for "hapless employees", but rather the government which seizes his wealth.
What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country...
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."
Umm news alert, both Obama and McCain supported the flawed '700 billion' (in reality unlimited) bailout for the bankers. What's even better is that a Republican administration made the initial proposal for and has lead the largest bailout in US history.
I may lean to the right... but this letter (if real) just reads as a veiled threat to employees and not to mention it's really short on details... nor does it address the real problem: politicians on both sides of the aisle spend money like drunken sailors
That nasty black man wants to tax me more so he can tax you less. I value you so much that if this happens I will immediately fire the lot of you. That's because I'm a noble altruistic person, unlike you useless unproductive slackers whom, by the way, I value.
So, I'm not telling you how to vote, but if you vote for the guy who says he wants to help the middle classes rather than the rich then it may make you lose your job.
Forgive my ignorance (and being a non-US), I could not understand who he points his finger to vote (obama or mccain). I really don't know about their tax policies.
Apart from that, I think not only in US but all around the world, these kinds of taxes should be reduced. But in only favor of the employees. I mean, an employer should have an option to pay tax or spend that amount on creating new jobs. Otherwise, rich bussinessowners spend that tax money (or save it for worse days) and also still spend their employees when their bussiness is not good.
If this letter is true, I think this guy needs a good tax lawyer and tax accountant to help him out.
The gist of his message makes sense, business and employers need more encouragement/incentives to produce and build... don't kill inspiration, innovation. The part of firing your workers near the end because he pays too much taxes is a childish. What about the employees who think they pay too much taxe. Should they all just quit and shut down the business? Two way street buddy....
And, if the company is making money, I'm sure you'll be able to sell the business to someone willing to make a go of it. Why would you just shut it down? Seems a little dumbass too me.
Unfortunately we live in a day and age of perpetual complainers. Rich, poor and everyone in between believes they are entitled to everything and anything that satisifies there primal cravings.
It's probably not legitimate, and while there are lot of objections to some of the premises, it's an interesting read. If you read "Atlas Shrugged" and were an anarcho-capitalist like myself, you'd be able to appreciate it more. :)
"Professional" engineers my ass. Up here in Canada engineering is a regulated profession, and similar to doctors, we're expected to put the interests of the general public above our own. There is a purpose higher than merely making boatloads of cash (and I honestly don't think this man is starving).
A guy like Zed Shaw to reply to his posts. The CEO is a jerk, and the information he presents is skewed anyways. We don't know how many people he screwed along all the way to the top.
I've seen this letter reprinted everywhere and every time I see it, it irks the hell out of me.
He throws around a lot of gravitas and some big numbers and then goes, "Oh poor me, these taxes are crushing me." without providing any real objective proof of it.
So you paid $288k of taxes for that quarter. That was out of how much revenue? how much profit? hm?
The other half of it is what he got from paying taxes.
* He could hire his employees because they were educated (paid and/or subsidized by taxes.)
* He could take on loans and other debt because the financial system is regulated to ensure investor confidence.
* Companies can get their products to customers efficiently because of roads/bridges/etc.
I'm not saying taxes are too low, or even just right, or even sensible at all, but they have to be considered in context. He pays quite a bit in taxes, but how does that relate to what he puts into the economy and what he takes from the "commons" of the economy?
You know what also kills innovation and business? Not investing in public education. Not providing health care to workers. Not providing a legal system to make laws, a judicial system to interpret laws and contracts, etc. Not investing in fundamental research. Not regulating the money supply... one could go on for tomes.
If business taxes "hurt" business, then what you get for them "helps" business. In this trade-off neither extreme is desirable.
I agree. These words don't sound like the words of an entrepreneur. One becomes an entrepreneur because you every inch in your body desires it; the risks are far too great to make it worthwhile otherwise.
As for tax & politics: businesses prosper in South Africa, but we have insane taxes (most of which goes towards projects that will never benefit any business), mountains of strict regulations and political uncertainty.
[+] [-] swombat|17 years ago|reply
And my comment still stands:
-- This guy is a dick. If I were working for him and got this letter, I'd hand in my resignation.
To the author: You're not the navel of the universe. I'm oh so sorry you've had to work hard for your shit. So has everyone else. In your darkest hour of disdain for the hapless employees you've hired to help expand your business, never forget: if it wasn't for all these people, you wouldn't be rich, because you wouldn't be able to hire all those people to make money for you. --
[+] [-] mynameishere|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] chaostheory|17 years ago|reply
What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country...
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."
Umm news alert, both Obama and McCain supported the flawed '700 billion' (in reality unlimited) bailout for the bankers. What's even better is that a Republican administration made the initial proposal for and has lead the largest bailout in US history.
I may lean to the right... but this letter (if real) just reads as a veiled threat to employees and not to mention it's really short on details... nor does it address the real problem: politicians on both sides of the aisle spend money like drunken sailors
[+] [-] gjm11|17 years ago|reply
That nasty black man wants to tax me more so he can tax you less. I value you so much that if this happens I will immediately fire the lot of you. That's because I'm a noble altruistic person, unlike you useless unproductive slackers whom, by the way, I value.
So, I'm not telling you how to vote, but if you vote for the guy who says he wants to help the middle classes rather than the rich then it may make you lose your job.
Fuck you^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^HLove,
The boss.
[+] [-] profgubler|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] koraybalci|17 years ago|reply
Apart from that, I think not only in US but all around the world, these kinds of taxes should be reduced. But in only favor of the employees. I mean, an employer should have an option to pay tax or spend that amount on creating new jobs. Otherwise, rich bussinessowners spend that tax money (or save it for worse days) and also still spend their employees when their bussiness is not good.
[+] [-] rsheridan6|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dgabriel|17 years ago|reply
Here's a guy who respects his employees.
[+] [-] Angostura|17 years ago|reply
I'm middle-aged, burned out and on the verge of a breakdown. I'm casting around for someone to blame for my feelings of ill-directed rage.
Please help me.
Love,
The boss.
[+] [-] gcn1|17 years ago|reply
The gist of his message makes sense, business and employers need more encouragement/incentives to produce and build... don't kill inspiration, innovation. The part of firing your workers near the end because he pays too much taxes is a childish. What about the employees who think they pay too much taxe. Should they all just quit and shut down the business? Two way street buddy....
And, if the company is making money, I'm sure you'll be able to sell the business to someone willing to make a go of it. Why would you just shut it down? Seems a little dumbass too me.
Unfortunately we live in a day and age of perpetual complainers. Rich, poor and everyone in between believes they are entitled to everything and anything that satisifies there primal cravings.
[+] [-] kungfooey|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] redrobot5050|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] sadiq|17 years ago|reply
That's the guy and the company website.
Seems like they're still going!
[+] [-] potatolicious|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dimitry|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] unknown|17 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] socratees|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] auston|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] teamonkey|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] unknown|17 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] ananthrk|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dgordon|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ajkirwin|17 years ago|reply
He throws around a lot of gravitas and some big numbers and then goes, "Oh poor me, these taxes are crushing me." without providing any real objective proof of it.
So you paid $288k of taxes for that quarter. That was out of how much revenue? how much profit? hm?
[+] [-] jedc|17 years ago|reply
* He could hire his employees because they were educated (paid and/or subsidized by taxes.)
* He could take on loans and other debt because the financial system is regulated to ensure investor confidence.
* Companies can get their products to customers efficiently because of roads/bridges/etc.
I'm not saying taxes are too low, or even just right, or even sensible at all, but they have to be considered in context. He pays quite a bit in taxes, but how does that relate to what he puts into the economy and what he takes from the "commons" of the economy?
[+] [-] gaius|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Rod|17 years ago|reply
Quoting Sir Winston Churchill:
"We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle."
[+] [-] andreyf|17 years ago|reply
You know what also kills innovation and business? Not investing in public education. Not providing health care to workers. Not providing a legal system to make laws, a judicial system to interpret laws and contracts, etc. Not investing in fundamental research. Not regulating the money supply... one could go on for tomes.
If business taxes "hurt" business, then what you get for them "helps" business. In this trade-off neither extreme is desirable.
[+] [-] ahoyhere|17 years ago|reply
It's written exactly the way most (literate) chainletters are.
And lots of those use real names / institution names to add legitimacy, too.
[+] [-] davidw|17 years ago|reply
Looks like they do plenty of work that is funded through taxes of some kind.
[+] [-] wynand|17 years ago|reply
As for tax & politics: businesses prosper in South Africa, but we have insane taxes (most of which goes towards projects that will never benefit any business), mountains of strict regulations and political uncertainty.
[+] [-] dhimes|17 years ago|reply
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/layoff.asp
[+] [-] gjm11|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] tapinko|17 years ago|reply
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