Billionaire threatens workers’ jobs if Obama is re-elected
Time-share king David Siegel, with his 30-years-younger third wife, Jackie, who once upon a time dated Donald Trump. | AP Photo
Time-share resort baron David Siegel wants to make sure President Barack Obama is not re-elected. Toward that end, the cradle-robbing billionaire has told his 7,000 or so employees their jobs are on the line in this election.
If Obama is re-elected, they might be laid off. He wants them to take that little nugget with them to the polls.
Here’s the email he sent them, from Raw Story:
“The economy doesn’t currently pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job however, is another 4 years of the same Presidential administration,” he said in the e-mail.
“If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, as our current President plans, I will have no choice but to reduce the size of this company,” he added. “Rather than grow this company I will be forced to cut back. This means fewer jobs, less benefits and certainly less opportunity for everyone.”
“So, when you make your decision to vote, ask yourself, which candidate understands the economics of business ownership and who doesn’t?” Siegal continued, in his nearly 400-word message. “Whose policies will endanger your job? Answer those questions and you should know who might be the one capable of protecting and saving your job.”
Most of Siegel’s so-called “resorts” are in Florida, which is a swing state in this year’s election (one is in Williamsburg, Va.). So the threat doesn’t necessarily seem completely empty.
Siegel has bragged repeatedly over the years that he pulled off something similar in the 2000 election, in which he strongly urged his Republican-leaning employees to vote for George W. Bush, and made sure they went to the polls to vote. He claimed those actions tipped Florida in Bush’s favor in that election.
That one kind of backfired on Siegel and his workers, though. Because ieight years of Bush leading this nation, Siegel’s company had 12,000 workers. After the 2008 market crash, he laid off 6,500 of them.
And he can’t blame any of of those job losses on Barack Obama. So that makes me wonder if he’s thinking with his brain or some other part of his body.
Let’s run those numbers: Westgate Resorts had 5,500 employees in 2008. Now it purportedly has 7,000. If those figures are correct, employment at Westgate Resorts has grown 27 percent under President Obama!
October 10, 2012 - 1:58 PM
I heard a long piece on NPR about the movie done about these people…they were not thrilled with it. I just get a kick out of a guy being a “time-share baron”. I think there’s a lot of food involved in it, whatever it is.
His wife looks as if she’s made some pretty good money sharing ‘time’.
The Darden Group, owners of Red Lobster and Olive Garden have already begun to lay off full-time workers at their restaurants in order to avoid hefty fines from 0bamacare. Trust me, this is a trend that will continue should this disaster not be overturned. I have talked to so many other medium-sized and large business owners, and they say without exception 0bamacare will adversely affect their hiring.
This is what the ‘jobs’ president has wrought us, ladies and gentlemen. This is the price of socialism.
The photo above suggests to me that the young lady pictured might be good at singing this song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-tsVMHuHrs
“The Darden Group, owners of Red Lobster and Olive Garden have already begun to lay off full-time workers at their restaurants in order to avoid hefty fines from 0bamacare. Trust me, this is a trend that will continue should this disaster not be overturned. I have talked to so many other medium-sized and large business owners, and they say without exception 0bamacare will adversely affect their hiring.
This is what the ‘jobs’ president has wrought us, ladies and gentlemen. This is the price of socialism.”
The great thing about this is that social progress NEVER retreats, despite all the whines you hear from regressives such as Suzie. It only advances. Suzie knows that, and that’s why she’s so bitter on this blog.
As she has said many times on this blog, it really sticks in her craw that all women have the right to vote. That happened in the United States 92 years ago; she’s STILL complaining about it.
How did I just know this news story would Dan’s blog? Easy.
Just think…..4 more years of Pres Obama the US of A will probably have a C- credit rating with negative outlook, 20,000,000,000 of debt, 60,000,000 on food stamps and a 55% eligible workforce employed, and after endless printing of money out of control inflation. Yeah NOBODY will have a job. I often wonder what parts Dan is using to think.
@6 – Dan NOBODY has a RIGHT to vote… not in the constitution anywhere.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/10/09/top-security-chief-to-testify-on-libya-missteps.html?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews
“that Republicans in the House sought to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in funding from the broader budgets that provide diplomatic security, forcing the State Department to do more with less.”
The great thing about this is that social progress NEVER retreats, despite all the whines you hear from regressives such as Suzie. It only advances. Suzie knows that, and that’s why she’s so bitter on this blog.
Dan makes a valid point. The cancer of socialism does seem to relentlessly encroach in all societies until it either collapses them (ancient Rome) or renders them into shells of their former glory, (Mark J’s precious European cesspools). On rare occasions some hardy souls will rise up and start all over again (The Revolutionary War).
I guess as long as a few greedy people seek to prey on fear to assume control and restrict freedom, the forces of socialism will always increase over time. Man will truly have evolved when he can protect his fellow citizens from the selfish few and maintain freedom for all.
Suzie, just for clarification, could you tells us the scenario(s) where you and “so many other medium-sized and large business owners” get together and discuss Obamacare and hiring practices and so forth? Is this your famous coffee klatch? “So many” must mean a whole bunch of coffee.
BTW, did you know “klatch” comes from the German “klatsch,” which is their word for gossip. And isn’t gossiping a sin?
Link it, Jethrene. You’re full of it as usual.
OK Walker, I’ll take the bait. From Amendment 15, ratified 2/3/1870:
The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
I’m sure you were setting up someone to bring up the 15th, so please, go on.
most ill-informed @3 – whining again dear about something you know nothing about?
Let’s not cry too hard for Olive Garden:
Last years [r]evenue for the three months ended Aug. 28 was $1.94 billion, up 7.5% from $1.81 billion a year ago, just beating the Street’s view of $1.93 billion.”
http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2011/09/28/red-lobster-parent-darden-profit-drops/#ixzz28vZmLUol
and now the GREED FACTOR
“A recent study by the nonpartisan Urban Institute found that companies with over 1,000 employees will only experience a 4.3 percent increase in overall spending due to added healthcare costs. Currently, some 75 percent of Darden’s [Olive Garden] 180,000 employees are already working exclusively part-time and are not eligible for benefits.”
Darden, which, ironically, bills itself as “the world’s largest full-service restaurant company,” made headlines last year when it started a “tip sharing” program requiring the waitstaff to share its tips with all other employees. According to the Associated Press, “That allows Darden to pay more workers a far lower ‘tip credit wage’ of $2.13, rather than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.”
http://ontd-political.livejournal.com/10091492.html#ixzz28vaqdgiw
and most ill-informed save your crocodile tears for Red Lobster:
Red Lobster, Inc. Reports Unaudited Sales Results for the First Quarter Ended August 26, 2012
Sep 21 12
Red Lobster, Inc. reported unaudited sales results for the first quarter ended August 26, 2012. For the quarter, sales was $660 million were 2.1% lower than the prior year as a result of a U.S. same-restaurant sales decrease of 2.6% that was offset somewhat by revenue from six net new restaurants. For the quarter, on a percentage of sales basis, lower food and beverage expenses and restaurant labor expenses more than offset an increase in selling, general and administrative expenses and depreciation expense, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INCREASE FOR THE QUARTER IN BOTH OPERATING PROFIT AND OPERATING PROFIT AS A PERCENTAGE OF SALES.” [my caps] http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=10837376
BTW the health insurance coverage for employees does not go into effect until 2014…so why the rush to blame the ACA for an imaginary problem…smells like politics.
Comment by Walker — October 10, 2012 @ 3:11 pm
Neither are the right to own property or alleged related “property” rights. Nearly every one I have know that says “NOBODY has a RIGHT to vote” tends to also champion “property” rights.” Do you? If so, why one and not the other?
IMHO, some thing were assumed as so self-evident as to not need mentioning.
Art 1 Sec 2 “No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.” does not elected suggest a popular vote — particularly when compared to the original Section. 3. “The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.”
In addition, Amendment 15 establishes that “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude” and Amendment 19, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex clearly” each clearly confirms that there exist the right of citizens of the United States to a vote.
Also see:
Yick Wo v. Hopkins, 118 U.S. 356, 370 (1886) (“[Voting] is regarded as a fundamental political right, because preservative of all rights.”).
Lassiter v. Northampton County Bd. of Elections, 360 U.S. 45, 51 (1959) (“The States have long been held to have broad powers to determine the conditions under which the right of suffrage may be exercised, absent of course the discrimination which the Constitution condemns.”) (emphasis added, citations omitted).
Reynolds v. Sims, 377 U.S. 533, 561–62 (1964) (“Undoubtedly, the right of suffrage is a fundamental matter in a free and democratic society.”);
Kramer v. Union Free Sch. Dist. No. 15, 395 U.S. 621, 626–27 (1969) (“No less rigid an examination [than close scrutiny] is applicable to statutes denying the franchise to citizens who are otherwise qualified by residence and age. Statutes granting the franchise to residents on a selective basis always pose the danger of denying some citizens any effective voice in the governmental affairs which substantially affect their lives.”)
David Siegel is a smart guy. All business owners should send out a similar email to their employees. It should include warnings, not just about Obama, but all Democrats.
“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied . . .”
Silly dobbs, quit quoting the U.S. Constitution. That does not matter at all!
Walker knows WAY BETTER that you that there is no right to vote in the constitution. All those so-called constitutionalists know way better.
That’s why they so badly want to AMEND the constitution, ha ha!
So Darden (Red Lobster, Olive Garden and other chains) steals tips from its servers.
No wonder they seem hell bent on making sure their employees don’t have decent health insurance.
They oughta change the name of the company to Scrooge, Inc. Or Greedhead Corp.
From Wiki;
“Extortion (also called blackmail, shakedown, outwresting, and exaction) is a criminal offense of unlawfully obtaining money, property, or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion.”
Does a person’s vote qualify as a “service”?
#18 As if we needed any more reasons to avoid those places.
I don’t know the ins and outs of this guy’s company, but I have also considered explaining to our employees the consequence of their vote on our organization’s future ability to provide the benefits we have been able to give in the past.
I am somewhat reluctant because I know many are liberal and I don’t want them to think I am trying to persuade their vote. On the other hand, I don’t want them to be surprised if they end up paying for benefits we can no longer afford for them (and I certainly hope we will not need to make layoffs).
However, should it be necessary, I will honestly inform them of the reasons and hope that nobody asks me why didn’t you give me a “heads up” that this might happen.
On a side note (completely unprofessional, I know); is this guy getting ready to jump in the pool? It looks like he is wearing his floatee under his shirt. If I could afford a gold plated “king” chair, I think I would pop for a personal trainer (or a garter)…lol
Shrill,
I know you are not in business but you might investigate the net profit rather than the gross revenue numbers. Many companies have a “net” of well below 4.3%. Also, publicly traded companies’ profit effect multiple retirement plans 401k’s etc…
Also, your note on ACA effect in 2014 seems to cut against many liberal arguments on this blog that the ACA has been instituted and it’s costs minimal. (I agree with you that the majority of costs are pushed off to later years)
I should have asked this question in my earlier post, but…
If someone worked for a company who knew they would have to lay off employees, or significantly increase the cost of their benefits if candidate A or B were elected, would the employee want to have this knowledge to assist them in their decision making process?
as I stated earlier, it is something I am wrestling with…
mikeO
Well, don’t you have a big heart! There is absolutely NO business reason whatsoever for your company to provide benefits to your company’s employees, especially the liberals. (How could you be so foolish to hire those wastrels in the first place????????????)
It’s not like those benefits helps with recruiting good workers, or that it helps the company retain them or anything, or that your company’s earnings depend on any effort from those lazy bums. And anyway, we both know those qualities are valueless, especially when you can just call up Manpower instead to get replacements.
I hope your lucky workers lick your boots and genuflect to you at every opportunity. You deserve it, boss!
/sarcasm font OFF now.
And now even FORBES recognizes the greed factor:
FEDEX AND THE REAL REASON WHY THERE’S NO JOBS: CUT BACK ON WORKER HOURS AND RAISE PROFITS 10/10/2012
[FedEx] “also indicated that it’s looking to create a $1.7 billion increase in annual profitability over the next three years, suggesting lean firms can thrive in a ‘low growth environment for global trade and within major economies.’ By reducing worker hours, FedEx, and other firms, have managed to perform well, sitting on record cash piles, despite the weak recovery.”
http://www.forbes.com/sites/afontevecchia/2012/10/10/fedex-and-the-real-reason-why-theres-no-jobs-cut-back-on-worker-hours-and-raise-profits/?partner=yahootix
I don’t know if you’re in business, mikeo, but you’re radically oversimplifying. The fact is, ACA isn’t going anywhere regardless of who gets elected. The fact is, you can go ahead and elect that Republican you love so much, and he can go and completely screw up by getting us involved with endless, pointless and expensive military adventures. Do you explain those facts to your employees?
If your success is so tenuous that it’s riding this closely on the results of one election, rethink your business model. And don’t fret the wrestling so much…your premise is incorrect.
Dan:
18.”So Darden (Red Lobster, Olive Garden and other chains) steals tips from its servers.
No wonder they seem hell bent on making sure their employees don’t have decent health insurance.”
The lack of care doesn’t stop at the kitchen, either. Darden is anti-gun rights too, so disregard for their diners’ safety is also the norm.
most ill-informed @9 – posted “The cancer of socialism does seem to relentlessly encroach in all societies until it either collapses them (ancient Rome)”
Wow, just wow – this all encompassing ignorance of history leaves me breathless…Rome was a “socialist” society? Is there anything you actually know?
Here’s a mini Roman history for you…some of which will seem vaguely familiar as you can see a lot of present day republicanism in the fall of the Roman Empire – and, your welcome.
The Major Causes for the Fall of the Roman Empire:
Antagonism between the Senate and the Emperor
Decline in Morals
Political Corruption and the Praetorian Guard
Fast expansion of the Empire
Constant Wars and Heavy Military Spending
Barbarian Knowledge of Roman Military Tactics
Failing Economy
Unemployment of the Working Classes (The Plebs)
The ‘Mob’ and the cost of the ‘Games’
Decline in Ethics and Values
Slave Labor
Natural Disasters
Christianity
Barbarian Invasion
http://www.roman-colosseum.info/roman-empire/causes-for-the-fall-of-the-roman-empire.htm
Not one mention of “socialism” your favorite bogeyman. I strongly suggest you step away from your imaginary world and go to the library and read a book…you are really embarrassing yourself.
I guess as long as a few greedy people seek to prey on fear to assume control and restrict freedom, emails like this one and the one Mike O dreams of sending will be the bane of workers everywhere. Obviously some people are really upset that slavery and public flogging are no longer acceptable for “bosses”.
The forces of the Plutocracy will always be with us. Man will truly have evolved when he and his fellow citizens do not have to fear repercussions from the selfish few who seek to control them completely.
“that Republicans in the House sought to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in funding from the broader budgets that provide diplomatic security, forcing the State Department to do more with less.”
Comment by Richard J Beason CPA — October 10, 2012 @ 3:18 pm
Then there is reality. Budget cuts were needed; trillion dollar deficits
are irresponsible. However, the Democrats controlled both the Senate and
Congress from 2007′s to 2010. The Republicans took control of Congress in 2010; the Democrats retained control of the Senate. The bottom line is that the Democrats did not pass a budget at any time during Obama’s administration and, even after 2010, the Senate effectively blocked any
attempts by the Republican Congress to pass a Budget. The government was
operated via a series of continuuing resolutions which provide no cuts and
actually increase the budget for cost of living and other escalations.
Reality, there were no cuts. Trillion dollar deficits every year and they
have managed to spent, waste or redistribute every dime…and it’s all the
Democrats responsibility. Democrats = rampant corruption.
Now what’s your pitiful excuse Beason? Why did this administration fail to provide adequate security for our people in Libya? It was not lack of
funding…that dog won’t hunt.
Mike O, if you decide to tell your employees that voting for Obama may endanger their job, why don’t you invite Dan along so he can write a column on the event. Hell, you might become a Republican hero like that donut dude in NRV. I’m sure your customers would like to hear about it too.
BTW, health care cost trends have come down under ACA already. I’m here to tell you that if we continued at the pace we were under before ACA, neither you or your employees would be able to afford coverage in the very near future. I’m the first to admit that ACA isn’t perfect but its a start. (Oh, and republicans haven’t done jack, haven’t even tried ANYTHING to help).
Healthcare costs and health insurance costs are decimating the middle class. I’ve seen way to many situations where an employee is paying hundreds of dollars a month for health insurance and several family members have chronic conditions where they know they will hit their family’s out-of-pocket limit of $8-10,000 every year, year in and year out. That works out to be a huge part of the family’s total income. They have very little hope that it will ever get better.
“Mike O, if you decide to tell your employees that voting for Obama may endanger their job, why don’t you invite Dan along so he can write a column on the event. Hell, you might become a Republican hero like that donut dude in NRV. I’m sure your customers would like to hear about it too.”
Bill Perdue,
That’s a great idea. I’ll do that column, mikeO!
mike o, the floatee comment was hilarious!
Suzie, just for clarification, could you tells us the scenario(s) where you and “so many other medium-sized and large business owners” get together and discuss Obamacare and hiring practices and so forth?
We talk to our business friends all the time. both in and out of town My husband of course does most of it.
http://www.cato.org/pubs/journal/cjv14n2-7.html
To learn how big government caused the fall of Rome, read this piece, Shrill. Warning: It exceeds 20 paragraphs. Might want to make a day of it tomorrow.
will only experience a 4.3 percent increase in overall spending due to added healthcare costs.
Holy hell. A more than four percent increase in spending is huge for a company. Do you ever exercise intelligence, Shrillary?
Now what’s your pitiful excuse Beason? Why did this administration fail to provide adequate security for our people in Libya? It was not lack of
funding…that dog won’t hunt.
Leon, In Richard Beason’s case, CPA stands for “Can’t Prove Anything”
So Democrats are upset corporate CEO’s are warning their employees what will happen if 0bamacare takes hold. Why do Democrats want employees kept in the dark? They must really dislike working people.
A businessman telling his workers that Obama’s policies are bad for business and might endanger the company is no different than all of you liberals braying from every mountain top about how old people are going to have pay more for Medicaid under Romney and how only the rich will prosper and everyone else will suffer. Don’t kid yourselves. Liberals are engaging in the exact same thing. You just don’t see it when you’re the ones doing it.
It’s not like those benefits helps with recruiting good workers, or that it helps the company retain them or anything,
Dear Applicant,
Thank you for your inquiry into working for our company. First the good news. We are offering new employees full 0bamacare coverage. Well, that’s not exactly good news. Your service will be crappy and the doctors’ visits will be limited to five minutes. Your doctor isn’t practicing mediicine anymore, btw. Hope you don’t have any complicated or serious illness.
Now the bad news. We don’t have a job to offer you. The cost of 0bamacare has precluded any new hires.
Greed by corporations like the one run by the fat f#%k pictured above is why the free market needs controls. Think child labor. And do you not think it could regress to that again? I can just hear the argument now, “Why should youngsters not be allowed to contribute to the family income when times are hard?”
Sounds like an Eric Cantor campaign speech waiting to happen.
Oh, and by the way, if you get laid off by Olive Garden, it negatively impacts your bottom line, sure. But were you really shopping for for a new boat with the take-home pay from that gig?
#40 “Your service will be crappy and the doctors’ visits will be limited to five minutes.”
And that’s different from what you get under an insurance policy how?
#31 Notice how cookie man has disappeared from the radar? Rethugs loved him for about three minutes. And whatever happened to I Built That. Voters caught on to that one.
#21: “It looks like he is wearing his floatee under his shirt”
He must need it to float alongside his bride, whose designer chest (it’s a genuine Dow Corning) obviously would make her float.
@36 Dear most ill-informed. If your business cannot sustain a 4.3% sales reduction, you need to get out of the business. We have run a successful wholesale business – continue to make a profit – even with an increasingly expensive transportation system…
You surely need to rethink your business plan if you cannot absorb this health care cost which turns out to be a BUSINESS DEDUCTION – unless of course you are completely and totally an incompetent business person…well then, you can always blame Obama, government regulations or ObamaCares for your own failings…
Ever heard of “personal responsibility” or “business acumen”? Doesn’t appear so.
Shrillary, you know they only build it all by themselves while they’re doing well. When they fail, it’s the economy’s fault.
Here’s what he really meant:
“The economy doesn’t currently pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job however, is the cost of facelifts and boob jobs and fanny lifts this fine piece of a$$ sitting on my lap is going to need in the years ahead. Then there’ll be the cost of the divorce when surgery just won’t cut it anymore, and, of course, the cost of the wedding to my new, even younger bride and all the surgery she’ll need…well, it’s just a damn viscious cycle,” he said in the e-mail.
“If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, as our current President plans, I will have no choice but to reduce the size of this company,” he added. “Rather than grow this company I will be forced to cut back. This means fewer jobs, less benefits and certainly less opportunity for everyone, except me and my trophy wife. I mean, seriously, you people didn’t think I gave a rat’s ass about you, did you?”
Speaking of Obama and regulation costing Jobs!!!! :
http://www.governing.com/news/local/AP-Power-Plant-Closures-to-Cost-US-Towns-Jobs-Taxes.html
This old story is coming to fruition. That County had started to generate a lot more revenue recently, and now soon it will take a big hit and backslide.
Giles actually was finally able to give teachers their steps back and fund education. Won’t last long though ….
All thanks to Green energy and the EPA!
Dan, Kristen and all the other “astute” business folk out there who, obviously, have never met a payroll, I appreciate all the wonderful sarcasm regarding a serious subject.
Just in case you are unaware, businesses are not able to print money and run debt indefinitely. Businesses have costs that are fixed (inventory, electricity etc..) and those that are variable (payroll, benefits etc..).
If costs rise certain changes are necessary in order to stay viable… one can only manipulate the “variable” costs or raise the price of their products. The first has an impact on employees, the latter impacts the consumer.
(Assuming all efficiencies) If my cost of insurance increases 1 million dollars I must either pass that on to the consumer or ask my employees to take a share. My only question was should an employee be aware of these issues when making a decision? Actually, my cheapest option would be to throw the employees and their families to the government plan and pay the penalty.
I suppose another option would be to not pay the bills and then we would be completely out of business and nobody would have a job… or maybe obama will give me some “free” obamamoney from the obamastash?
Shrill,
Re: 8:53 am
You seem to be confusing “sales reduction” and “spending”. Assuming you are telling the truth about running a “successful wholesale business” (which, quite frankly, I doubt) you should know the difference.
Costco recently released data showing their profit at below 2% on over 32 billion; and I don’t know any businessperson who could absorb 4% on gross. Unless you are “wholesaling” crack (or smoking it), your numbers don’t add up.
Frankly mike o @51 I don’t give a rat’s a$$ whether you believe we run an LLC wholesale business or not. Our transportation costs have gone up more than 30% – again, a business expense we will write off at the end of the year. Does it cut into profits? Of course – do we make adjustments in our inventory, overhead etc. – of course. Do we rethink parts of our business plan? Again, of course. I don’t know any small business who hasn’t made some adjustments…but we have weathered a 30% increase in this expense column – and so have other businesses I know. What is important here is that businesses can make adjustments if they are healthy and willing to make tough choices. If not, well, let the free market decide the winners and losers.
If your business is so close to the bone that it cannot work around a 4.3% expense – maybe it is time to rethink your business plan or get some business advice.