A Message to American Oligarchs

Hi all – thought you should hear from the rest of us out here – not the angry ones, just the here ones living their normal-ish lives  every day, working, raising kids, vacationing, having ideas and dreams and starting small businesses or working with  nonprofits to help make this a better place, planning for kids’ colleges and weddings, getting older and making those finances and livings work out as we do, and celebrating with our families and friends, striving to take care of the sick and impaired and working to make healthy environments for the future.  We plan, plant and grow, produce and build, offer services, live our lives and contribute to our communities.

We do not hate you. 

We do not hate you for being incredibly and unimaginably rich, or powerful. We are absolutely fine with that. Be as rich as you are comfortable and happy being. Be powerful. Be the financial backbone to parts of our economy, politics and prosperity. We are grateful for what you do and for your power and presence in the many worlds of America. You are necessary to all of us, and we appreciate your providence as you prosper.

Remember

Do not forget where you came from! Remember the beginnings of your prosperity. The opportunity and environment that allowed you to prosper, build wealth and create your vast holdings and spheres of influence. Remember the hard work of all those who helped you build – the laborers, the office and financial people, the people whose work provided the basis for your success. Investors, yes, but their funds rested upon the backs of those who physically perform the work as well.

Remember that what brings growth, which is ultimately what fuels prosperity and wealth, is work. The grinding work of the every day person getting up in the morning to their alarm clock and looking forward to their Dunkins or Starbucks. When you get so layered away from them, you believe that your work is to tend to your money – to feed it, invest it and make more money for investors and yourselves. All that money rests on the back of the entire economy of everyone working. Money is indicative of labor and production. The more productive we are, the more you thrive. Money is the final tiered result of human production and activity.

Do the Math

Thus – and this is simple math – to increase wealth increasing productivity is essential– managing costs flows in harmony with increasing productivity. These two must always be balanced. If cutting costs hurts the worker it hurts productivity, which is the cornerstone of wealth.

Our message? Evey decision needs to be made with the bottom of the line contributor, not the top-of-the-line profiteer, in mind. Why? When your workforce can live the quality of life they are working for, production increases. When they go home at night to a secure home with food, water and heat that is satisfying for them, when they can afford to take care of and educate their children and plan for vacations and retirement, envision building their own wealth and prosperity, they work better and more. “Without a vision, the people perish.”  When people have a vision and the opportunity of personal prosperity and security, you, the wealthy, prosper.

When the rich squeeze out the living of the many productive working people, cut their benefits and freeze or reduce the incomes that give them the quality of life they are seeking by over focusing on cost cutting, the economic system is out of balance, and you the very rich, lose wealth. Yur returns diminsh. While your objective is to grow your wealth in cutting costs, raising prices and getting rid of taxes and benefits, your returns will not experience the rate of growth expected and then you will want to cut more because you are focused on the bottom line, the money, instead of the producers. The oligarchy of suppressive and oppressive cultures will never be as rich and powerful as those of the free, supportive nations. Supportive cultures offer freedom of expression, choice, lifestyles and supporitve work benefits to those who produce as well as services for those who are needy and sick. They offer the opportunity for individual dreams and passions. And boy does that environment produce when the field is open for everyone, and anything is possible. When dreams can be dreamed and pursued, greatness is made. Just like you made yours.

Make America Great

That is what made America great and will continue to make it a great place for you and for the rest of us. The sea of economy must float all the boats – small and very, very grand.  No matter how removed you feel, perhaps insulated by your wealth, we are still all in this together. You, the rich and powerful, will prosper in direct relation to how your policies and politics treat us, the small and powerfully prolific producers. Thank you.