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babylonsister

(171,066 posts)
Tue Oct 9, 2012, 04:02 PM Oct 2012

Billionaire CEO Threatens To Fire Employees If Obama Wins

Unfuggingbelievable...

Billionaire CEO Threatens To Fire Employees If Obama Wins

By Scott Keyes on Oct 9, 2012 at 2:55 pm


The CEO of a massive timeshare company sent an email about the upcoming election to his employees yesterday, threatening to fire some of them if President Obama wins re-election.

David Siegel, who owns Florida-based Westgate Resorts, sent an email to all his employees yesterday to discuss the upcoming election. “The economy doesn’t currently pose a threat to your job,” Siegel wrote, noting that the company is “the most profitable{it's} ever been.” “What does threaten your job however, is another 4 years of the same Presidential administration.” He went on to say that although he “can’t tell you whom to vote for,” if Obama is re-elected, it would mean “fewer jobs, less benefits and certainly less opportunity for everyone.”

Here are a few select paragraphs from the email:

Subject: Message from David Siegel
Date:Mon, 08 Oct 2012 13:58:05 -0400 (EDT)
From: [David Siegel]
To: [All employees]

To All My Valued Employees,

As most of you know our company, Westgate Resorts, has continued to succeed in spite of a very dismal economy. There is no question that the economy has changed for the worse and we have not seen any improvement over the past four years. In spite of all of the challenges we have faced, the good news is this: 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. Of course, as your employer, I can’t tell you whom to vote for, and I certainly wouldn’t interfere with your right to vote for whomever you choose. In fact, I encourage you to vote for whomever you think will serve your interests the best.

However, let me share a few facts that might help you decide what is in your best interest.

...

So where am I going with all this? It’s quite simple. 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. 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? 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. While the media wants to tell you to believe the “1 percenters” are bad, I’m telling you they are not. They create most of the jobs. If you lose your job, it won’t be at the hands of the “1%”; it will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country.

You can view the email in full @ link~

more...


http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/10/09/978211/david-siegel-fire-employees/
36 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Billionaire CEO Threatens To Fire Employees If Obama Wins (Original Post) babylonsister Oct 2012 OP
WOW bama2012 Oct 2012 #1
These filthy people should be taxed as high as possible...I'm movonne Oct 2012 #8
Believe me if I could be in charge for a day Floyd_Gondolli Oct 2012 #14
Has anything been DONE about this? CAN anything be done? gateley Oct 2012 #2
Spam deleted by Hatchling (MIR Team) stantec Oct 2012 #3
I thought there was a law against this. I mean how does he knows his employees will southernyankeebelle Oct 2012 #4
I'd bet this isn't a new tactic, just more out in the open now, because of DESPERATION, so ... patrice Oct 2012 #5
Anything for a tax break octoberlib Oct 2012 #6
This is bad really bad..... just when the rethugs skeewee08 Oct 2012 #7
that is blackmail...are they going to sign an oath that they will movonne Oct 2012 #9
Corporate America is turning into greedy criminal thugs at this point. Highest profits in history.. johnnyrocket Oct 2012 #10
Republican Logic erpowers Oct 2012 #11
So, Obama Wins. He Fires His Employees, His Business Suffers Because They Cannot Produce Yavin4 Oct 2012 #13
Someone should sue this guy.... defacto7 Oct 2012 #12
Typical... HoneyD Oct 2012 #15
Hopefully, capitalism will do its job and end this guy Alekei_Firebird Oct 2012 #16
Poor guy locks Oct 2012 #17
Id start looking for a new job davidn3600 Oct 2012 #18
let him go out of business... begin_within Oct 2012 #19
That won't happen. He's just trying to intimidate. nt babylonsister Oct 2012 #20
What's he going to do? check everyone's ballot? rucky Oct 2012 #21
No kidding - what a cretin klook Oct 2012 #26
If Obama's reelected... rucky Oct 2012 #36
But they would lose their jobs at the hands of the 1% Generic Brad Oct 2012 #22
David Siegel is Scared! Cha Oct 2012 #23
OK he's really stupid treestar Oct 2012 #24
He's a fuckhead, but he's also a lousy business man and possibly a liar. Kennah Oct 2012 #25
isn't this illegal, to threaten peolpes jobs by their voting choices Tribetime Oct 2012 #27
I was just going to post the same thing. NightOwwl Oct 2012 #28
The law is for the little people AZ Progressive Oct 2012 #29
The billionaire bastard undoubtedly has a bunch of tough lawyers who will cover for him. No worries ailsagirl Oct 2012 #35
Such a super classsssy setting BeyondGeography Oct 2012 #30
Illegal? Samjm Oct 2012 #31
That letter probably results in more votes for Obama than if he had done nothing BlueStreak Oct 2012 #32
This is almost to absurd to be true Iceberg Louie Oct 2012 #33
How outrageous is that? The dirty bastard!! ailsagirl Oct 2012 #34

movonne

(9,623 posts)
8. These filthy people should be taxed as high as possible...I'm
Tue Oct 9, 2012, 04:16 PM
Oct 2012

really beginning to loath these people..arrogant s.o.b's

Response to babylonsister (Original post)

 

southernyankeebelle

(11,304 posts)
4. I thought there was a law against this. I mean how does he knows his employees will
Tue Oct 9, 2012, 04:05 PM
Oct 2012

vote for Obama? They can go back and tell them they voted for Romney. How would they know? This is a facist act.

patrice

(47,992 posts)
5. I'd bet this isn't a new tactic, just more out in the open now, because of DESPERATION, so ...
Tue Oct 9, 2012, 04:06 PM
Oct 2012

WHY are such powerful people so desperate???? What ARE their problems? Hmmmmmmm??????

octoberlib

(14,971 posts)
6. Anything for a tax break
Tue Oct 9, 2012, 04:12 PM
Oct 2012

I guess you have to be delusional and selfish to be a member of the Republican party nowadays. Pathetic.

johnnyrocket

(1,773 posts)
10. Corporate America is turning into greedy criminal thugs at this point. Highest profits in history..
Tue Oct 9, 2012, 04:22 PM
Oct 2012

...and they still want to blame this administration, (for what, I don't know). Unreal.

erpowers

(9,350 posts)
11. Republican Logic
Tue Oct 9, 2012, 04:49 PM
Oct 2012

My company is the most profitable it has ever been. Therefore, you must fire the current President because we cannot afford another four years like the previous four years that have seen my company become more profitable than it has ever been.

I understand David Siegel is claiming that tax increases will hurt his company. However, if his company is the most profitable it has ever been it seems his company could manage a tax increase. Also, if his company is the most profitable it has ever been it is possible that if President Obama is reelected Siegel's company profits could continue to grow. If his profits continue to grow he should still be able to grow his company.

Yavin4

(35,438 posts)
13. So, Obama Wins. He Fires His Employees, His Business Suffers Because They Cannot Produce
Tue Oct 9, 2012, 05:24 PM
Oct 2012

the same level of service with fewer employees. Thus, he blames Obama.

defacto7

(13,485 posts)
12. Someone should sue this guy....
Tue Oct 9, 2012, 04:53 PM
Oct 2012

quote "can't tell you who to vote for"

He just did.

Ethics is non existent these days.

HoneyD

(5 posts)
15. Typical...
Tue Oct 9, 2012, 05:50 PM
Oct 2012

This reminds me when Billionaire Diane Hendricks was behind the scene when she thought no one was recording her asking Scott Walker how can she help him make the State of Wisconsin a right to work state! Why
do the wealthy and modern day Republicans want to hoard everything, and think the American dream is just for the chosen and not for the working man who is willing to get up and work hard everyday?? Why are they hell bent on making this a one-party system and a right to work nation??

Alekei_Firebird

(320 posts)
16. Hopefully, capitalism will do its job and end this guy
Tue Oct 9, 2012, 06:02 PM
Oct 2012

The laws of the free market state that fools who are willing to endanger their business for personal reasons will be swallowed up by more efficient competitors.

locks

(2,012 posts)
17. Poor guy
Tue Oct 9, 2012, 07:08 PM
Oct 2012

Great article on Atlanta's blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog with a picture of his trophy wife sitting on his lap on the golden throne. Took him a while but he's finally building his copy-of-Versailles home, 23 bathrooms, 20 car garage, 3 pools. Asks his employees to feel sorry for him because they get to go home while he works so hard. Somehow found time to tell them not to believe this administration when they say the rich get richer and the poor get poorer; they just want class warfare. Reads like it's straight out of the Onion.

rucky

(35,211 posts)
21. What's he going to do? check everyone's ballot?
Tue Oct 9, 2012, 08:24 PM
Oct 2012

Nobody responds well to threats that the other person knows can't be backed up.

klook

(12,155 posts)
26. No kidding - what a cretin
Tue Oct 9, 2012, 11:01 PM
Oct 2012

But hey, if Obama wins we'll all just be sitting around in our seaside resort condos, living high off the hog on our welfare checks and food stamps, once Obama has Fannie Mae take over this guy's property and redistribute it to his supporters!

Generic Brad

(14,275 posts)
22. But they would lose their jobs at the hands of the 1%
Tue Oct 9, 2012, 09:21 PM
Oct 2012

So when a whiny, spoiled rich guy can't get his way, then he is justified in cashing out and screwing over all the employees who helped make him rich in the first place? If his team loses, he takes his ball and goes home?

I have heard this same argument parroted so many times over the course of the last week that there is no doubt it is a talking point being e-mailed to CEO's and business owners by the GOP.

We are to believe that the wealthy will stop making money simply because their obscene greed margin is trimmed? I'm not buying this ridiculous meme.

treestar

(82,383 posts)
24. OK he's really stupid
Tue Oct 9, 2012, 09:27 PM
Oct 2012

How has he survived the past four years then?

How does he know Congress will be Democratic enough to pass all those terrible welfare laws?

How do we know it's not an excuse because his company is not well run and he's not making money?

Kennah

(14,265 posts)
25. He's a fuckhead, but he's also a lousy business man and possibly a liar.
Tue Oct 9, 2012, 10:58 PM
Oct 2012

Why lay off your employees and shut down the business if it truly is the most profitable it's ever been? We are to believe he hates Obama more than he loves money? Bullshit, this guy LOVES money.

His threat is hollow. Won't surprise me if his company is headed for bankruptcy already or he's again under federal investigation. Any federal agents investigating him should be checking for airline ticket purchases.

This is great free publicity for him, but there's a price. A company doing business with him should be leery before providing goods or services to his company on an invoice. Whether it's water cooler refills, office supplies, or something else. I am given to understand most businesses factor in a 30 to 90 day window for invoicing, but when a business might go bust in the next 30 days, I would think they'd demand cash for any goods or services.

ailsagirl

(22,897 posts)
35. The billionaire bastard undoubtedly has a bunch of tough lawyers who will cover for him. No worries
Wed Oct 10, 2012, 01:10 AM
Oct 2012

And the little guy gets screwed yet again!!

 

BlueStreak

(8,377 posts)
32. That letter probably results in more votes for Obama than if he had done nothing
Wed Oct 10, 2012, 12:20 AM
Oct 2012

I mean really. If you got a threatening letter like that, what would you do when you found yourself in the privacy of a voting booth?

Somebody from the Obama campaign should thank him for sending out that letter.

Iceberg Louie

(190 posts)
33. This is almost to absurd to be true
Wed Oct 10, 2012, 12:41 AM
Oct 2012

Not surprising, just absurd. The phrasing evokes a Dickensian cliche villain boss. The excerpts in the article reek of Siegel's arrogance. However, if you read the whole email, it plays out with even more over-the-top melodrama. Reading it gives me the impression that David Siegel idolizes Tony Montana, as he rants on about how he built the whole Westgate empire with his own blood, sweat and tears, the sacrifices he made to make sure his mealy-mouthed minions all had the paychecks he signed (like putting his plans to build a Xanadu-esque monument to excess on hold in the wake of the recession).

In addition to the very real likelihood that this slimeball owns his own tiger, another Scarface-like touch is the gaudy throne he is pictured on in his portrait:




The really funny part about it, though, is that it was almost wholly plagiarized from a chain email that was circulated during the 2008 election cycle. Here is that email:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/valuedemployees.asp

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