I am a small business owner. I employ 120 people up from 80 during the deepest part of the recession of 2009-2010. We had employed as many as 110 in 2008 prior to the recession. We had weathered the recession pretty well and had been enthusiastic about our prospects this year and were planning for growth. The debacle of the last four years would be over soon and we could look towards faster growth, higher wages, and continued success. Until Wednesday.
As a business owner, I know I cannot spend twice as much as I take in and last long. That is the simple reason why I had supported Mitt Romney. Why the majority of the country thinks we can go down the deficit path of the last four years is beyond me.
At its core, the United States is a business. The largest employer in the world. The largest consumer of goods and services. The chief executive needs to know how business works. Obama doesn't.
I must have been living in a bubble. I really thought this would be a clear victory for Romney. I was fine with not winning the senate although I'm pretty sure someone like Elizabeth Warren or Clare McCaskill could not win in Tennessee. I accepted the Democratic majority in the senate as maybe a way for bipartisanship to re-emerge to confront the fiscal cliff.
After a long campaign, I am left empty. The President seems like a nice guy but he doesn't know how or when to negotiate. He's proven he can campaign better than anyone by splitting the country into groups and pitting us against each other. Today, I do not feel like an American. I feel like an out of touch white guy with no hope for change and no good view of the future.
I know I will recover. I'm going to feel better over time but for now I have lost confidence in the American people. I feel no compassion anymore for those having a tough time. They bought into hope and change seemingly not realizing that all politicians should be considered with skepticism. They are almost always guilty of promising too much.
China is coming. The Muslim Brotherhood is coming. The debt ceiling is coming. A nuclear armed Iran is coming. Higher taxes are coming. Restricted access to healthcare is coming. Higher fuel costs are coming. A middle east war is coming. Inflation is coming. America is going.
All I really wanted from our government was optimism. I knew I would get that from a President Romney. I have never gotten that from Obama. He would always imply in his remarks that if you were in business, you were obviously taking more than you were giving back. He would say things like "we support our job creating small businesses but want them to pay their fair share." There was always a tag line to the politically correct support statement.
We all know there is $2 trillion sitting in bank accounts of businesses nationwide. There is another $2 trillion sitting in bank accounts outside our country waiting to come back in to be invested rebuilding our country.
Waiting on optimism. I could feel it, taste it in conversations with my customers, conversations with my friends, and from the punditry I now find was a lie.
Tuesday my thoughts were, Romney wins! The country is happy, inspired. Businesses are encouraged. Banks start to lend again, responsibly. Growth is on everyone's mind, a better job, more customers, a better future. Our enemies would once again see the American dream building and realize their time was over. Until Wednesday.
As I sit here and struggle to see a bright tomorrow, I wonder who is happy. Are most Obama supporters thinking "we showed those rich guys who's boss?" Are they thinking that he just needed a little more time to figure out how to run a country? Would someone please tell me because Tuesday I was looking forward. Today I am thinking about the next four years. With certainty, I know it will be worse than the last four. I loved this country, until Wednesday.
Hank McMahon
* * *
Mr. McMahon, did you happen to have any problem with the way Governor Romney seemed to not hold a position on any of the issues? During the entire campaign season a theme was repeated by the GOP in regards to business. That mantra was that business owners needed to have some level of certainty in order to plan for the future.
How could anyone expect any level of consistency from Governor Romney? The man is a chameleon. I do think that it’s sad that you have lost faith in your fellow Americans; but all is not lost. I have a solution to offer.
To paraphrase Jeff Young’s response from a few weeks ago, Chattanooga is a transportation hub and anyone wishing to leave has many available options. I hear that some of the good people of Texas have a plan to secede from the union; maybe they could use another “job creator” in their newly developing country.
Glenn Scruggs
Harrison
* * *
Hank,
I posted your letter to my facebook. I thought your letter was excellent. It was truly the sentiment of many of my friends and myself. I received many responses in agreement with your letter.
A friend of a friend was recently called a "delusional Republican." Well, the delusional who put this joker back in office will be the ones who wake up when they see just what all the Obamacare is going to do to all the small businesses. The delusional Demos will have their eyes open as many of them change from full-time employment to part-time employment - another result of this grand Obamacare. These results began the morning after the election.
Businesses are seeking legal advise how to proceed with this great medical mandate that is upon them. A relative of mine was informed today that as of January 1, 2014 their insurance will more than double - ultimately wiping out the spouses salary just to pay for healthcare. Yea. This is so exciting.
I work in the Level One Trauma Center at Erlanger. I guarantee we will be seeing many of them as they come in for hypertension, chest pain and strokes from the pressure it is going to put on their family as a result of the re-election of dear "Obie."
You're a great American, Hank McMahon.
Debbie Johnson
* * *
The drama and angst in Hank's letter makes me chuckle. The only time I ever remotely felt that way was during the eight long years of W and a useless war, leading to the deaths of over 4,000 brave U.S. soldiers. Just a bit more deserved, in my opinion.
The part that doesn't make me chuckle is the last line, "...I loved this country, until Wednesday." Really? Think about what that says about you. Obviously, if not getting your way in a free election is all it takes for that statement, then I suggest you find a good dictatorship you like and fall in lockstep with them, nevermore to be disappointed.
I'm proud of the U.SA. Heck, I cared about it (and the presidency) in the depths of the Nixon scandal. I cared about it during "Mission Accomplished" too. Like the old saying goes, "America, love it or leave it." Pretty simple.
As for Romneycare (c'mon, call it what it is) I've talked to quite a few healthcare professionals that think it's about time we tried something else because what we have is broken.
Herb Montgomery
Hixson