Dear Millennial Entrepreneurial Voter Part 2

The Government Distributes. It does NOT produce.

I wonder if millennials are aware that the government (who millennials appear to trust blindly, with little to know question) innovates and produces NOTHING. Like really nothing. The Government’s primary source of income is our tax dollars. Anything they own or manage to sell for profit, they sell it because they, first, bought it with our money. The government produces absolutely nothing. They are simply distributors of other people’s money.

Americans Are the Creators & Producers

We, Americans, are the producers. We create. We innovate. We profit. In other words, we’re suppose to run this — “ish” as you millennials say.

Think about it. In our respective businesses, our distributors, partners, or vendors, do not receive up to half (or the bulk) of the pie we create — without making some contribution to the pie. Pardon my urban slang, but… where they do that at?

Giving up high percentages of your income to the government ruins the profitability of your business. We’ve all watched entrepreneurs on Shark Tank cringe at the thought of giving up high percentages of equity to an investor.

Therefore, you can say paying the tax percentages the government currently requires business owners to pay is, in effect, giving away equity.

Moment of silence to marinate on that…

Understand that the government’s revenue model is our tax dollars.

A business provides incentives and value to customers in exchange for their money. That’s the free market.

By contrast, the government offers us, (their customer — if you will), the threat of fine or jail (per the law aka IRS) to coerce us to give them our money every quarter (or weekly, biweekly, or monthly if you are an employee). Now, that’s gangsta.

And the sad part of it all is, it’s with our consent. For, we give our consent to their gangsta revenue model every time we vote for politicians who hold these bad economic ideas. Ideas that believe the tax code exists to redistribute “earned” wealth.

Ideas that turn into laws that say it’s okay to tax your top producers more than lower or non-producers. Laws that send you to jail for not allowing the government legally confiscate YOUR money.

Another moment of silence to marinate on that…

Ideas that won’t even consider are other ideas or ways to provide a social safety net for those experiencing poverty, the sick, elderly, or disabled — through the free market. Ideas, in addition to a revised tax policy, that won’t penalize the wealthy people by idolizing and exploiting the poor and other vulnerable people.

At the same time, it would be intellectually dishonest to not mention the evidence of wealthy people being favored over poor when it comes to justice, healthcare, education, and other areas of society.

My position is both realities are WRONG. Such is not balance.

And for those who are of the Christian faith, the current tax model is not biblical or godly economic principle. Biblical principle suggest that it is the responsibility of individuals and communities to be the primary sources of alleviating poverty and social ills — not government. Government can supplement and support such efforts but NOT be primary.

So while I acknowledge the problem of wealth corrupting good morals, the broader point I’m making is how it’s, now, become trendy to demonize and penalize wealthy people via the tax code.

I’m saying this is as wrong as wealthy people taking advantage of the poor.

Plus, the tax code is too complicated and not practical.

For, you would never run your company the way some politicians advocate running America.

You would never cut or cap the salary potential of your top sales performers to give their portion to under performing team members. You would never appease low performers at the expense of top performers.

And you would NEVER allow top performers to hamstring low performers in order to keep them low performing.

Well, this is what the government does through the tax code and will continue to do so, if we don’t stop them — at the ballot box.

Government wants you to think the principles that govern us in everyday life don’t apply to them. Principles like arithmetic, accounting 101, and economics 101.

From their rhetoric and actions, they signal these fundamental life truths shouldn’t apply to them and how they govern society.

They seem to think they are gods and we are too stupid, naive, or busy to notice their tactics.

They seem to think they are the only morally superior ones able to decide winners and losers in society. It is the MARKET’S job to decide winners and losers NOT Washington bureaucrats most of whom have never run a business or had to hustle to make payroll.

We, the people, make up the market. And we are awesome at rewarding good products and services and rejecting poor quality and service. It’s that simple.

Don’t believe the hype. I appeal to you today to reTHINK and reconsider your FUTURE and your children’s future. That is, if you want to build wealth and pass it down to them as a legacy.

I know the weak arguments politicians make to appeal to our emotions and sense of morality (vs. our brains and logic) has been clouding your ability to think critically and soundly.

Sexual assault is a problem and important. Police brutality is important. Immigration is important.

However, the issue of your personal livelihood eclipses all the above. We must grasp that this structure upon which we make our living — will affect our day to day more, immediately, than any of the above.

For, without a source of income or having your income significantly reduced by bad tax policy, will cripple or cease your ability to be an effective activist for the causes you care most about reforming.

Don’t let these political manipulators distract you with their rhetorical hyperbole and scare tactics.

A Solution and Good Idea

The tax code should be reformed, just like healthcare. We all (Republicans, Democrats, & Independents) agree on this. The problem is we clash on the how and what solutions should look like.

I like what Ben Carson suggested during the primary debates. It’s a very simple, common sense, plan. ONE RATE that applies to everybody.

For example sake, let’s say that rate is a flat 10% for everybody.

Since opponents to this idea continue to feign concern for the middle and lower classes — fearing the rich won’t pay “their fair share,” with this simple plan, good old-fashioned arithmetic will guarantee the middle and lower classes pay less than their rich neighbor. It’s a good old mathematical principle called proportions. It looks something like this:

10% of $3M = a $300,000 tax bill for the year

10% of $30K = a $3,000 tax bill for the year

10% of $3K = a $300 tax bill for the year.

Perhaps a compromise to satisfy the moral need we all have to look out for those at poverty levels (with a surge of collective compassion and generosity), we could totally exempt anyone making less than $30K per year from paying income taxes — at all.

But do you see the rationale? With this simple concept, each class would be paying their fair share.

Relative to a potential compromise, the national salary averages would, likely, increase to above $30K per year because employers would have a consistent and reasonable tax code to make plans around. Plans that would, likely, allow for innovation, promotions, and creation of higher paying jobs.

It is highly plausible with such a tax reform (and other government waste reforms) that even with a national $30K poverty exemption, the country could still eliminate it’s debt and emerge back in the black.

By the way, the Trump campaign is totally out to lunch to NOT be making this point to millennial voters. Amid other MISSED opportunities to connect and speak to the concerns of Black and other minority voters — lest I digress.

So my millennials friends… the takeaway lesson for today is…

KEEP THESE CAREER POLITICIANS OUT OF YOUR POCKET.

STOP LETTING THEM COUNT YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY.

Money YOU sacrifice, grind, hustle, and crush for. Nobody should tell you how to distribute your money — if you made it legally.

Don’t like Trump? I get it. Don’t vote for him. Write in your candidate instead.

All I’m saying is, please reconsider voting for someone whose policy ideas will NOT negatively interfere with your hustle — your livelihood. Think LONG TERM not emotionally.

Entrepreneurs are data, metric, and fact driven in our decision making. So what I’m saying should make total sense to you — because you are an entrepreneur, right? You do plan to be wealthy and build a legacy to leave, right? Part One Recommended podcast.