BAN Ban The Box

 

As a supervisor who hires, trains and managers numerous employees, I am NOT in favour of Ban TheBox. To be perfectly honest, I’m totally against it.

There is a reason job applications ask if an applicant is a convicted felon. It’s for protection—person and property. In my 32+ years hiring employees, many felons are repeat offenders. Many others are career felons and a mere handful are those who made a mistake, paid their dues and never did it again. The latter are the ones who should be given a chance. And in my career, I have given plenty. Even though I get less and less background checks that are blank—meaning the person committed NO crime, not even a DUI. That’s just shameful.

Ban The Box eliminates the question on job applications with the hopes that you will not judge the applicant if they checked “yes” and by the time you’ve interviewed the felon you will like them so much, and think they are so qualified, you will hire them in spite of their criminal record.

I’m here to tell you, if you are a CAREER felon, I don’t give a rat’s patootie how qualified you are, I will not hire you.

Now, if you made a mistake 20+ years ago and have had a clean record since, absolutely, I will hire you, and as I said, I have.

This crap that it’s discriminatory to ask if someone is convicted of a felon is BS. Is it also discriminatory to have employees drug tested?  Or are we going to have to accept alcoholics and drug addicticts because it’s not fair and they can’t help it? Is it discriminatory to get someone’s credit report when their job duties include handling thousands and thousands of dollars? Or how about when they work with children? Are we going to stop doing criminal background checks and finger printing and eliminate the sexual predator’s list? Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if we did eliminate all that. We are a society where no one is responsible for any of their actions. And if they perpetrate a crime, we owe them something. After all, we’re all entitled now.

I’m sick of this. It’s dangerous to carry a gun, but it’s safe and acceptable to put employees and customers in danger with convicted felons. And I do know of what I speak. I’ve had people apply for jobs who committed assault and battery, robbery, identity theft, selling drugs, stalking and even rape. And many of them lied on the application by saying “no” they committed no felon. However, their arm-long criminal background shows they are career criminals. And no, many are not 20+ years ago. Many aren’t even 10 years ago. I’ve had them within one year, or less.

So, if you don’t want me to judge, DON’T COMMIT A CRIME.

 

 

Democrats Bogus Job Creation Plan

It appears the Obama Administration wants to spend millions more for “Job Creation”. According to Rep. Betty Sutton, D-Ohio the $787 Billion Dollar Stimulus Bill boosted our employment but “did it in a way that was not as highly visible as a lot of people would like.”

So let me get this straight. We spent $787 Billion dollars BUT we can NOT see the jobs it created. Unemployment is at 10.2%-- 17% if you count the people who have given up looking and those who have fallen off the radar… tell me again how the Stimulus BOOSTED jobs, Betty!


But wait, I may be jumping on Betty prematurely. Because she also said, “It did so in somewhat of a scattershot approach — a job here and a job there, trickled out over time. Far too many Americans are without a job, and far too many more are worried about what tomorrow is going to bring.”

Nope, I was NOT premature. A trickled job here and a trickled job there does NOT help when we have MILLIONS out of work! And with the way things look, hundreds of thousands more could lose their jobs!

Help is on the way though! Harry Reid HAS a plan! Yep, our Dear Harry wants to spend $600 Million dollars to SAVE jobs! Isn’t he a nice guy? Now I’m just being mean. Sorry.

Reid’s plan is a work-share program for all 50 states which will provide federal aid (or should we call it unemployment) to employees who accept less hours so that their employer can hire more employees thus averting layoffs. This approach Reid says will “save taxpayers money by keeping people on payrolls and off unemployment benefits.”

WHAT?! Wait, let me read THAT again. Save Tax Payers Money. We’re going to spend $600 Million dollars to enact this program but Reid says tax payers are saving money…um…am I brain dead? How the hell do tax payers SAVE money when Reid is spending $600 Million dollars of OUR money to get this program off the gosh darn ground? Saving tax payer money, I would think, and I’m not a Rocket Scientist, would be NOT implementing programs that require TAX PAYER MONEY in the fist place.

This program is sweet though, isn’t it? You only have to work half the time but get a full paycheck. It’s another entitlement program. Whatever happened to allowing businesses to do what THEY feel is best for their company? You know free will and all. If I were a business owner there is NO WAY I’d take one dime from the Feds. Federal money comes with strings. Just look at AIG. The next thing these small business owners will face is the Pay Czar telling them how much to pay their employees. Not a good plan. But then again, what Government program ever TRULY is? (Please don’t tell me SS; it’s soon to be bankrupt.)

I realize we are in a huge mess, however, just because the Democrats are in trouble of losing seats in 2010 does NOT give them the right to start another spending spree to try and save their butts. They OWE Americans a fiscally honorable plan. I’m tired of watching our budget go from red to blood red second after second. And I really don’t want to hear how it’s Bush’s fault, either. THAT ONE is REALLY old. This IS Obama’s economy NOW. It’s Obama’s war and it’s Obama’s unemployment. BUT he needs to start getting involved and stop with the stupid celebrity interviews and TV ads. I want a Leader who actually LEADS. So far that’s not what I’ve seen.

Obama Failed Economics

I’m not a rocket scientist; however I do know you can’t grow the economy from the bottom up, as Obama has affirmed he’s going to do if he’s elected President. Obama said he’s going to raise taxes on those who earn 250K or more and spread the wealth to those who don’t, including 40% of Americans who don’t pay any taxes at all. It’s hard for me to understand why anyone with a brain would vote for Obama for this very reason. My question to Obama supporters is this, “When was the last time you got a job from a poor man?” I can answer that question for every American, NEVER. Poor men can’t create jobs. When the rich have money to spend they spread the wealth. Hypothetically, I get my hair done every week by Sue the hairdresser. When I get a tax cut, I have extra money, so I decide to spread my wealth by going to Sue twice a week. Going to Sue twice a week gives Sue extra money. Now Sue and her husband Fred can go to dinner once a week. Sue also has a poodle that she’d like to have groomed. She can have Fluffy trimmed once a month. This groomer has to hire a new employee. And the cycle continues downward. The wealth and jobs are created from the TOP; from the rich. Here comes Obama who raises my taxes which is going to leave me with less money. Sorry, Sue, I have less money now, so I can only get my hair done twice a month. Now Sue has less money so she stops getting Fluffy groomed; the groomer lays off its extra employee and Sue and Fred can’t go out to eat once a week anymore either. So the cycle again continues downward. Raising taxes on the rich trickles down hurting the middle and lower income brackets. This doesn’t take a degree in economics, just common sense. Obama must’ve missed that class in college; or he just plain failed economics. I’d like to see his college transcripts. Oh, wait, he doesn’t have to show proof of citizenship or even medical records, so college records are off limits, too.