Tag: small businesses

Modern Meanderings in the Fire’s Light

By Doug “Uncola” Lynn via TheBurningPlatform.com

For the most part, I’ve lost interest in the news.  Ukraine war?  Don’t care. Lost submarine? Yawn. Pride Month? Good luck with that. Canadian wildfires? So what.  Russian civil war?  Whatever. Elections? Been there, done that.

I believe it was French Philosopher Voltaire who defined “cynicism” as armor against despair, but, honestly, it’s not that. On the contrary, I am enjoying life more than ever and my days are meaningful and well-spent.

One year ago, I wrote about helping a former business associate by driving a dumptruck a few days a week.  In that moderately metaphorical article, entitled “Building Roads While the World Wilts”, I described my perception of America’s remaining attributes, particularly, out here in the “fringe” and mentioned how people “here on the edge seem to be ignoring The Borg”, then wondered…. “For how long?”

Now an entire year has gone by… and in spite of all the new headlines… very little has changed in my world. So far.

Continue reading “Modern Meanderings in the Fire’s Light”

WHAT WOULD COOL HAND LUKE & VIRGIL HILTS DO?

“Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” – Patrick Henry

Hilts in The Great Escape | BAMF Style

“If ever a time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin.” – Samuel Adams

After observing the reaction of the America people, over the last two months, to a virus that will not kill 99.97% of them, I wondered how could a country created upon the blood and courage of patriot farmers and leaders who knew they would hang if their revolution failed, have degenerated into an infantilized nation of obedient slaves to un-Constitutionalized authoritarianism. It saddens me that a country borne by revolutionary means against an overbearing authoritarian monarchy has turned into a nation of bed-wetters curled up in their basements sucking their thumbs, begging government overlords to protect them from a virus.

I guess it shouldn’t be surprising after decades of government public school indoctrination where U.S. History facts have been usurped by feelings, diversity and gender agendas pushed by less than mediocre teachers. Government controlled education hasn’t taught children to think critically or question authority, but to obey rules and allow emotions to drive their actions. When multiple generations have been programmed to feel, rather than think, using panic and fear to make them do as they are told isn’t a difficult task. This pandemic reaction is a testament to their decades long propaganda and misinformation campaign. Rather than developing herd immunity the country developed a herd mentality.

Continue reading “WHAT WOULD COOL HAND LUKE & VIRGIL HILTS DO?”

Open Letter to Small Businesses

Guest Post by Eric Peters

My gym – like thousands of small businesses around the country – has been out of business for more than a month now. Not because customers aren’t coming – but because customers are not allowed to come. 

What follows is an Open Letter to the owner of this business, urging her to resume doing business – on the theory that in a free country, people have that right and that government has no right to say otherwise. 

Dear Patsy –

I and many others are more than willing to take the chance we might get sick in exchange for being able to live again.

This includes being able to work out at Crunch. 

We believe in what used to be a given in America – free association. That you – as a business owner – have the right to open your business and that we, as free Americans, have a right to choose for ourselves whether to do business with you.

Continue reading “Open Letter to Small Businesses”

P FOR PANDEMIC (POPULIST RAGE)

In Part One of this article I detailed the criminal enterprise that constitutes the leadership of this country. The facts are clear. We’ve been screwed over by those who were supposed to represent us. Now it is time to look in the mirror and decide whether we will continue to bow down before our keepers or step up and be accounted for in this coming fight.

Trayvon Martin Analysis: It's time for all Americans to look in ...

Corporate executives who recklessly loaded their companies with debt, while utilizing the proceeds to buy back their own stock, in order to boost their stock price and outrageous compensation packages, left their companies vulnerable to an entirely predictable downturn. After frittering trillions away on their overvalued stock, they now demand bailouts from the taxpayer, and their spineless captured congress lapdogs have obeyed their corporate masters. The 96 – 0 vote in the Senate is truly a disgusting example of the corporate fascist One Party system that reigns in the swamp. Corporate socialism is alive and well.

Continue reading “P FOR PANDEMIC (POPULIST RAGE)”

Leaving for Las Vegas: California’s minimum wage law leaves businesses no choice

Guest Post by Houman Salem

California’s minimum wage jumped to $10.50 an hour at the start of the new year. As the founder of a small fashion design house and clothing manufacturer in San Fernando, I’m not a disinterested observer in this change.

After two years in business, my company now has more than 150 clients from all over the world and 18 employees. It’s what’s known as a cut-and-sew house, part of the garment industry that generates about $17 billion in annual economic activity in Los Angeles County, including $6.9 billion in payroll, according to a 2016 industry report by the California Fashion Assn. This is the epicenter of apparel design and manufacturing in the United States; domestically manufactured clothing is more expensive, but retail and wholesale customers who care about quality and working conditions have historically been willing to pay for it.

Unfortunately, the industry is on a downward trend. Los Angeles County used to have more than 5,000 apparel factories; today, my company is one of roughly 2,000 — and  many (e.g. American Apparel) are looking for a way out. One Los Angeles Times headline, quoting a California State University economist, warned that “the exodus has begun.”

Continue reading “Leaving for Las Vegas: California’s minimum wage law leaves businesses no choice”

“What Could Have Possibly Raised Your Costs” – Hillary Can’t Answer Why Obamacare Costs Are Soaring

Tyler Durden's picture

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 05/12/2016 10:30 -0400

Hillary Clinton’s strategy to get in front of voters and answer one-on-one type questions is not working out very well.

First, Clinton couldn’t explain to an unemployed West Virginian why she was promising to put a lot of coal miners out of work. Now, Hillary can’t explain why Obamacare fees are higher than promised, and are set to explode even higher next year.

During a recent town hall event, a small business owner explained to the Democratic front-runner that her health insurance has gone up so significantly for her family that the thought of providing benefits to her employees is secondary at this point.

“As a small business owner, not only are you trying to provide benefits to your employees, you’re trying to provide benefits to yourself. I have seen our health insurance for my own family, go up $500 dollars a month in the last two years. We went from four hundred something, to nine hundred something. We’re just fighting to keep benefits for ourselves. The thought of being able to provide benefits to your employees is almost secondary, yet to keep your employees happy, that’s a question that comes across my desk all the time. I have to keep my employees as independent contractors for the most part really to avoid that situation, and so I have turnover”

 

“We do not qualify for a subsidy on the current health insurance plan. My question to you is not only are you looking out for people that can’t afford healthcare, but I’m someone that can afford it, but it’s taking a big chunk of the money I bring home.“

To which Hillary responded, to make a long story short, that she knows healthcare costs are going up, and doesn’t understand why that would ever be the case.

Continue reading ““What Could Have Possibly Raised Your Costs” – Hillary Can’t Answer Why Obamacare Costs Are Soaring”

CUTTING THROUGH BLS BULLSHIT

The BLS just reported their monthly seasonally adjusted, birth death adjusted, bullshit guess of employment, designed to keep the sheeple in the dark. Amazingly, it wasn’t too bad or too good. The MSM says it was just right. The ongoing mantra is the job market has been strong and growing for years. Meanwhile, consumers don’t have money to spend. Maybe it’s the 2.3% annual wage increases when their living expenses go up by 5% or more.

Here are a few data points you won’t see on CNBC:

  • The establishment survey says 215,000 jobs were added in March. The good old birth death adjustment threw 65,000 new phantom jobs into that calculation for all the new small businesses opening up. Anyone with half a brain knows there have been more small businesses closing than opening for the last 4 years. The plus 65,000 is more likely minus 65,000. That would change the headline. Wouldn’t it?
  • The household survey shows 246,000 more people employed. What you won’t hear on CNBC is that it also shows 151,000 more people unemployed. It seems 206,000 people who were supposedly not in the labor force in February are suddenly back in. I thought the MSM said it was Boomers retiring creating the surge in people not in the labor force. I guess that was another false storyline.
  • Now for the good stuff. Table A-9 reveals the true health of this booming employment market. Of the 246,000 newly employed Americans, very few of the jobs were good paying secure positions, with benefits.
  • The number of self-employed people jumped by 194,000. So, selling shit on Ebay and Amway sales are propelling the job surge. Sounds promising.
  • The number of multiple job holders surged by 127,000 in March. So, Americans need to work two $7.50 an hour Obama jobs to make ends meet. This is truly a sign of a booming jobs market.
  • The number of employed men between the ages of 35 and 54 (prime earning years for men) dropped by 76,000 in March. It is lower than it was in January. When there are less bread winners working, the jobs recovery mantra is a fraud.
  • In a sure sign of a strong growing productive economy, 29,000 more manufacturing jobs disappeared for good. I’m sure China and Vietnam  appreciate the new manufacturing jobs sent their way.

  • At least the 26,000 newly unemployed, formerly well paid Americans, were able to get a waiter job at TGI Fridays, as the number of waiters and bartenders jumped by another 25,000. Our transition from a savings based producing society into a debt based consumption society is nearly complete. Thank you Obama.

Continue reading “CUTTING THROUGH BLS BULLSHIT”

A BIG FAT F*CKING LIE

Riddle me this Batman. How can the BLS show hundreds of thousands of new jobs being created by new small businesses every month if more businesses have been closing than starting since 2008? They use a model based upon the trend from 1977 to 2008. The model is WRONG. Small businesses have a net REDUCTION in jobs every month as Obamacare, crappy sales, taxes, and inflation destroy their businesses. The BLS adjustment is a BIG FAT FUCKING LIE.

 

Guest Post by Jesse

Some days I just do not have the words.

I would like to point out just one anomaly in the Jobs Report.

The ‘plug’ that the BLS puts in for jobs that were added and subtracted by small business being created and failing is called ‘the Birth/Death Model.’ It is a fairly substantial number in some months. I refer to it as the ‘imaginary jobs number.’

Continue reading “A BIG FAT F*CKING LIE”

10 FOR 10

Small businesses were the backbone of America. They were the jobs creators. Those days are long gone. The mega-corporations and mega-banks have captured our economic system, sent good paying manufacturing jobs overseas, financialized our economy, and bribed politicians to pass regulations designed to crush small business owners. Then Obama put another nail in their coffin with Obamacare. The final nail would be a $15 minimum wage. The results of this survey prove we are in a recession and prove the BLS bullshit birth death jobs adjustment to be a fraud. The BLS should be subtracting jobs every month for the loss of small businesses.

“It is no surprise that optimism is muted and owners’ expectations about the future are less than exuberant. Small business owners are not encouraged to expand their businesses when consumer spending is down, US trading partners are weakening and the government continues to try and micromanage the private sector with red tape and regulations.

The Federal Reserve and other central banks are hoarding risk free assets while the demand for these assets is rising. This keeps long term interest rates artificially low and creates longer term financial problems (like how to fund future pension liabilities) while denying savers a decent return on their savings. Thinking that their policies significantly impact the real economy,in spite of evidence to the contrary, the Fed persists in holding rates down and is probably not inclined to raise rates until GDP and employment growth rates pick up substantially. The fact that the Fed doesn’t raise rates signals that they don’t expect the economy to improve.

Continue reading “10 FOR 10”

THE DEATH OF AMERICAN SMALL BUSINESS

What fool in their right mind would start a business in this country today. Obama and his minions hate business owners. The government knows best. The government will provide. The government will create jobs. 

With ever increasing taxes, fees, regulations, mandates, requirements, and laws to abide by, it isn’t worth the risk to start a new company. Small businesses are closing shop by the thousands due to Obamacare. The charts below are proof that Obama and our government hate small business owners and have only accelerated the long term trend of less startups and more closures.

American small business is dying. 

Authored by Jim Clifton, Gallup CEO & Chairman,

The U.S. now ranks not first, not second, not third, but 12th among developed nations in terms of business startup activity. Countries such as Hungary, Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, Sweden, Israel and Italy all have higher startup rates than America does.

We are behind in starting new firms per capita, and this is our single most serious economic problem. Yet it seems like a secret. You never see it mentioned in the media, nor hear from a politician that, for the first time in 35 years, American business deaths now outnumber business births.

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that the total number of new business startups and business closures per year — the birth and death rates of American companies — have crossed for the first time since the measurement began. I am referring to employer businesses, those with one or more employees, the real engines of economic growth. Four hundred thousand new businesses are being born annually nationwide, while 470,000 per year are dying.

You may not have seen this graph before.

Until 2008, startups outpaced business failures by about 100,000 per year. But in the past six years, that number suddenly turned upside down. There has been an underground earthquake. As you read this, we are at minus 70,000 in terms of business survival. The data are very slow coming out of the U.S. Department of Census, via the Small Business Administration, so it lags real time by two years.

Net Number of New U.S. Firms Plummets

Continue reading “THE DEATH OF AMERICAN SMALL BUSINESS”