Entrepreneurs: the Real American Heroes

I don’t understand why the entrepreneurs who take risks and become successful are vilified as rich businessmen and looked down upon by our democratic elite leaders. (Actually I do, but that’s another story)

 

These guys who start companies and create jobs are the real heroes of our society.  For example, Eagan and Marino who founded EMC Corp. in 1979.  They’re rich today.  I don’t know how rich because it’s none of my business.  However, I suspect they are multimillionaires.  Should they be criticized or celebrated?  I say celebrated because they risked their time and capital and their company now employs 35,000 people.

 

EMC has created 35,000 jobs, lots of opportunities, and those employees have paid plenty in taxes, bought homes, pay real estate taxes, buy nice cars, pay sales taxes, and on and on.  In addition, since the company became public they have helped many other folks build their wealth by adding their stock to 401(k)s, etc.  So what if these two founders have become wealthy.  That’s the whole idea!  That’s the American Dream.

 

The current administration needs to stop their class warfare.  Our country would obviously be better off with more Eagans and Marinos.  These men ought to be celebrated as American Entrepreneurial heroes and President Obama should be holding their achievements up as examples for all instead of trying to convince his constituency that they are villains and don’t pay their fair share of taxes.  I would submit they’ve paid millions in taxes, probably much more than their fair share!

 

People ought to be incentivized for job creation, not penalized!  Success should be rewarded.  By the way, tax incentives like charitable deductions aren’t tax loopholes.  If not for charitable giving from the Eagans and Marinos of the world, what would happen to the private organizations who benefit, and their employees, and the folks they are helping?  Think about it, they’d all be downsized, adding more people to the unemployment roles, etc.  Do you suppose the Obama administration ultimately wants to destroy these private organizations so they can increase the size of government and create more jobs for public unions?

Steve Stroum

Steven M. Stroum, founder and president of Venmark International is a seasoned publicist, marketer, and entrepreneur who has been featured in INC Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine, Industrial Marketing, OMNI Magazine, USA Today, The Christian Science Monitor, Boston Globe, Boston Herald, The Middlesex News, San Francisco Chronicle, and other media outlets. He has also appeared on numerous radio and television programs, addressed many business and civic groups, and been a guest lecturer at Boston College, Babson College, MIT, and his alma mater Northeastern University.

Next Post

Previous Post

2 Comments

  1. paul szemplinski on August 10, 2012 at 12:04 am

    Well said Steve! As a small business owner for over 20 years, I have to agree with you on every front. From this vantage point, Americans have finally awoken and are thumbing their noses at the president based on outpouring support for small business Chik-Fil-A franchisee owners.

    Today, the prez says “I want to do the same thing with manufacturing jobs, not just in the auto industry, but in every industry.” Really? You want the tax payers to bail out say failing alternative energy companies that are consistently going bankrupt? Where does it stop? Cut special deals where unions get paid first in BK proceedings before preferred bond holders? Thanks but no thanks. Go be pres of the EU, you’ll be loved there, not here.

    Come November, Americans will choose between Marxism or Free Market Capitalism. the most important election in my lifetime.

    Regards,

    Paul E. Szemplinski
    http://www.capsystech.com



    • Steve Stroum on August 10, 2012 at 3:15 pm

      Thanks Paul, I’m sure you’re very proud of your achievements!



%d bloggers like this: