Bernie Marus, former CEO of Home Depot writes: Why are Obamacare supporters attacking job creators? – CSMonitor.com.
On a Monday morning in March, small business owner Mike Ruffer told a group at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C, how his eight Five Guys Burgers and Fries franchise restaurants in North Carolina were faring under the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare. Five hours later, the backlash was so intense he had to wonder if that 15-minute speech might kill his company.
In fact, Mr. Ruffer is the most recent victim in a troubling pattern of seemingly orchestrated campaigns to silence small business owners who speak out about President Obama’s agenda. CEOs have told me they see disturbing parallels in the Internal Revenue Service and Department of Justice scandals, where the administration pursued political opponents and the press. And, quite frankly, these business owners are afraid.
So what actually happened?
All businesses are affected by the health-care law’s mandates, but small businesses – especially restaurants – have less maneuverability to pay for them. As Ruffer told his audience, passing the cost to customers risks pricing his products beyond perceived value. As a result, he would have to cut his expenses: employees, investments in new locations, and more.
When Ruffer’s comments hit the Internet, calls and emails from Obamacare supporters rained into executives at Five Guys headquarters – Ruffer’s bosses. Social media started to turn against the popular brand, and progressive bloggers filed the first wave of negative stories.
Within hours, corporate headquarters was distancing themselves from their North Carolina business partner, stating that his views did not reflect the corporate position. Ruffer stopped answering his telephone; emails went unanswered. The business he had built after retiring was suddenly in danger. He probably wondered why he opened his big mouth – and he’s not alone.
No surprise, it’s an organized effort…
Is this new era of the permanent campaigning why Mike Ruffer believes his business is at risk? “Of course this is orchestrated, and clearly by the president’s supporters,” Democrat pollster Pat Caddell told me. “This passes the duck test: It looks, swims, and quacks like a duck. Every political operative in the country knows this is a duck.”
Mike Leven, president of Sands Casino, summed it up recently: “For the first time in my long career, I feel like a target.” He is not alone. A recent Job Creators Alliance poll showed 70 percent of small business owners feel Washington has become more hostile to them in recent years. Their peers at Five Guys, Denny’s, Applebee’s, Red Lobster, and more would certainly agree.
No price is too high to achieve the Progressive goal of government control. Bullying, lying all the regular campaign mode operations. If you don’t want to get run over by big government, you better decide which side you want to be on. This includes guilt ridden Boulder SUV riders that continually vote for every green initiative on the face of the planet.
Or, you can repeat after me: “Nothing to see here, move along” and get run over by Big Government from cradle to grave.
