Thursday, August 26, 2010

Why There are no Jobs in America

Porter Stansberry is the founder of Stansberry & Associates Investment Research, based in Baltimore, Md. His financial newsletters are available to WND readers here.

I'd like to make you a business offer.

Seriously. This is a real offer. In fact, you really can't turn me down, as you'll come to understand in a moment...

Here's the deal. You're going to start a business or expand the one you've got now. It doesn't really matter what you do or what you're going to do. I'll partner with you no matter what business you're in – as long as it's legal.

But I can't give you any capital – you have to come up with that on your own. I won't give you any labor – that's definitely up to you. What I will do, however, is demand you follow all sorts of rules about what products and services you can offer, how much (and how often) you pay your employees, and where and when you're allowed to operate your business. That's my role in the affair: to tell you what to do.

Now in return for my rules, I'm going to take roughly half of whatever you make in the business each year. Half seems fair, doesn't it? I think so. Of course, that's half of your profits.

You're also going to have to pay me about 12 percent of whatever you decide to pay your employees because you've got to cover my expenses for promulgating all of the rules about who you can employ, when, where, and how. Come on, you're my partner. It's only "fair."

Now ... after you've put your hard-earned savings at risk to start this business, and after you've worked hard at it for a few decades (paying me my 50 percent or a bit more along the way each year), you might decide you'd like to cash out – to finally live the good life.

Whether or not this is "fair" – some people never can afford to retire – is a different argument. As your partner, I'm happy for you to sell whenever you'd like ... because our agreement says, if you sell, you have to pay me an additional 20 percent of whatever the capitalized value of the business is at that time.

I know, I know. You put up all the original capital. You took all the risks. You put in all of the labor. That's all true. But I've done my part, too. I've collected 50 percent of the profits each year. And I've always come up with more rules for you to follow each year. Therefore, I deserve another, final 20 percent slice of the business.

Oh ... and one more thing.

Even after you've sold the business and paid all of my fees, I'd recommend buying lots of life insurance. You see, even after you've been retired for years, when you die, you'll have to pay me 50 percent of whatever your estate is worth.

After all, I've got lots of partners and not all of them are as successful as you and your family. We don't think it's "fair" for your kids to have such a big advantage. But if you buy enough life insurance, you can finance this expense for your children.

All in all, if you're a very successful entrepreneur, if you're one of the rare, lucky, and hard-working people who can create a new company, employ lots of people, and satisfy the public, you'll end up paying me more than 75 percent of your income over your life. Thanks so much.

I'm sure you'll think my offer is reasonable and happily partner with me, but it doesn't really matter how you feel about it because if you ever try to stiff me – or cheat me on any of my fees or rules – I'll break down your door in the middle of the night, threaten you and your family with heavy, automatic weapons, and throw you in jail.

That's how civil society is supposed to work, right? This is Amerika, isn't it?

That's the offer Amerika gives its entrepreneurs. And the idiots in Washington wonder why there are no new jobs.

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=195493

7 comments:

  1. Brad, good eye for articles -- except I already posted this exact piece 2 days ago about three articles down here at COTO.

    Mega Ditto! Just kidding with the Rough Limpbough echo.

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  2. Plus, my version is sporting a very cool Puddy Dunne gravitar. You should get one too!

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  3. I thought this was doojie voojie all over again.

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  4. The Ghost of Griffeth arriveth. Brad comes so rarely that this is likely to happen again. He does have a good eye though.

    Nice to see ya Brad.

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  5. oh- "government" schmovernment.

    Unemployment is high because most people keep blowing their "Job Interviews."

    http://www.theonion.com/articles/report-unemployment-high-because-people-keep-blowi,17803/

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  6. See Waldo, if your not with the committee monkey program they don't want you in the gubmint Korprit division.

    That's where the necktie originated. A leash for the human trafficking department. It's important to remember when clearing the throat not to discharge a small loogie onto the interviewer.

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  7. Its deja-vu all over again.

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