(Thanks to BlogHer Pic App for this crazy pic.)
I talked at length this week with my friend Marlin, a first generation millionaire by-way-of his small business. (If you haven’t met him yet, please click here to meet him, here for part two– why some people don’t have money, and here to learn about savings.) He was so gracious and encouraging, but his words on the economy and where our country is headed were absolutely devastating.
According to the Small Business Adminastration (sba.gov)…
Small firms: (employing 500 people or less)
• Represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms.
• Employ just over half of all private sector employees.
• Pay 44 percent of total U.S. private payroll.
• Have generated 64 percent of net new jobs over the past 15 years.
• Create more than half of the nonfarm private gross domestic product (GDP).
In other words…if small businesses are thriving here in this once great country, we all thrive. Remember that.
In the state where Marlin lives, small businesses make up 80% of the employers. Just before Obama took office Marlin let 20% percent of his employees go. The grasshoppers he called them, only keeping the ants to prepare for the new administration. (You know the story of the grasshopper and the ants right?) That was 12 families that were changed just from his small business. He had worked besided these people and shared his wealth and family with them. “It broke my heart,” is how he put it.
Is that the change you voted for?
For the ants that got to stay…no pay cuts, no change in benefits. Before you cry ‘evil rich person…’ I know how he treats his people. I’ve had dinner with them. They welcomed me into their families. They all had nothing but great things to say about Marlin. His values and integrity are hard to match, from pay, to benefits, to their education, Marlin treats them very well. His attaboy from the government for taking on huge finnancial risks and creating jobs: pretty near 60% in property, federal, state, local, FICA, and other taxes. Thanks big government.
He often asks…If someone showed up at your door demanding you give up 60% of your money for the better good would you? That is exactly what the government is doing to our small business owners. Their communistic ways are unconstitutional. In fact, the US Constitution supports fair taxation because our founding fathers hated big government. But here in 2009 that’s not how it is playing out!
Let’s change the scenario. If you’re like Ben and I and earn average money and the government showed up and asked for 60% of our talent, time or things for the better good, to share the wealth, for the rights of others… would you…
a) give it to them
b) go to jail
c)give up and get in the free soup line
or
d) VOTE THE CORRUPTED, NONCONSTITUTION LOVERS OUT OF OFFICE
I pick d. Simple economics tell us we’ve got to stop taxing the small business owners and lift the government’s regulations off of them so they can do what they are best at; making money and creating jobs. Marlin is 56 years old. He said he and others won’t take much more unfair taxation. Instead, he’ll quit and live off the money he has saved. If that happens across the country, America, as we once knew her,will be in a heap of trouble.
Marlin and his other small business owning–freedom loving cronies say, November 2, 2010 is pivotal for our country. We need to get ourselves out of debt, in our homes and in our country, stop the corruption, set term limits on our officials and stop spending. Start now deciding how you will vote. Republican or Democrat doesn’t matter. Vote for someone according to your values, principles and if they will uphold the Constitution of America.
Simply,
Sis
PS ~ Coming up… a letter Marlin penned to a guy who had a PHD in economics (an educated idiot with more degrees than a rectal thermometer) about what he thinks of the doctor’s China supporting economics. Stay tuned.
Tags: class envy, confessions of a millionaire, don't bite the hand that feeds you, obama's stash, paying taxes, rob from the rich give to the poor, robin hood, spreading wealth around, the highest tax bracket, the truth about evil rich people
This is very worrisome even in my home town. I’m stressing about the fact that I may get laid off in the twilight of my career because our bank like many other home owned banks whose liquidity is strong, and they intend to stay in business, are having to pay millions to the government for FDIC insurance premiums for 3 years into the future. HAVE to pay it! It’s making the banks whittle down the bottom line by limping along with minimal staff. You think it won’t happen to you, but it does.
[...] Marlin (our real, live case-study millionaire) was invited by his bank to one of their tea and crumpet parties to hear a PhD of economics speak about the economy. Marlin, who never goes to the wine and cheese affairs because he has to work, thought economics might be a good topic, so he went. After the talk the doctor took questions. Marlin asked if he thought he should send his employees job’s over seas. The good doctor thought he should to save 30 percent in business costs. In short…he didn’t like what the professor had to say, and wrote the following letter (part of which was in the local paper.) [...]
First off – that is one scary looking dog – kind of reminds me of exactly what I am picturing the tax collector looking like this year?
Second – very well written Sis – speaking as a small business owner i am really not happy with the way the “economics” are looking for us “small biz owners” who are the backbone of our nation – can someone rewind obamas campaign speaches for him maybe?
considering dubai for early retirement here… no taxes and free healthcare anyone?