“Do you want to hire us?”

Dear Corporate Fat Cats:

It’s been a while since I last sent you a letter. I hope you are doing well, what with all the corporate profits you are racking in, you must be quite pleased with yourself.

And with the help of your friends in Congress, you will be paying less in taxes. How wonderful for you.

Alas, some of your corporations aren’t doing so well, like JC Penney. But you can always cut more staff. That is a surefire way to boost profits, right? Cut your way to profitability is always the path to take when you need to increase your bonuses.

It’s too bad that the people you have laid off can no longer buy your goods or services. But, hey, if things get worse, just lay off more people, right?

It really takes too much time and effort to come up with new goods and services people will actually want to buy. Better to cut expenses than build new plants to manufacture products that will put people to work. Who needs new revenue streams when you can simply cut more workers? Wall Streets loves, absolutely loves, a company that lays off more and more workers.

But aren't you supposed to be the job creators? 

But it’s not your fault, Mr. Corporate Fat Cat. You want to hire more people, you really do, but they don’t have the skills you need, or so you say. Lower your taxes and you may hire more workers, you tell us.

How about paying your fair share of taxes so our high schools and community colleges can educate future workers with the skills you need? Just a suggestion.

Even if applicants came to you with the skills you say you need, would you hire them? I mean, that would mean spending money on their salaries, and that would cut into your annual bonuses. Not so sure about that, are you? Why ruin a good thing.

So I have to ask, Do you want to hire us?

Sincerely,

The American Worker