The following is a letter my uncle sent out to all of his employees and his family members. 

Where as I feel for the business, in my opinion, they are not alone in this economic hardship, everyone is feeling the crunch of these hard times.

I feel however, his email is out of line. Anyone else with any thoughts on it?

ETA: That this is apparently meant partially as  a joke, I really don't see the humor in it myself. Can anyone else help me out with that?

There have been some rumblings around the various offices about the future of my companies, and more specifically, your job.
As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: The economy doesn't pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country,and the "change" you all wanted from the election of 2009.

However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in your best interests.

First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a back-story. This back-story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and hear. Sure, you see me park my Audi A 8 outside. You've seen my big home in Jersey for years, until I sold due to property taxes and other "Jersey" add on's. I'm sure; all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life.

However, what you don't see is the back-story.

I started this company 41 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot below ground apartment for years in Fords,NJ with my wife. My entire living apartment was converted into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company, which by the way, would eventually employ you.

My diet consisted of free meals from my mother-in-law, because every dollar I spent went back into this company. I drove a 1965 Mustang, purchased in H.S., with a defective transmission. I didn't have time to "enjoy"  myself. Often times, I hung wallpaper on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business -- hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, my college friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made $30K a year, a lot of money in the 60s, and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. But me, instead of hitting the Nordstrom's for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the K-Mart or Two Guys extracting any clothing item that didn't look like it was birthed in the 50's. 
These same college friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. A life they could not afford. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had. That all the things that had been sacrificed during my career would be enjoyed when I became 50 or so. I just turned 60 in December.

So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9am, mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5pm, I don't. There is no "off" button for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, and breathe my companies every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to my hip like a 1-year-old special-needs child. You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden the nice house,the summer home in Cape Cod, the Audi A8, and the vacations. You never realize the back-story and the sacrifices I've made. All the things that I missed, all the times I wasn't around when a father was needed. 

Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the person that made all the right decisions and saved his money, stayed mentally attuned to the market, have to bailout all the people who didn't. The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for.

Yes, business ownership has is benefits but the price I've paid is steep and not without wounds. Ask my family!!!
Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, and employing you, is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell you why:
I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don't pay enough. I have State taxes, Federal taxes, Property taxes, Sales and Use taxes, Payroll taxes, Workers compensation taxes, Unemployment taxes, and Taxes on taxes. I have to hire a taxman to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and all the accounting that goes with it now occupy most of my time. On Oct 15th, I wrote a big check to the US Treasury for quarterly taxes. You know what my "stimulus" check was? Zero. Nada.
Zilch.

The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the person who has provided many people good paying jobs and serves thousands of people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check? Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country.

The fact is, if I deducted (Read: Stole) 50% of your paycheck you'd quit and you wouldn't work here. I mean, why should you? That's nuts. Who wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is in jeopardy. More than 50% of my earnings go to support others in the form of taxes.

Here is what many of you don't understand ... to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated that I didn't need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that large check into the Washington black hole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries. But you can forget it now. 
Business is at the heart of America and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it. Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the poor of America are the essential drivers of the American economic engine. These are the poor who you see with big screen TV's, SUV's and homes much larger than their pay. 

So where am I going with all this?
It's quite simple.

If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift and simple.
I fire you.
I fire your co-workers.
You can then plead with the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child's future.
Frankly, it isn't my problem any more.
Then, I will close this company down, move to another country, and retire.
You see, I'm done. Just ask my family members around me. I am burned out and disenchanted and disenfranchised.
My motivation to work and to provide jobs has been destroyed.

If you lose your job, it won't be at the hands of the economy; it will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country, steam rolled the constitution, and will have changed its landscape forever.You voted for change, guess what, let's just pray you don't get what you want, because there are thousands of John Pattens out there. We have had it...Let the guy standing on the corner hire you...I am sure you will feel good about yourself though, but you children won't.... If that happens, you can find me sitting on a beach, retired, and with no employees to worry about....
I have sacrificed for it, and have earned it.