Letter from the Boss
 

A letter from the Boss:

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, someday, 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. Then 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 bailout 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 mandate 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 simulate 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 action will be swift and simple. I'll fire you and your coworkers. 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




"The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money."

--Margaret Thatcher

Awesome read, and sadly so very true...I like the way it was worded tho, really nails down some of the true issues clearly.

boo hoo

That's the point.

The people you don't see crying and whining about their stupid decisions are the "doers."

If the doers leave who will pay for the rest of the fuck ups?

ahem..... boo hoo

Written by somebody who is not the boss, has not worked 28 years or worked their way up and is as cute as a button with their imaginative little essay.

I get the point though. Too it forces you to read through a lot bullshit make believe to make it.

The story does fail overall.

I imagine that it was written by a low level assistant to the various think tanks that the GOP and conservative organizations uses to flood the internet. It could also very well be a one off writer sending it off from his trailer park.

Explain it away any way you like, this line is fucking true... and it's not just one party's fault.

Sure there are real stories out there, and I'm not arguing the point of the story but this one in particular is made up and poorly done.

My dad sent me this like two months ago via email..... i thought it was from his company.....

I'll have to ask.

I can't really complain to much. So far with every pay increase I've recieved, the lower my tax obligation has been.

It's all fricken "doom and socialism" when you are looking at tax rates on the internet, but in reality after everything the tax code gives you real tax rates are very low.

The issue with the current system is that in order to pay less taxes, you have to make choices that Uncle Sam thinks are good for overall economic health vs "Ohh I'm going to spend my dividend money on a porche and hookers....!" every year.

Which defeats the purpose of having a free nation. You aren't free to pursue happiness if Uncle Sam punishes you for such.

fucking utilitarianism

Is there a "prodigious yawn" smiley somewhere?

Canadians are use to taking it up the ass with taxes. :lol:

Not a whole hell of a lot more than you. Possibly less, if you toss in things like paying for a health plan.

When I looked at your Federal tax rates I was surpised at how low they were. Then I looked at the Provincial rates and about shit.

Many of our states have state income tax but they are a fraction of your Provincial rates.

When the two are combined, there is a decent differential.

Your top brackets are also ridiculously low.

When I've looked at moving south, I always came out worse there unless my employer provided medical. It wasn't by a small margin either.

Up here I get basic medical simply by being a citizen. In my current job I haven't had to pay a penny for dental in 10 years. I get life and travel insurance, by default. That, and my pay, makes it a tough combo to beat. Sure, I could probably (well now definitely) afford to buy a house down there but now here without singificant belt tightening, but you have to look at the whole picture. It's basically a wash.

So do you get put in the corner if it isn't "basic" services? What happens if you have a heart attack?

Life saving is part of "basic services." I get tossed in an ambulance (might have to pay $40.00 for that trip) and get carted off to a hospital ER, from which point on I wouldn't pay a cent unless I wanted a private or semi-private room for my recuperation.

You?

Fine but we weren't discussing cost of living.

Dollar for dollar my income in Ontario would be taxed over 12% more than here. I can buy health and dental coverage for 4 people with that difference.

Hmmm, i pay about $50 a paycheck for crappy coverage, it costs me $30 bucks to see a doc, $50 to see anyone other than a general practicioner, god forbid I have to go to the hospital or take an emergency ride...as I woud be out of pocket THOUSANDS...

That's why I always buy supplemental travel insurance when i go down there, despite the fact that I have it through my company policy also. One crash on the bike and a broken limb later, and I could be looking at a $50K medical bill.

I have absolutely nothing to add to the insurance thing, I'm government property and am insured as such. They'll keep me alive by any means necessary until they get the passwords.

A % of Medical cost is part of my compensation. Otherwise I'm looking at $700-$1000 for medical insurance. If I were to skip insurance and just pay for individual service rendered per vist (shudders)

Anethesioligists charge about what...$6000 an hour not included materials?
Doctors - 200-3000 an hour?

Thankfully soon I will be too in a roundabout way, then I wont have to worry about it, just about what strange experiments the military docs will try to pull without telling me! :whistle:

Are you part of the 65% of canadians that have supplementary private insurance?

Healthcare is fucked up pretty much everywhere.

My rotator cuff surgery as far as I can tell didn't cost me anything, I suppose there was the $10 co pay office visits....

I have additional health and medical insurance through my employer. This translates to being able to recuperate in a private room and having drugs that are not covered by OHIP being largely covered by that insurance. Nothing above that, and I haven't used even that yet. So far when I've been pitched off my bike it has always resulted in a ER visit and out-patient care.

What's your annual cost on medical insurance?

Well, depending how you want to slice it, it's 100% company paid for. I do pay $70/month more for my benefits than I'm given, But I also get dental, eye, AD&D and life ins for that amount.

Family medical coverage through my employer costs $430 per month deducted from my pay before taxes. To purchase the same coverage as a private citizen from Blue Cross Blue Shield would cost me $320 per month:idk:

Dear employees:

My business started thus:

My father was on the board of directors. He sent me to the best state college and gave me a substantial allowance, after I graduated with my bachelors degree some 8 years after I started, my father got me on with the State as an auditor. I worked there until I had enough experience to claim professional knowledge (until the existing management had been thinned out) and my father nominated me Vice President of operations.

After boning my secretary a couple years and farming out my decisions either to Sr management or my underlings, i became President and CEO. I have a house on the country club and have unethically used my influence to make sure I got the inside deal on everything from investments to services. Now with my poor management and portfolio management times have gotten tough so I am going to ask a little more of each of you.

First in order not to lay anyone off we are going to have to cut salaries. Don't expect a bonus this year or even a cost of living increase. You will have to use your personal vehicle for any bank related travel, reimbursed in due time of course, and your locations postage will have to come out of your funds and be likewise reimbursed. Be prepared to bring your own supplies and it would help a great deal if you bought your own business cards (please get the logo right).

If you have any questions you can reach my assistant directly or wait until I return from the Vegas leg of my Mexico vacation.:sorry:

I think this is a more likely story...:panic:

You pay. I get a similar amount of tax deducted to be put toward those things. Same-same.

Ditto. Except I don't have any passwords, so I'm probably not as valuable as far as the government is concerned. :panic:

And you're Army. :lol:

Sorry, couldnt resist! Just teasing!

Yup... we do all the work, and get none of the glory... :nee:

Have you had any kind of major use of healthcare that resulted in wait times?

Yet for the same salary he'd pay significantly lower income taxes.

(I'd mention sales / use taxes too but then we'd be back in the cost of living debate. :lol: )

Well I lay on a backboard for 4.5 hours after arriving in an ambulance, waiting to see an ER doc, at one of the busiest hospitals in the Province. I had to make an appointment to see one of the top orthopods (does studies, publishes, acknowledged expert in clavicle fractures...) we have. My appointment was 2 days after my ER visit that time.

As to ongoing issues no, I've not had to worry about those.

That's not too bad, just trying to get some insight cause I only have net facts and figures since I have never been up there.

Like all statistics, they can be spun to support whatever your personal views are. When people down there want to make socialized medicine look bad, they quote wait times in Toronto hospitals. When people like Michael Moore want to make it look good, they go to London, Ontario and walk into a brand new facility. The range there is like comparing New York, NY to Chattanooga, TN to give you some perspective. We've got 2.5 million people in Toronto proper and a quarter of the country's population (about 8 million) in the area around the west end of Lake Ontario.

All in all my experiences with our two medical systems, first hand and those of friends, lead me to believe that they're essentially on par, with overall personal cost/benefits being *slightly* in our favour here.

You may not get to see a top guy in the field here the same afternoon that you're diagnosed and that hip replacement might have you on a 8 month elective surgery waiting list, but to balance that a broken arm and infection won't bankrupt you here either.

I guess I just hear the horror stories... about how people will sit in the waiting room for hours, regardless of what ailment they have. :idk:

I pay for my health insurance (acutally my work does, nothing out of pocket for me) and on most cases, I pay 20% of services.

Meh, as a civilian dependant you won't have to worry too much, it's us active duty grunts they do stuff to. When they want to give you a shot worry, they're testing something. When you have a rare condition or need a rare procedure worry, you've just become a training event.

:lol: Been there done that...I could probably write a book bout the weird shit the AF docs have put me through over the years as a military dependent...being incompetent was a bare minimum expectation! Thankfully, Im healthy. If something happens otherwise, I may just move to Canada! :lol:

That's why we call it the Medical Hobby Shop, kid.

Damn, it's fun to bust on law enforcement because cops get pissed, it's not the same doing this without a military doctor to get their feelings hurt.

They wouldnt understand what we were telling them anyway.

Like:

Me: my head hurts.
Doc: Take off your left shoe.
Me: Why?
Doc: SO we can try to figure out why your head hurts.
Me: The huge LUMP and the concussion noted in my file should help out.
Doc: You have a file??!

:rofl: I laugh, but shit you not...

Sadly, I've seen the same thing happen at the charity hospital before they merged with LSU. . . .

Nothing scares me more than thinking of the last time I was in a New Orleans Hospital ER.

You may want to look up the word Polemic and check and see if the concept is limiting your world view.

:rofl: