Atlas Is Shrugging

It would be difficult to quantify this, but a contributor to American Thinker tells us that a good bit of the implosion of the U.S. economy in recent months is the direct result of business owners - like him - saying, Enough Is Enough:

Blame me for job losses
By C. Edmund Wright

When the jobs report for November came out last week, many so-called "experts" were shocked at the massive loss of an estimated 533 thousand jobs. Even a Time /CNN organization called "The Curious Capitalists" were at a loss to explain it.

Let me attempt to help out these "curious capitalists" (though I am still skeptical that anyone working for CNN or Time is either curious or a capitalist). I caused part of this job loss and I know precisely why; the election. The results portend big trouble for small business.

Most of the kind of people who start and run businesses are by definition trying to opt out of depending on anyone else -- be it a large corporation or government -- for their welfare. We take on tremendous risks and responsibilities. We do so expecting a better than average return. Since we require nothing from government, most of us deeply resent and resist being pestered by government.

For nearly 30 years, I have been one of these business people. It was an amazing journey and literally involved blood, sweat and tears. But now I am done. This election screams that we are going to see a deterioration of the risk-reward equation and the ability to be left alone. Apparently, any appreciation of our crucial place in the economy is lost on over 50% of the voters as well as those they elected.

So, like many business owners, I will "stay home" so to speak. Others more brave than I are opting to try and stay in business by cutting way back on purchases and payroll. They have already started. They are not waiting for the little sign on Obama's lectern to be updated to the official Presidential seal. November 2008 job losses belong to "The Office of the President Elect." I know. I caused some of them, and I know why. [link]

Ironically, Mr. Wright opens himself up to being accused of being "unpatriotic." But, at this point in his - and our - history - I doubt that he cares. He has been driven to do that which businessmen and women have been threatening to do for the last two decades - throw their hands up in the air in desperation and defeat and walk away. And, perhaps, join the ranks of those on the receiving end of "government largesse."

You want the government to provide your health care coverage and your unemployment coverage and your disability coverage and your retirement benefits and your children's education and your higher education and your welfare income, understand who it is that you're asking to pay for it all. It's not the government. It's Mr. Wright. And it's me. And it's the many taxpayers out there who haven't given up on their country.

Yet.

But keep making demands ...