So, here’s a question for you.  Would filing your taxes and voting for politicians on same day affect who you would vote for?

Just think about it.  On a day in November (or whenever), you send off your tax forms (and maybe a big check) to the IRS and Governor.  In the afternoon, you go to the voting precinct and choose your public servants.

Regardless of how you might vote, all of the politician’s spending history and tax policies would likely be emphasized near election day (and tax day).

For most of the small business owners, there could be a direct correlation between a politician’s spending and who the owners vote for.  Not only business owners, but nearly everyone would make some connection between votes and taxes.

An idea like this is just too good and too simple.

As reported on seattlepi.com, U.S. Representative Roscoe Bartlett has introduced a bill to make this happen.

Wouldn’t it be great to see some irresponsible pork-barrel free-spending fat cats shaking in their shoes at re-election time?

Politicians waste our money.  Small businesses create jobs

You’ve probably seen the ads for work at home opportunities.  Don’t they sound fabulous? 

You earn good money and you spend little time working.  Wow, sign me up!!

They tout things like envelope-stuffing, product assembly, medical billing, vitamin sales, and telemarketing of videotapes, books and seminars.

So just to check out these quick cash gigs, a task force was formed to “shop” more than 100 work-at-home advertisements.  And, their conclusion was that there’s absolutely no evidence of people making the large earnings promised.

In fact, most people pay more upfront than they ever earn doing the work advertised.

In this yearlong study of 112 work-at-home companies, 21 were out of business before the study concluded. Twelve others did not respond after money was sent, and 10 did not respond to preliminary inquiries.

Of the remaining 69 companies, two said “positions were filled,” and the rest sent instructions for setting up another work-at-home company, products to assemble, books or lists of other companies to contact for work opportunities, or offers for software, books or videos.

The task force was formed a year ago in response to growing concerns about an industry that regularly tops the list of types of businesses generating the most inquiries to local Better Business Bureaus.

While ads claim high earnings and short hours with little or no experience, the task force found no evidence of people actually making the promised money. Rather, after paying advance “registration” fees or “good faith deposits,” the consumer receives either nothing or information that encourages involvement in an illegal scheme or supplies to assemble a product that is virtually impossible to complete.

Surprise…surprise, who would’ve thunk?

The only people who get rich quick are the scam artists that these people sent their money to.

A key ingredient of working naked is that YOU GET PAID! 

They’re everywhere.  If you don’t work for yourself, you might have to deal with them everyday.

They’re the work jerks that repeatedly interrupt you when you’re talking.  Or, sneak away with your snacks and goodies.

As reported on msnbc.com, Robert Sutton, a professor at Stanford University, has heard it all while working on his recently released best seller, “The No A——Rule.”

His new book was inspired by an article he wrote entitled “More Trouble than They’re Worth.”  This article elicited an avalanche of e-mails from people around the world telling their stories about jerks at work.  Since the book came out, he gets at least 15 e-mails a day from people with horrible bosses.

One of his solutions for anyone who works for a jerk: Leave the job.

The other approach is to find little ways to get control and fight back. One woman whose boss was always stealing her food reshaped Ex-Lax to look like candy, then her boss stole it.

Some industries have a greater proportion of jerks than others.  For example, Hollywood. Robert said he has a cousin who works in the industry and asked her to name the nice people in Hollywood.  There was this long pause, and she eventually named Steven Spielberg and Danny DeVito.  Two out of thousands?  And, the rest are jerks? 

What about Rosie?

The point is they’re everywhere.  You can make Ex-Lax goodies or you can bolt and work naked.

Hello, McFly!!

How long does it take economic geniuses to figure out that shipping jobs overseas does not enrich the U.S.?  Apparently decades.

The prominent economist, Alan Blinder, who has advised Democratic presidential candidates finally has done an about face on the issue.  As reported in the Wall Street Journal, he’s been such a steadfast advocate of free trade, he characterized himself as a free trader “down to my toes”.

But now, he’s awoken estimating that another 40 million American jobs could be shipped out of the country during the next two decades.  40 million jobs?

So, here’s Mr. Egghead advisor to high level politicians who enact our economic policies.  And, he finally “gets it”.  

Who knows the politicians he’s influenced and how many American jobs it’s cost us.    

Did you see where home mortgage giant Ameriquest is laying off 3,000 workers?  That’s about half of it’s total workforce.

As reported on msnbc.com, this is the second large layoff the company executed recently.  Last May, Ameriquest’s parent closed 229 branch offices and laid off 3,800 employees nationwide as part of a plan to consolidate its retail mortgage lending operations.

Ameriquest is a lender who specializes in making risky, higher-interest mortgages to people with blemished credit records and they’ve been tightening their lending policies as their financing has dried up and defaults have increased.

Basically, they’ve preyed upon the less fortunate and now they’re cutting loose their hard working employees.

And last year, Ameriquest’s parent company , ACC Capital Holdings Corp., agreed to pay $325 million in a multistate settlement over claims of deceptive lending practices.

When you read this stuff, it makes you want to flee corporate America and start working naked.

In Pennsylvania, Westmoreland County officials still reeling from Sony’s plans to cut up to 900 jobs at its New Stanton complex, say “wait and see” is their only strategy to weather this cost of globalization.

As reported on post-gazette.com, Sony plans to move production of rear-projection TV sets to Mexico by July 1. The company’s decision was not completely a surprise, however painful it might be for the county’s business community and for the 900 area residents who will lose their jobs.

Falling prices in rear-projection television sets are prompting the company to shift its rear-projection operation from New Stanton to a lower-cost facility in Tijuana, Mexico.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen here in the long term. Our concern at the moment are the employees who are going to be laid off in the next couple of months,” Mr. Larese said.

Just more motivation to make the move to working naked

To the left is the picture of your favorite mega-corporation’s CEO.

Get a load of this.

Small business advocates believe thousands of legitimate small businesses across the country could be forced out of business, as they are required to compete head to head with Fortune 500 firms for federal small business contracts. Lloyd Chapman, president of the American Small Business League, says the new SBA policy is tantamount to repealing the Small Business Act for America’s 23 million small businesses.

A new Small Business Administration policy set to go into effect this summer will allow the Federal government to report billions of dollars earmarked for small businesses to Fortune 500 companies.

Critics of the new policy point out Fortune 500 firms and other large businesses that received federal small business contracts through acquisitions, miscoding, honest mistakes, computer glitches, lack of proper oversight and even fraud will be allowed to continue to receive federal small business status for five more years beginning June 30, 2007.

“Fortune 500 firms should be removed from the federal government’s small business database tomorrow, not five years from now,” Chapman said.  “We are talking about an SBA policy that will divert over a billion dollars a week in federal small business contracts to the top 2 percent of firms in America every year for five more years. It’s unacceptable that Congress has done nothing to stop this.”
   
The American Small Business League estimates that unless Congress steps in and passes legislation to stop the policy, legitimate small businesses will lose over $300 billion in federal small business contracts over the next five years.

Can you believe this?  WTF?

So, what do you like best about your job, the company’s flimsy bonus plan or the promotion policy that rewards low performing suck-ups?

Worker sentiments show a continuing trend of declining satisfaction in the workplace.  Dissatisfaction has spread among all workers, regardless of age, income or residence. 
 
According to msnbc.com, people working in the western states indicated that they have higher job satisfaction.  Workers in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania are on the lower end of the satisfaction scale.

In many cases, management’s initiatives of leaning down the organization and the push for productivity gains have overloaded workers.

Kind of reminds me of the old country tune.  You can take this job and shove it.

That’s right.  If you want to climb the ladder to the corporate ivory tower, wear heels.  At least three-inches high.

I’m bolting out to Nordstrom, right now.  Although, it’s tough to run in my two-inchers.

See the power broker at the corporate water cooler.  She’s stunting her upward mobility.  Those heels she’s wearing need at least another inch in height (maybe two) for her to reach the executive suite.

How absurd!  According to the “experts” quoted at msnbc.com, physical attractiveness has a noticeable effect on a worker’s perceived performance.  Increasing your height, through either wearing heels or femur bone augmentation, can help you command respect and support in the corporate world.   

These experts go on to say that people need to kill casual day. “You never have the advantage when dressed casually.  You look like you’re careless or have a careless attitude.” says Sandy Dumont, president of the Image Architect, a consulting firm.

Kill casual day?  That’s one of the cornerstones of working naked.

Some days my approach to dress for success centers around the swanky monogram on my robe. 

That’s right, U.S. automakers laid off 150,000 workers last year.

Automakers are still bleeding red ink.  And, probably will for the foreseable future. 

After years of complacency and ineptitude, the management of the big three have been exposed.  Their inattention to building quality and fuel efficient cars have cost thousands of jobs.  Do the pension and healthcare costs contribute to their financial woes - sure they do.  But, don’t let that excuse cover up the gross mismanagement.

Let’s be realistic, these fat cat executives, who are making seven figures a year, are only interested in lining their owns pockets.  Screw Joe Sixpack.

To keep themselves afloat, look for divisions of the big three to be spun off or sold for cash.  And, once the private investment firms get a hold of these divisions, we’ll see more layoffs and pension plan destructions.

Unfortunately, these are realities.  Seize control of your future.