The Culture of Gov't. Dependence, Entitlement Mentality and Penalization of the Successful
Excerpts from An American Businessman's Letter to Obama, from Corey Miller, aka "Corey The Well Driller":
You see, Mr. Obama, I'm the guy you intend to raise taxes on. I'm the guy who has spent 25 years toiling and sweating, fretting and fighting, stressing and risking, to build a business and get ahead. I'm the guy who has been on the very edge of bankruptcy more than a dozen times over the last 25 years, and all the while creating more and more jobs for East Texans who didn't want to take a risk, and would not demand from themselves what I have demanded from myself. I'm the guy you characterize as "the Americans who can afford it the most" that you believe should be taxed more to provide income redistribution "to spread the wealth" to those who have never toiled, sweated, fretted, fought, stressed, or risked anything.
You want to characterize me as someone who has enjoyed a life of privilege and who needs to pay a higher percentage of my income than those who have bought into your entitlement culture. I resent you, Mr. Obama, as I resent all who want to use class warfare as a tool to advance their political career. What's worse, each year more Americans buy into your liberal entitlement culture, and turn to the government for their hope of a better life instead of themselves. Liberals are succeeding through more than 40 years of collaborative effort between the predominant liberal media, and liberal indoctrination programs in the public school systems across our land.
What is so terribly sad about this is this. America was made great by people who embraced the one-time American culture of self reliance, self motivation, self determination, self discipline, personal betterment, hard work, risk taking. A culture built around the concept that success was in reach of every able bodied American who would strive for it. Each year that fewer Americans embrace that culture, we all descend together. We descend down the socialist path that has brought country after country ultimately to bitter and unremarkable states.
Oh, I know you will say I am uncompassionate. Sorry, Mr. Obama, wrong again. You see, I've seen what the average percentage of your income has been given to charities over the years of 2000 to 2004 (ignoring the years you started running for office - can you pronounce "politically motivated"), you averaged less than 1% annually. And your running mate, Joe Biden, averaged less than ¼% of his annual income in charitable contributions over the last 10 years. Like so many liberals, the two of you want to give to the needy, just as long as it is someone else's money you are giving to them. I won't say what I have given to charities over the last 25 years, but the percentage is several times more than you and Joe Biden. combined (don't you just hate google?). Tell me again how you feel my pain.
In short, Mr. Obama, your political philosophies represent everything that is wrong with our country. You represent the culture of government dependence instead of self reliance; Entitlement mentality instead of personal achievement; Penalization of the successful to reward the unmotivated; Political correctness instead of open mindedness and open debate. If you are successful, you may preside over the final transformation of America from being the greatest and most self-reliant culture on earth, to just another country of whiners and wimps, who sit around looking to the government to solve their problems. Like all of western Europe. All countries on the decline. All countries that, because of liberal socialistic mentalities, have a little less to offer mankind every year.
HT: Dennis Gartman of "The Gartman Letter"
44 Comments:
Excellent. Well written. Huzzah!
"I'm the guy you characterize as "the Americans who can afford it the most" that you believe should be taxed more to provide income redistribution "to spread the wealth" to those who have never toiled, sweated, fretted, fought, stressed, or risked anything."
Does this oil man really believe the lower class has "never toiled, sweated, fretted, fought, stressed, or risked anything." ???
Yes Mr. Oil Man, the lower class loves being poor. They also love that their children can't go to school where your children go so they can be placed on an even playing feild from day one. Maybe since you are from the area and are such a generous man you offered up your home for the victims of Katrina? Perhaps you wouldn't mind living on the same block as those who are lower class so they can have the same educational access as you have?
Perhaps not...
There is only one problem.
Entrepreneurs represent 1% of the U.S. population even lower than the percentage of farmers. Senator Obama knows his demographics better than anyone which is why he is promising fully refundable tax credits to the 30% of the population that does not pay taxes.
The markets seem to have priced in an Obama victory already.
"Does this oil man really believe the lower class has "never toiled, sweated, fretted, fought, stressed, or risked anything." ???"
Phooo! Now you got straw all over my keyboard again.
Fred,
because McCain is going to fix all of these problems we have? You really believe that?
Anon.,
If you actually read the letter, you would be aware that its author digs WATER WELLS not oil wells.
I actually did read the letter. I must have glossed over the fact that he digs water wells, simple mistake. My apologies go out to those of you that drill oil wells if I had offended you. Jesus.
The most frightening thing about this is Obama most likely will have 60 seat filibuster proof majority in the senate...and McCain has done nothing to highlight this!!! All of this ludicrous proposals might actually get passed.
I'm a recent college grad and it is amazing how many people have Obamamania...and there are so many people who I can guarantee don't know why.
"I'm a recent college grad and it is amazing how many people have Obamamania...and there are so many people who I can guarantee don't know why."
Stevedp86,
You hit the nail on the head. Great marketing campaign for a piece o' shit product, and the Obama-lovers are lining up for their very own bottle of snake oil. I weep for this country.
"it is amazing how many people have Obamamania...and there are so many people who I can guarantee don't know why."
His ideas lie in stark contrast to the ideas of the man in charge while we were heading toward this train wreck and the same man who has addressed the American people not once about the current financial situation. That is one reason.
I'm not gonna comment on the content. I did want to say I like the term Obamamania.
I'd like to coin a term for the possbile tax policies as
"Obamination"...you heard it hear
first...
I'm not for Bush or against Bush, but I do know the lesser or two evils. And I did vote for him twice and don't regret that. It's difficult at times living in MA and being a Republican!!!
Bush's warnings on Fannie & Freddie:
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/09/bush-called-for-reform-of-fannie-mae.html
Your second point...are you joking?
Do you watch TV?
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/09/20080924-10.html
And I think congress whether a Republican or Democratic majority is incompetent
ok, it wasn't even close to first as a quick google let me know..
Obamination is coming...
I see no escape.
Free circus, free bread.
But someone must pay the bill...
...until that someone hides, or is taxed away.
I've been an entrepreneur almost my entire career and I believe (and would wager Mr. Miller would agree) there's nothing wrong, and a lot right, with paying taxes for genuine public goods (roads, sewers, police, courts, public health, defense just to name a few. Those things alone would give Congress plenty to do all day) but there's a lot wrong, and very little right, about using the tax code (relentlessly, I might add) by BOTH POLITICAL PARTIES to curry favor with organized interest groups to perpetuate political power. I'm no tax expert, just a guy making a living, but what I see when I watch Washington make tax policy is social engineering and vote buying. Real change, Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain, would be drastically, though still progressive, lower rates coupled with drastically fewer exemptions and deductions and real commitment to the things only government can do that benefit all, or nearly all, of the population. But what's the chance that Washington would willingly give up its own power?
"His ideas lie in stark contrast to the ideas of the man in charge..."
Stark contrast does not mean opposite results. Stark contrast will likely mean the same poor results under a different man in charge.
Additionally, his poorly reasoned policies will be presented by a sympathetic media to justify the poor results by blaming bush, and ignoring obvious gaps in reason, logic and judgement.
BTW, neither mcain or obama are the men we need in these uncertain times. It is silly to be on either of their bandwagons.
Whiner.
daily panderer,
That really would be audacious...highly unlikely, but audacious.
Unfortunately, it's business as usual with both candidates who can be judged on their populist pandering to the economically illiterate.
The most audacious thing about Senator Obama seems to be his name. How does a careful, risk averse, long term planner who keeps nuancing his messages and tweaking his strategy manage to create the impression that his safe choices are audacious? How can the safest choice of running mate, or the dumping anyone who might be controversial be deemed audacious?
Anon:
You, and every other liberal non-entrepreneur, always trots out the "What?? the poor never toiled, sweated, fretted, fought, stressed" and always gloss over the RISK. Risk is the reason entrepreneurs get rich or go broke. It's not that they work harder (though they do), it's that they take risk.
There's no risk in being an employee. You don't have to sacrifice anything, and you know if you do your job you'll have a check at the end of every month (unless you live in a socialist/communist/totalitarian society that can't afford to pay its workers). As an entrepreneur, you could come up with the best product ever, you could work your ass off, 18 hour days, and still go broke due to poor economic timing, government raising interest rates to 20% (hello 80's) or any other number of things simply beyond your control.
If you think of the world as vegas, you would never think that they guy who bets just a little should get proportionally more than the guy who bets it all. Yet, that's what you want the government to do for you.
Quick comment on employee risk: they do take a risk. They risk time and absorb some of the reputational risk of their employer. They take no risk of loss and, accordingly, are entitled to no opportunity of outsized gains. Society (rightly in my view) helps employees generally with transition from job loss not of their creation. That said, extracting investable capital (through taxation and transfer payments) from entrepreneurs/investors to support current consumption by employees sounds to me like a great way to get more, but ultimately unsustainable, consumption and less investment. Just a thought from a non-economist guy who makes a living and employees others...
Life itself is regressive and redistributive downward.
And yes, there is also much RISK associated with being poor. For example, the risk of being victimized by crime in your neighborhood, the risk of losing the roof over your head (and with no bailout), the risk of illness you cannot afford to treat, the risk of paying more because of your financial position and where you live.
Being poor is expensive.
@ poor boomer
lol. Sure, there's tons of risk to being rich too! Your ferrari could get keyed (or even stolen!) You could get mugged. You could have a family member kidnapped for ransom (or be kidnapped yourself!) Gee golly, being rich is awful!
The risk we're talking about is obviously capital risk. As daily pander wisely pointed out, employees do in fact take some risks, but they don't take capital risks, and that's what the game is all about. See vegas analogy above.
What about the risk of no employment, high prices, high interest rates, while being baby-sitted by the government, which knows what's good for you. A lower standard of living for everyone in exchange for equality.
"because McCain is going to fix all of these problems we have? You really believe that?"
Yet another load of straw, but if that's all ya got then that's all ya got.
anon @ 1:07 PM whines: "Does this oil man really believe the lower class has "never toiled, sweated, fretted, fought, stressed, or risked anything." ???"
Hmmm, maybe what you call the, 'lower class' who have according to you, "toiled, sweated, fretted, fought" are getting paid exactly what they are worth...
BTW just what do these 'lower class' people risk? How much of their money have they invested into a business that employs people and pays them for their work?
"Yes Mr. Oil Man, the lower class loves being poor. They also love that their children can't go to school where your children go so they can be placed on an even playing feild from day one"...
Hmmm, seems rather silly to spawn kids one can't afford to raise...
anon continues whining: "Maybe since you are from the area and are such a generous man you offered up your home for the victims of Katrina?"...
Hmmm, why should this person waste his personal, hard won resources on a collection of parasitic losers?
Hey anon @ 1:07 PM, maybe that androgenous neo-pinko running for President will spread his own wealth with the poor just like he does with the family he claims to love so dearly, eh?
Hey qt, you brought up a good point...
Consider the actions of Wayne Huizenga: Wayne Huizenga may rush sale of Dolphins for fear of Barack Obama raising taxes
Juandos,
Did you catch this one?
Obama's famous letter requesting alerting Ben Bernanke to problems in subprime housing.
Barrack "you can't make this stuff up" Obama will at least be a great gift to comedy.
I guess if your too stupid to direct your sweat, fret, stress and toil to something with marketable value, you should support taking from others who are.
Enjoy, the parasite only lives as long as it's host.
On the incremental increase in taxes:
Since when did the Laffer Curve become linear? All I ever read about in these comments is a call for lower and lower taxes with very little mention of specific decreases in spending. The Obama tax plan is not exactly rolling tax rates to the 80% levels here. Our economy, entrepreneuers and all, has shown that it can and will grow with a 39% tax rate for our wealthiest citizens. This all seems like much ado about nothing to me.
Do you hear any spending cuts from Obama? I hear spend, spend and spend some more...on stimulus packages that do absolutely nothing for the economy, on redistribution that does not provide people with any of the life skills that they need to succeed in life.
The tragic part is that Obama thinks he will help people when in fact, he will do the exact opposite. He will retrench ideas of class warfare, and victimhood in African american culture. The very anger and blame that Rev. Wright offers that have been a dead end for African americans for decades.
The point is that everyone must pay taxes and it is not possible to spend your way out of recession. It is absolutely irresponsible telling the public that 95% of people earning less than 250k will get a tax cut. Apparently, that promise is being nuanced.
Obama is tapping into anger and the desire for retribution toward the Bush administration but people have not considered what this change is they are voting for. Hope you like union thuggery, justice by empathy, redistribution to eliminate income inequality, expansion of welfare, and the creation of a totally unsustainable level of entitlement. This administration will blow the wheels off health care and social security because it has no spending priorities. When the question of what parts of their programs they would be willing to cut or pospone, Obama wanted everything and was not willing to take any item off the table.
I'm just glad that our prime minister in Canada is an economist. The U.S. has a choice between a rock and a hard place. Obama is a nice person with some really nutty ideas. Choose wisely.
juandos said:
Hmmm, seems rather silly to spawn kids one can't afford to raise...
Okay, as a poor boomer with ZERO assets, I just gotta ask:
I can understand the idea that poor people should not spawn kids they can't afford to raise: Fair enough.
Now, who then should aupport said poor people when they become old and can no longer work? No kids to support them, right?
Excellent letter! There is a clear line between compassion and requiring an individual to take responsiblity for their actions and control of their future. Too many people in America like to use political scape-goats. I've helped the poor many times, but not with money. Rather I have helped them with needed food, water, warmth, hope, and opportunities (most of which require fiscal expense on my part). I will continue to do so. Also, look through history. I believe that you will find that not only have economies been worse off with a socialistic mind-set, but also that there were more that were hungry and thirsty. One last point. If socialism is about "saving lives" then the socialistic left is talking out of two sides of its mouth. Know what I'm getting at? Have a great day all.
Zak
If he wishes to think of himself as above the workers, fine. Then what he represents is the arrogance of those who think businesses are above criticism. They are not, and he is definitely not.
His risk-taking does not make him The Unquestionable Authority. He just takes on risk.
In my honest opinion, he is part of the problem. Of course, he is of a certain "Red State" that makes for similar considerations(regarding business).
...until that someone hides, or is taxed away.
Unfortunately the proverbial Mr Galt has been found and will not be able to easily hide.
Enjoy, the parasite only lives as long as it's host.
That works in both directions y'know.
(apparently my regular ID is not working, so...)
Poor Boomer:
The question you should ask is do I want an economic system that facilitates the production of assets and goods or a system that doesn't. Take a look at Western European countries. They accumulated more wealth, over thousands of years, than the U.S. Yet, they lag badly creating new wealth. Consequently, those European countries have fewer and smaller assets and goods per person. E.U. per capita income is over $10,000 a year less than the U.S., while prices and interest rates are higher. Only one of the world's top ten biotech firms are in Europe (because it bought most of an American biotech, Genentech). Seven of the world's top ten biotechs are in the U.S., while the U.S. leads the rest of the world combined in the Infomation Revolution (in both revenues and profits). If you're able to support yourself, you should buy health insurance in the free market rather than buy entertainment systems or illegal drugs. If you cannot support yourself, then a private or public charitable organization has a moral duty to help you.
peaktrader -
Expansion of goods and assets sounds like a great idea, but as an older unskilled worker, I am worried that it will make me worse off than I already am, and I can scarcely afford to become worse off than I am now.
What upside is there for an older unskilled worker? Expansion of jobs, income, goods, and assets won't improve the living conditions of older unskilled workers.
While there is scant upside for these workers, there is substantial downside risk: In the 1980s, as incomes around me soared, mine stagnated, resulting in a falling standard of living.
Rents went through the roof, I faced five rent increases in five years, I had to move three times when I could not afford the higher rent, and after the fifth rent increase I was homeless for four months.
Excellent Article
"What upside is there for an older unskilled worker? Expansion of jobs, income, goods, and assets won't improve the living conditions of older unskilled workers."
Poor Boomer,
You seem very articulate in your posts; your punctuation and spelling, your lucidity and presentation. I think for an "unskilled" worker, your communication skills seem pretty damn sharp. Seems as though you could leverage that skill for something better. I think, however, that you are not the "poor boomer" you let on to be and are simply here playing devil's advocate.
It's nice to have an opposing viewpoint, even if you are full of shit. If you have no marketable skills, after being around this long and with education/training being so accessible, it really is your fault. If it's social welfare you are after, there are privately funded organizations which can help you. What is your alternative to a growing economy? A contracting one? One with little or no innovation? Rather than you putting forth the effort to acquire the skills to remain marketable, the entire U.S. economy should become less globally competitive to accommodate you? For an articulate person, you put forth some pretty ridiculous arguments.
> Does this oil man really believe the lower class has "never toiled, sweated, fretted, fought, stressed, or risked anything." ???
No, and if you actually read it instead of filtering it through your liberal glasses, you'd figure that out without people needing to point it out to you.
He says that the fruits of his labors are, first and foremost, HIS. They are a reward for that toiling, sweating, fighting, etc., and, most critically, a reward for making the RIGHT decisions.
The other people, not ALL of whom "toiled, sweated, fought" etc., did not make the RIGHT decisions, which is why their rewards are less.
"That's not fair"? Really? By whose calculus? The calculus of the universe, in which turning the wrong corner, not being wary, not keeping track of what is going on around you gets you mauled by a bear or a big cat? The calculus of nature, where failing to have the skills to track the elephant means hunger for all?
The calculus of the universe -- the only judge of "fair" aside from, possibly, a God you probably don't really believe in, is quite heartless, and cares not one WHIT if you have toiled, sweated, and fought for DECADES and then make one crucial mistake rounding the wrong corner at the wrong place and the wrong time.
It rewards making THE RIGHT choices -- mostly -- and we are all the decendants of people who made the RIGHT choices. America, so wealthy and powerful, is so solely because our forefathers made the RIGHT choices -- to leave everything behind for a chance, a hope, of something different from "the same old crap" which their parents had known. It is so because our forefathers had the sense and the wisdom to create the best damned government in human history -- one of the oldest, longest running governments ever known to mankind.
Yeah, there's "luck" involved, too. But, as the saying goes, "luck rarely favors the ill-prepared".
You're an idiot. Pure and simple.
> They also love that their children can't go to school where your children go so they can be placed on an even playing feild from day one.
Yes, THAT is the goal of Mr. Obama. His kids have NEVER gone to special schools for rich kids. He's always had them going to the exact same schools as all the poor people in his neighborhood. Sure. What drugs are you on?
> Maybe since you are from the area and are such a generous man you offered up your home for the victims of Katrina?
Yes, I'm sure that you would be happy to do the same, were you living wherever he does. Wait. Probably not.
You're so full of shit it's not even funny. All communists are lying sacks of shit. They only want to "give" when it's someone else's money they are giving.
Hell, here: Watch Mr. "I'm a lifelong communist" Ayers show you how deep his belief that all property belongs to The State goes. Hint: it stops at *his* property line. Also note how much he hesitates to call the Fascist Pigs to defend his property rights.
> Perhaps you wouldn't mind living on the same block as those who are lower class so they can have the same educational access as you have?
So, I take it you vote in favor of putting homeless shelters in your neighborhood? More importantly, you actually ACTIVELY pursue signatures to place referendums on the ballot which encourage more homeless facilities to be built in YOUR neighborhood? No? You actually could care less, you just advocate such crap so you can take the high moral ground without actually paying the price?
"Oh, but I was talking about education!!"
So, you promote and speak in favor of school vouchers and school choice, which largely eliminates the problem of which you speak, of students being stuck at underperforming schools? You promote using vouchers which give parents the chance to USE the money put into the educational system to actually GET their kids into the best program they can have?
Because vouchers WORK. They get kids OUT of crappy schools, and identify -- for real -- which schools are the crappy ones, by letting people vote with their feet, rather than tying them to a specific neighborhood education monopoly granted by The State, and which has very limited accountability for actually performing.
But let's face it. You don't support these things bcause you really don't give a rat's ass about the subject in question.. It's just a high ground for you to claim, no matter how unjustly.
You're like a Plains Indian counting coup... "Ooooh, look at me! I whacked 'em with my coup stick!"
There's no actual substance to the act. Nothing that matters gets accomplished. But you get to swell up and puff out with pride, nonetheless.
You're an idiot.
> His ideas lie in stark contrast to the ideas of the man in charge while we were heading toward this train wreck
And in direct parallel to the ones who ACTUALLY CREATED THIS MESS. The Dems in Congress.
I could detail it out, but it's not worth the time. If you haven't seen the C-Span video of Barney Frank, et al, extolling how excellently the FMs are doing (in hearings which were expressly about the nature of the problems leading to their eventual collapse) then you've not been looking, and aren't about to.
The Dems have obfuscated, obstructed, and stonewalled ALL efforts to fix the problems at the heart of the FMs for the last four years -- repeatedly and willfully ignoring the warnings that were coming their way from the GOP, the auditors, the Fed.
The GOP bears responsibility for the simple reason that they didn't override the sonsabitches when they had the power to do so, and force action on the matter.
But that's a sin of omission, not commission. A lesser sin by far.
> Your second point...are you joking?
No, he's serious. He's been pointed to those earlier. He just doesn't give a damn about facts -- he just repeats the talking points endlessly.
For those of you fearing an Obama win:
Well, I could detail it out yet again, but I've already laid it out -- chances of an Obama victory have been greatly overstated, and are diminishing as we speak.
I'm not saying it's a sure thing, but it's a lot more likely than the media would have you believe, this is for sure.
Do a search for the blogs of AJ Strata (Strata-sphere) and DJ Drummon (Stolen Thunder), if you would like details. Or look through other recent comments by me, which have a lot of links to his and others.
And, especially if you are in one of the swing states, such as PA, OH, VA, FL, NV (and others) be SURE you go out and vote. Don't let the BS polls (see the two web sites listed above) convince you it's a "Done Deal". It is actually anything but.
Says it all. Bravo.
db -
Alas, my age and utter lack of anything which could be considered "career-related" experience render me pretty much unemployable for anything that could be considered a "good" job.
My resume simply is devoid of anything which interests employers, and of course at my age I become less - not more - employable over time.
And education/training is not accessible to me, since I have no money and cannot get financial aid. I am one of those evil student loan defaulters Reagan warned you about. I have a $135 student loan garnishment, which is why I have no money, but to get my loans out of default, I would have to pay an additional $80 on top of the garnishment.
Since my monthly income is $900 (pre-garnishment) and my rent (for a room in a house with nine people) is $650, I don't have that $80 to pay.
This post was amazing. You were able to sum up what is said at my kitchen table night after night more eloquently than I have seen it done before. I am just now finishing a paper for my Macroeconomics class on what caused the financial crisis we're currently in. My thesis centers on the entitlement mentality, but I also pick on the CRA (and the democrats...rather, socialists that pushed it through) and Unions.
I do realize this is a dated post, but it is a post that everyone should be told about. I will be sending a link to your blog to everyone I know.
I agree with this completely. America is becoming a Communist
country. When totally dependent on the government all will be lost.
The greatness of the human spirit
that had been displayed in the past is being tamed by technology, comfort, excess and lack of virtue.
Post a Comment
<< Home