CEO's blame layoffs and reduced hours on Obama re-election

[Aqua]

Oh good Papa Jonnyboy is trying to put their nose here in the UK.
I know 80% of the gamers in my area, you KNOW their pizza orders will make a difference.
Screw you P.Johns.

There's a nice little local place, and a Dominoes around our area... bit further but... egh. I can walk a bit further if I really need pizza, I only have pizza like once every 3 months tops. But when I want it, I waaant it. But not from that.

When a Recession hits, all levels of income should be brought more in line, but as it is, the people at the top in the U.S. seem to be cutting every corner they can to retain their 12 car, mansions and billions. At the expense of the trust from the public. I sure hope they studied the revolutions in Russia and Europe in school because they're digging their way to it. Just because they don't call themselves Duke/Lord/Czar or what-have-you, doesn't mean they aren't sitting at exactly the same spot. Yes, hard work should be rewarded, but you should also take a good deal of introspection when you are AT the top to see how much of that might have been luck and circumstance, and to try and hold onto some of your humanity.

I'm appalled at how many people think that isn't necessary and people who have had set back after set back in their life should just wallow in their shit and die in a ditch. While those who've had lucky break after lucky break should lord it over the plebeians.
It's a nice dream thinking that every thing you work for will be justly rewarded, and if you're poor you've simply never worked hard enough, but that's a horrible self delusion, many wealthy people feed themselves.


Edit: Sadly companies with this attitude simply have to be left to fall apart, another company will pick up the slack and have to recreate those jobs. P.Johns and that other company don't deserve your business.
Same happened to GAME in the UK, Shoddy business practices, nice employees, many of whom lost their jobs purely because of the idiots at the top.

[Laize]

Yes, but an economist would also figure out that with these employees now having healthcare insurance of their own, costs would be saved elsewhere.

While true, that's not the concern of a business owner. A business owner doesn't (and shouldn't be expected to) simply accept that someone else is saving money at his expense.

[vaeevictiss]

Considering that Romney was going to effectively undo and get rid of everything Obama put in place--Obama-care, letting the Bush tax-cuts expire this time around, never before scene spending levels, etc.--which led to higher unemployment, then yes, there is a causal connection.

Low- to middle-income people are in for a very, very rude awakening in the next 4 years because of this election.

While i despise obama and everything he stands for...his obamacare, his blatent disregard for america, and peoples liberties...it is laughable to think romney would have been any better. They are birds of a feather...but people eat this shit up thinking there is actually a difference between republican and democrat. I actually think i despise the people who support obama more than i dislike obama himself. How people can have such a willingness to throw away liberty and american values for...i dont even know what you really thought you were going to get out of it, is utterly sickening.

[Vago]

Not matter how much people want to deny the facts. No matter what you do you will not hurt the rich people...Left wing Right wing whatever...simple fact of the matter is rich people create jobs and when anyone / anything starts cutting into their pie they cut those same jobs they created to stay to keep up the life style. That's why trickle up economics will NEVER work. Personally I work in the finance field and out of our 300 plus client; no less than half are doing the same thing. This will be the norm before the next 4 years is over, get use to it.

[vaeevictiss]

So how do we solve all this? The employees already work full time and still can't afford health insurance. So what should they do? Should they go to the emergency room and let the tax payers foot the bill? Or should they just simply die?

because taxpayers arent going to be footing the bill now anyways?

[Twotonsteak]

Papa Johns CEO threatens to reduce employee hours or increase pizza prices so he doesn't have to pay for healthcare.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobile...n_2104202.html


Murray energy fires 150+ employees in response to Obama re-election.
http://m.washingtonpost.com/business...684_story.html


So I guess this is the new thing. Blame layoffs and price increases that were already going to happen on Obama. Murray energy should probably blame the free market for its layoffs, since they are a direct result of the rising competitiveness of Natural Gas via fracking. It's no wonder they deny climate change and lobby for unsafe working conditions to reduce cost.

Oh look a picture of John Schnatters house. i.imgur.com/T7W2j.png

Your pizza sucks anyways, John.

Few points to mention:

1. The idea that business owners will/should sacrifice personal income, over cutting costs, is ******* delusional. People don't start business's to support other, less ambitious, people. They start business's to make money.*

2. The idea that paying more taxes is, somehow, patriotic is completely idiotic. How does giving more of my hard-earned money to a bureaucrat, just so they can then send it to Pakistan or Afghanistan (or some other foreign nation), make me more patriotic to the US? How does handing over the money I worked for, so it can be given to someone who hasn't worked at all, make me patriotic?**

3. Most, if not all, of these companies (and many more) announced that they would issue "cost-cutting measures" to deal with Obama's policies. Some of these measures include raising prices, adding an "Obamacare" surcharge, or cutting hours and jobs. These concepts were announced long before the election. However most news networks opted not to cover the story. The few that did often painted it as "voter intimidation."*** (As if these multi-state business owners would, somehow, magically know which employee voted for Obama.)

4. When the economy started to tank, during the Bush administration, many companies went under. The ones that survived learned how to cut costs and pass expenses on to the consumer. This has been an established principle for running a successful business for DECADES. When expenses go up, costs should be cut where possible to compensate. Instead of learning from this lesson, however, Obama decided to heap more "expenses" (in the form of tax's) on business's big and small. To act surprised that they responded by cutting expenses (an established pattern) demonstrates a total disconnect with the reality of our economy. Then again, we are talking about a President who has failed to make even a meaningful attempt at balancing the national budget.

5. The simple audacity of the double-standard here is shocking. Obama spent four years blaming Bush, Republicans, and the wealthy for his inability to do his own job. (His job, which he stated in his own words, being to fix the economy.) At the exact same time business owners, big and small, were practically screaming about how damaging his policies would be. They came out, in droves, during the election and flatly stated that further beatings from his anti-business (especially small business) policies WOULD result in jobs being cut and prices going up. And what was the response? A lot of complete and utter idiots saying, "raising tax's on business owners won't hurt anyone else." If someone tells you that putting your hand in a bear trap is dangerous, and you do it anyway, and you lose that hand, is it your own fault or the fault of the person that warned you?

6. It's very simple in the end. Everyone, every single person in this country, was warned BEFORE the election. They were all given the facts. A lot of people decided to cover their ears and go on living in Obama-land. Now the reality of their willing ignorance is catching up with them. You can choose to blame the business owners, the wealthy, the Republicans, or who-ever else you want. Just remember that you WERE warned. More business WILL cut jobs and more business's will raises costs. And you can only live in denial, blaming everyone else, before you have to admit that something isn't working. Much like Obama can only blame Bush for so many years before he admits that maybe, just maybe, he's the one that's failing now.


*The concept that business owners should pay "out of pocket," instead of cutting expenses and raising costs, was expressed by several Liberal pundits post election. This even after several franchise owners said they would go broke and shut-down if they tried to do that. (Most of their money is tied up in the business. A reality many Obama supporters like to ignore.)

**It was Joe Biden that, during the campaign, suggested paying more tax's is patriotic. Apparently the "insult" was lost on the poor and working poor who don't pay Federal Income tax. (They may have a higher rate, but don't make enough to actually pay. Rather the Feds give them a refund, in essence paying them, at the end of the year.)

***Several Liberal outlets referred to the warnings, given by business's small and large, as "voter intimidation." Most of these same outlets ignored the Black Panthers that stood in front of polling station doors, with bats, on election day.

****Obama's definition of "wealthy" is a moving mark. At one point he defined it as someone making more than 250k a year. For the record my employer, under those guide-lines, would be considered wealthy. He lives in a small ranch-style house on one-acre of land. He drives a pick-up, not a limo. And he works an average of 70-80 hours a week. Most people would define that as "middle class" and the "American Dream."

[Snakeseye0]

because taxpayers arent going to be footing the bill now anyways?

So whats the best solution?

[smelltheglove]

Don't be a talking parrot.

the irony is strong with this one

[Rukentuts]

While true, that's not the concern of a business owner. A business owner doesn't (and shouldn't be expected to) simply accept that someone else is saving money at his expense.

Eh, he'll just increase prices and we'll be done with it.

[vaeevictiss]

So whats the best solution?

hell if i know, im not the politician. What i do know is that "free" healthcare is anything but, and has failed in nearly every nation that has tried it..or just bankrupted it. We never just "let people die on the streets" like people claim. People were always able to get health care. Sure we as taxpayers footed the bill, but not as much as we are about to. Shit like that is also billed into people insurance. Its just like uninsured motorists coverage. Insurance companies know there is no way to get everyone insurance so they bill that into the cost of peoples health care plans. The high quality of care we see in the US is about to dwindle as well, and you will see less and less people coming from other countries to receive care because of it.

In addition to the topic at hand...Are you really surprised that a business owner is altering costs to the consumer based on current economical standing? This has been happening since the very first business...its called running a business. economy changes, costs to the consumer change...i challenge you to find a company/industry that does not. If John Shnatter said "were raising costs of a pizza by .14c because of the bad economy" no one would bat an eyelash. But because he said "because of obamacare" the response is "BURN HIM AT THE STAKE"!

[Riidii]

Eh, he'll just increase prices and we'll be done with it.

You were saying that was "bullshit" and "ludicrous" a page ago.

[Laize]

Eh, he'll just increase prices and we'll be done with it.

And it's really just as simple as that.

[Darkwing]

What a bunch of children. If Romney got elected the same thing would be happening.

Oohhhh i'm pretty sure.... you are right my friend.

[TirielWoW]

His problems can be offset by a slight and not likely even noticeable increase to his pizza prices yet he is going to lay people off and cut hours instead. Or do both.

As explained earlier, HE isn't going to be doing anything. HE doesn't control the majority of the Papa John's locations in the world. They are franchises. Owned by much smaller companies/single owners.

[Tradewind]

Hmmmm...tough choice for CEO's. Buy a Jaguar...pay for employee health benefits.

[Laize]

Hmmmm...tough choice for CEO's. Buy a Jaguar...pay for employee health benefits.

Contrary to what the left would have you believe, that's only a tough choice when the quality of your employees' work matters.

[Tradewind]

Contrary to what the left would have you believe, that's only a tough choice when the quality of your employees' work matters.

Left and right are irrelevant to me. There's just what a person should do.

[Sunseeker]

Contrary to what the left would have you believe, that's only a tough choice when the quality of your employees' work matters.

The first company to tell me that the quality of work their employees do doesn't matter, is going to be the first company I point to when I hear about someone going out of business.

If you don't care about your employees, they won't care about their work. If their work suffers, your product suffers, if your product suffers, you lose money.

Companies have nothing to lose by treating their employees well other than a sense of entitlement, which sadly runs rampant in America among all groups of people.

[Laize]

Left and right are irrelevant to me. There's just what a person should do.

You have a target for the amount of profit your company should make.

When you fall under that target you have to either raise prices or lower costs.

If you raise prices you risk pricing yourself out of a market.

If you lower costs there are no negative repercussions until you need to expand again.

So "What a person should do" is, in effect, cut costs rather than assume that, whatever industry they're in, raising prices will work.

---------- Post added 2012-11-17 at 12:17 AM ----------

The first company to tell me that the quality of work their employees do doesn't matter, is going to be the first company I point to when I hear about someone going out of business.

If you don't care about your employees, they won't care about their work. If their work suffers, your product suffers, if your product suffers, you lose money.

Companies have nothing to lose by treating their employees well other than a sense of entitlement, which sadly runs rampant in America among all groups of people.

McDonalds, Walmart and Darden Restaurants seem to have made billions proving you exactly wrong.

[Tradewind]

I think you're misunderstanding...it's a moral question, not economic. Profit at the expense of your employees is immoral. Nuff said.

Also, McDonalds and Walmart are hardly paragons of customer service. No fucking clue who Darden is.