Clueless Joe

We've certainly had our fill of Joes this election. Joe six-pack, Joe the Plumber, Joe the Schmoe...



But, what is really bugging me is the Joe that speaks up every election season. The stupid Joe. The Joe who thinks the rich guys are all sticking it to them. All business owners are fat cats out to screw the regular guy. A guy who looks for someone in government to come along and redistribute the wealth. A red-blooded American with latent socialist beliefs.



From this you may deduce I was raised in a white collar home of privilege. Nope, couldn't be farther from the truth. I was raised in a Union home. Dad was, and I suppose still is UAW. My grandfather was UMW. I understand unions. I have benefited greatly from unions. Decent income for the family, good health coverage, car discounts, and great retirement benefits for my parents.



I would love for all of us to have this compensation package. Unfortunately, it was exactly these wages and benefits that drove jobs out of America. It was these unions that looked out for themselves and refused to see the bigger picture that doomed the economy. Of course, they didn't do it alone. Corporate greed definitely had their hands in the mess. But, that topic is adequately highlighted this election season.



Face it, we want to be paid top dollar, have great retirement and health benefits AND not pay a dime more for our goods and services.



Therein lies the rub. We can't have both. If workers get paid more, the costs will rise. And if costs rise in proportion to salaries, are we any better off than we were in the first place?



Sure some businesses could cut costs in their hierarchy to fund raises for Joe, however, over 52% of American jobs are provided by small business owners. These are frequently the people who take no time off, cover for workers when they are sick, do not give themselves raises, cannot afford health care for themselves but are expected to provide it for their employees and have invested their entire financial assets into their business. Their business goes under, Joe looks for another job, the owner is out not only a job, but also his or her life savings and their home.



We have raised our family on a frayed and often snapped shoestring. My husband worked over ten years in jobs where he was given no sick leave. You don't work, you don't get paid. It sucked. But it was a job. He also had his own company where any little profit that eked through went to paying our health care. I know what it is to pay that hefty bill every month.



But no where do I feel the government owes it to me to give me health care. Reform the system? Sure. Come up with a humane socialized health care that won't break the bank. I'm all ears. Investigate how insurance companies do their business, that would be congress doing their job.



But, when we are demanding 'our rights' at least be informed enough to know at what cost these benefits come.



For example. Obama is promising to cut the taxes of the middle class and still fund his programs by raising the taxes of business. My husband did some quick math. Our county has a population of 545,931. If every citizen was given a tax break or rebate of say $1,000, that would be $545,931,000. Let's cut it down. There are 217, 788 households making for $217,788,000 if $1,000 were given to each household.

We have over 12,000 businesses with 12 major employers. Assuming the twelve major employers would take on the brunt of this new tax, that would mean 18,149,000 in additional taxes. Additional. And did I mention three of these employers are non-profit tax exempt hospitals, one is a tax exempt city school district and another a tax exempt state university? That leaves one utility, four manufacturers with two in trade. Dividing the total between these seven employers that gives a additional tax burden of almost 31 million dollars. Who can absorb that and stay in business? And even if it could be done, how are they going to fund it? By passing it on to the consumer of course. Does the consumer ever win when business taxes are raised?



Interesting quote sam spade posted on the Southern Maryland on-line forum -

If a rich person wants more than he has - is it greed?

If a poor person wants more than he has - is it greed?



Really, isn't that the question in nutshell? I've been poor. Financially poor due to choices. We decided to have a parent raise our children and not daycare. It was a choice. Our choice. Why should the government bail us out for that? We live on one income. We've had to pay for health care. But through it all, there have been options available to change our situation. We just made choices to put the intangible needs of family first. Government already has in place generous tax breaks for people of low income and those raising children. Free lunch and breakfast for school age children. Food stamps, educational grants and so many other programs to give a leg up to those in the lower economic bracket.



So, this is one poor person saying, get real. We can't have some Utopian economic system where we all get great wages and benefits and costs remain low enough for all to take advantage of the endless bounty capitalism provides.



People who strive, work hard, invest their money, take the risks and suffer the sleepless nights should not be unduly punished for their ambition.



We need to get away from the 'they owe it to me' mentality. Joe, the rich do not owe you success. Government, quit trying to level the playing field with a track hoe. All you'll accomplish is digging a hole so deep that we will never get out.