I am the 1%. I am a S.O.B. (son of a
butcher). I started out with nothing. I was raised in a blue-collar dead end
town on the Bronx borderline. Today I live the
American Dream. My story is the story of the 1%.
The fake story meant to deceive you
is that the 1% is Bill Gates, Donald Trump, Warren Buffett, Senator John Kerry,
or Arianna Huffington. Gates was born to a family that owned the biggest bank
in the Northwest. Trump was born to a billionaire father, the largest landlord
in Brooklyn and Queens. Buffett’s father
was a well-connected Congressman. Arianna Huffington and John Kerry married
into fortunes. They aren’t the 1%. They’re the lucky sperm club.
99% of the 1% are just like me-
small businessmen and women who started from humble origins and earned their
money the old fashioned way. Our "overnight success" came from 25
years of hard work, risking everything, and overcoming failure. Many of us are
struggling, but will forever keep striving for the American Dream.
I am sick of being denigrated and
misrepresented by the media and leftist politicians who are purposely
misleading the public about the 1%.
I am sick of Obama targeting,
vilifying, demonizing, and punishing us for our success. I am sick of the class
warfare, jealousy, and envy that Obama’s socialist cabal tries to foment
among the masses. The public has been told lies about the 1%.
My story is the story of 99% of the
1%. I am a small businessman. I work 16-hour days, mornings, nights, weekends,
holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries. I have no guaranteed job for life, nor
any pension. I have no rich daddy or sugar daddy.
I don’t own a yacht. I have no
private jet. I don’t have millions in an offshore trust. I don’t
have one dollar offshore. Unfortunately, I don’t have $100 million here
in America
either. I am not connected, work like a dog, and fought like a cornered
wolverine for everything I’ve ever achieved. No one has ever given me
anything. I’ve earned it.
I don’t run a bank and have
never been friends with a bank President. My buddies don’t run giant
multi-national corporations. My friends don’t control the White House,
Congress or the Fed. My friends are small business owners just like me. They
are the 1%.
Along the way I’ve created
many jobs, helping others live the American Dream too. I’ve made
countless payrolls, and paid for other people’s health insurance.
I’ve also failed countless times, wiping out my savings. But I never
complained, blamed anyone but myself, and never asked for a bailout. Is this
the story the media tells you about the 1%? Funny, I’ve never heard it.
My butcher father taught me to ask
for nothing from government. I believe in self-reliance and personal
responsibility. I’ve never collected a check from government in my life-
other than a student loan. And I paid that back in full, with interest. I want and
expect nothing from government. And in return, I just want government to get
out of my way, and stop stealing (Obama calls it "redistributing") so
much of the money I've earned.
I became a self-made millionaire by
the age of 30 by working grueling hours, being relentless, and risking my own
money. My success was earned with blood, sweat, and tears. I’ve missed
far too many cherished family moments with my four children. I rarely get a
chance to watch TV. I live on a world-class golf course, but I've never played
golf once in the ten years I've lived here. Should I be demonized and punished
for my sacrifice and work ethic?
My butcher father taught me to
out-work, out-smart, and out-hustle my competition. He taught me to study hard
when others are partying. He taught me to stay away from drugs, and alcohol. He
taught me that nothing good ever happens after Midnight. His dream was that I
be accepted at Columbia
University, where he
wished he could have gone.
So I studied. I sacrificed. I got
Straight A’s. I graduated Valedictorian of my high school. I was accepted
at Columbia University (as was my sister). I earned
Deans List honors. Should I now be punished for doing everything right, by
others who chose to party when I was studying?
My butcher father was right. So I
listened some more. He told me you had to risk your own money and start your
own business to achieve the American Dream. So I became a risk-taking
entrepreneur. After enduring several devastating failures, I became a business
owner, television anchor and host, Las
Vegas oddsmaker with my own star in the Las Vegas Walk
of Stars, and eventually the 2008 Libertarian Vice Presidential nominee. As Don
King says, “Only in America.
Is this the story of the 1% you hear
in the media? Is this the narrative you hear from Obama?
I’m just one of millions of
small business owners in the 1% who strive every day to achieve the American
Dream through discipline, unmatched work ethic, sacrifice, and personal
financial risk. Are you aware that the standard Small Business Administration
loan is personally guaranteed? How many bank, automotive, or green energy
executives personally guaranteed their government loans? Zero.
We have earned our success.
Shouldn’t those who create jobs, pay the taxes that pay for the roads, schools,
entitlements, and the bills of government be celebrated as heroes and role
models? Last I checked you don’t demonize, denigrate or punish heroes, do
you?
We are the true 1%.This was something a friend of mine sent me and I was so tickled by "the lucky sperm club" that I had to pass it along. Most of us are not in that club but those of us who have worked hard and used common sense and good judgement are likely in the 15% club. Almost 50% of those who are wage earners in the country are not paying income taxes net, and something like 65% are getting more from the government than they pay in taxes. The rest of us are paying for all the freebies and getting maligned in the process. If you don't think you're making enough then my advice to you is to work harder. You have no right to stick your hand in my pocket because you don't think you have enough.
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